Rams Take 14-10 Halftime Lead Thanks to Giants Turnover
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The New York Giants are trailing the Los Angeles Rams 14-10 at halftime of their Sunday afternoon matchup at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants opened the game by winning the coin toss and elected to defer possession until the second half. The special teams unit did a solid job pinning the Rams at their own 8-yard line on the opening kickoff by Mason Crosby and practiced their bend-but-don't-break mentality on the defensive end.
Receiving the first possession of the contest, the visiting Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford made moving the ball look too easy at first as they went 54 yards in 11 plays to knock on the door of the endzone. However, New York held its own, and with two victorious challenges by Brian Daboll on incomplete passes, the host team held Los Angeles off the scoreboard and forced a change of possession.
The usual offensive struggles reared their ugly head on their first drive for the Giants. They got the football at their 21-yard line but went just four yards forward in three plays, one of which saw Jaylin Hyatt nearly reel in a deep shot, and had to punt it right back to Stafford and the Rams.
The Rams were determined to make up for their miscues on their previous drive and finished the job the second time. With 72 yards of offense covering four and a half minutes, Stafford found three different receivers and then handed the ball off to running back Kyren Williams, who took it to the house on his fourth carry for a Los Angeles touchdown.
As the game carried into the second quarter, Taylor and the Giants responded to the Rams score with their first punch. On several throws, Taylor connected with Hyatt, Darren Waller, Saquon Barkley, and Wan'Dale Robinson. The last one saw Robinson take a pitch 24 yards to the endzone to cap a 75-yard drive and tie the game at 7-7.
It took three possessions, but the Giants defense finally found a way to shut down the Rams offense in their first drive of the second quarter. Linebacker Bobby Okereke added to his impressive season with his first sack to put Los Angeles into their first long situation of the game. Then, safety Xavier McKinney made a stop on a third down to force the punt after 17 yards gained.
One big stop wasn't enough to satisfy Wink Martindale's unit, who would repeat their heroics on the succeeding Ram's drive. Looking for his receiver in Puka Nucua on 2nd and 10, Stafford overthrew the football, and it was intercepted by safety Dane Belton at the Giant's 38-yard line to force Los Angeles' offense back to the sidelines for a second straight time.
Yet, the timeliness of the holiday season came with an untimely Giants miscue returning the favor. On a 4th-and-1 attempt near midfield, Taylor lost and regained possession of the football but fell on it short of the first down, and the Rams took back their miscue with positive field position and the turnover on downs.
In the final two minutes of the half, Los Angeles dominated the Giants with a series of screen plays and missed tackles to get down to the endzone for their second potential sniff of the contest. Stafford pushed his offense inside the New York 5 with a handful of these plays, connecting last with Cooper Kupp for the touchdown and 14-7 lead.
A few more gifts would be exchanged in the final 1:41 starting at the Giants 39-yard line. Taylor took a deep shot toward Darius Slayton on first down that was picked off by Jordan Filler, who came over to make the play in double coverage. The next play saw the Rams give it right back on a fumble forced by Adoree' Jackson and recovered by Belton at the Rams' 46-yard line.
The Giants had some trouble moving the football in field goal range for Mason Crosby to add points before the half, but the veteran kicker nailed the boot from 31 yards to cut the halftime deficit to 14-10.
BLUE NOTES:
Tyrod Taylor finished the first half with 12 completions on 16 passes for 102 yards and an interception. Matthew Stafford has tallied 19 completions on 24 targets for 186 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.
Wan'Dale Robinson led the Giants' rushing department with one carry for 24 yards and a touchdown. Kyren Williams is the Rams leader with 11 carries for 42 yards and his own score.
Robinson is also the top receiver, with three grabs for 32 yards. Higbee has five catches for 58 yards and an average of 11.6 yards.
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