New York Giants Notebook | A Much-Needed Victory
Wins against the Washington Football Team have officially accounted for four of the Giants' last six victories dating back to 2019, as they've swept the season series for the second year in a row.
With the win, the Giants move to 2-7 on the season with two more divisional games left, one next Sunday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles and then a Week 17 home clash against the Dallas Cowboys.
Next week, a win would move the Giants into a tie with the Eagles for first place in the NFC East.
While the idea of a run at a division title is still a long shot, merely having some momentum, something to play for, and some tangible results are good motivational tools should head coach Joe Judge need such motivation.
But Judge told reporters after the game that records right now don't mean a thing and that the only thing he and the players need to be worried about is tomorrow.
“Throw the record away, it's irrelevant. It's going to be a big game for us no matter who we play, especially with Philadelphia coming in," Judge said after the game.
"The record is completely irrelevant to this game. Look, we're just trying to go 1-0 every week. I'm not posting in front of my team what the record is for the season, to be completely honest here right now. That's the last thing we should care about.
"We have to worry about day by day and week by week making constant improvement as a team and moving in the right direction. I see that, I'm pleased with that. I love the way these guys come to work. I love the way they fight for each other on Sundays. But I don't care what the record is on any year."
But still, this is an Eagles team that the Giants have struggled against over the last several years, so it has to count for a little something, right?
"The fact that we're playing Philadelphia is a division game, it's obviously a big game for us," Judge added.
The Perfect Sack
Quarterback Daniel Jones did something on Sunday he hasn't done all season.
He played a complete game without committing a single turnover.
That's not to say Jones had a "perfect" game. He lost a ball when he ran out of bounds, and he almost had a pass intended for tight end Evan Engram picked off (the call was reversed when the replay showed the ball hit the ground).
But the defining play for Jones came down to a sack late in the game with the Giants leading 23-20 with one minute left. That's when Jones absorbed a blindside hit from Washington defensive end Kamren Curl while holding the ball with just one hand.
Just when it looked like everyone was ready to moan, "Not again!" Jones did something he hasn't done before in similar situations. He secured the ball as he fell to the ground.
Never did a sack look so beautiful in the eyes of Giants fans.
"That's been a focus of mine and you obviously know the importance of holding on the ball," Jones said after the game.
"The defense did a great job coming up with five turnovers and on offense, we're able to protect it today and that was a big advantage for us. Those are big plays in the game and I've got to do a good job of holding onto the ball."
Offensive Line Carousel
The Giants' shuffling offensive line strategy, initially deployed in Week 6 against Washington, made its return on Sunday.
Rookie offensive tackle Matt Peart was inserted at both right tackle for veteran Cameron Fleming and left tackle for fellow rookie Andrew Thomas.
Overall the strategy didn't yield spotless pass protection results as Jones suffered four sacks and several other pressures. It did, however, help the Giants once again produce in the running game.
Running backs Wayne Gallman and Alfred Morris combined for 135 yards on 23 carries and one rushing touchdown.
Peart's presence was a particular boost to the run game as he cleared several lanes for Gallman and Morris en-route to another 100-yard rushing performance for the offense, the third in as many weeks.
Guard Will Hernandez was originally slotted to man the left guard position for the Giants before landing on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Still, his return, which could come by next weekend, will enable even more rotational opportunities with rookie guard Shane Lemieux.
"I've said in previous press conferences, I just want to play everyone at the game right there," Judge said. "So tackle-wise, we're really three for two at that spot. Guard-wise, we are really two for two. Will [Hernandez] should be back sooner or later for us. I plan on being three for two at those positions as well inside.
"We're going to try to play everyone at the game every week, make sure we stay fresh, give everybody experiences, keep on improving. I think we have good players at that position, and we will give them a chance to play."
Back at the start of training camp, Judge preached versatility as a critical trait for his offensive line. He intended to cross-train each of his offensive linemen at every position and the philosophy that wasn't all talk, as it's been heavily utilized so far this season to admirable results.
Jones has also been impressed by the play of the various offensive line combinations.
“They've done a great job these last few weeks. [Offensive line] Coach [Marc] Colombo has them going and the rotation, rotating those guys in and out and keeping them fresh," Jones said.
"Those guys did a great job up front against a really good defensive front and a defensive front that has the ability to really impact the game and change the game and those guys did a great job all day enforcing our will running the ball and then protecting the pass game too so those guys deserve a lot of credit.”
Evan the Enigma
Tight end Evan Engram caught his first receiving touchdown of the season on Sunday, ending a personal drought.
The touchdown came in the second quarter on a 16-yard strike from Jones into the middle of the end zone.
It didn't come easy, however. Engram, who was in double coverage, had to lean out and use every inch of his frame and fingertips to snag the ball and haul it in as he fell to the turf for a score that put the Giants up by 17.
But despite that play, Engram also had another concentration drop late in the game when the Giants were trying to run out the clock to preserve their three-point margin of victory. Engram's drop on first down put the Giants in a hole, the drive lasting a mere 18 seconds and leaving Washington with plenty of time to stage a comeback.
"Just really was a routine play and I got a little too excited and the ball went through my hands," Engram said of the drop. "I just have to keep working and stay at it all week and stay and catch balls and working on technique - keep eyes on the ball all the way to the tuck."
Engram now has six dropped passes this season and has been on the receiving end of four of Daniel Jones' interceptions. In comparison, in his last two injury-shortened seasons, Engram had six drops for 2018 and 2019 combined after posting 11 drops in his rookie year.
Engram had not been on the receiving end of any intercepted passes in those same two seasons.
"Those things happen," Engram said of the miscue in this week's game. "You just have to overcome it."
