News & Blogs

*Let’s start with the good news: The Giants’ annual food drive today resulted in the collection of more than 20,000 pounds of food and other necessities for the victims of Hurricane Sandy – more than the last four food drives combined.

*To honor the victims of the hurricane, coach Tom Coughlin wore a special New Jersey cap in the first half – it had an N and J with an outline of the state between the letters. He wore his traditional Giants cap in the second half.

*The Giants saw their four-game winning streak end and dropped to 6-3. Next week, they are at Cincinnati in their final game before the bye.

*Also ending was the Giants’ eight-game winning streak vs. the AFC (seven in the regular season and Super Bowl XLVI). Since 2006, the Giants are 16-10 in regular-season games vs. the AFC, the second-best record in the NFC (Atlanta is 19-9).

*The Giants led at halftime, 14-10. This is the first time they lost a game after leading at the half since Dec. 19, 2010, when a 24-3 halftime lead devolved into a 38-31 loss to Philadelphia. The Giants had won their last 10 regular-season games when leading at halftime.

*This was the first game the Giants lost after leading by at least 10 points since that 2010 contest vs. the Eagles.

*The Giants led after three quarters, 20-10. They last lost a game when leading entering the fourth quarter on Nov. 13, 2011 at San Francisco. They led, 13-12, but lost, 27-20. They had won their last six regular-season games when leading after three quarters.

*The Giants did not score a second-half touchdown for the second week in a row.

*The Giants gained 182 yards, their lowest total since they finished with 181 in the 44-7 loss that ended the 2009 season at Minnesota (Jan. 3, 2010).

*The Giants’ 114 net passing yards was their lowest total since they threw for 94 yards at Buffalo on Dec. 23, 2007.

*The Giants’ 13 first downs was their second-lowest total of the season; they had 11 last week in a victory in Dallas.

*Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger were the starting quarterbacks, making the game the 
seventh in NFL history in which the opposing starting quarterbacks had each won multiple Super Bowls. Manning led the Giants to wins in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI, while Roethlisberger was the starter when Pittsburgh won Super Bowls XL and XLIII.
*Manning completed 10 of 24 passes for 125 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. The completions were his fewest since he had nine in a victory over the Jets last Dec. 24. The 125 yards represented his lowest total since he threw for 119 yards at Minnesota on Dec. 28, 2008 – when he played only the first half.  It was his lowest total in a full game since he passed for 111 yards at Buffalo on Dec. 23, 2007.

*Manning increased his career total to 30,005 yards. He passed Randall Cunningham (29,979) to become the 34th quarterback in history with at least 30,000 passing yards. Manning is the second Giants quarterback to hit that milestone’ Phil Simms is the franchise record-holder with 33,462 yards.

*On Oct. 7, Manning passed for 259 yards vs. Cleveland. It was his 24th consecutive 200-yard game, the second-longest streak in history. In the four games since then, he has thrown for less than 200 yards three times.

*Manning was sacked twice, the first time he was sacked more than once since he was brought down three times on opening night vs. Dallas.

*Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for a team-high 48 yards. That increased his career total to 3,835 yards, leaving him one yard behind Ron Johnson, who is sixth on the franchise’s career list.

*Lawrence Tynes kicked two field goals (from 50 and 23 yards; he was also short on a 51-yard try). The eight points increased his season total to an NFL-best 102. He finished both the 2010 and 2011 seasons with 100 points.

*Tynes has kicked 26 field goals this season, one shy of the career-high he had in 2005 with Kansas City and again with the Giants in 2009. He kicked 19 field goals in each of the previous two seasons.

*Linebacker Michael Boley scored on a 70-yard return of a Roethlisberger fumble in the second quarter. It was the Giants’ second defensive touchdown in as many weeks; last Sunday in Dallas, Jason Pierre-Paul intercepted a Tony Romo pass and returned it 28 yards for a score.

Boley is the first Giants player to return a fumble for a touchdown since…Boley, who scooped up a loose ball and returned it 65 yards for a score against St. Louis on Sept. 19, 2011.

It was the Giants’ longest fumble return since Osi Umenyiora scored on a 75-yarder vs. San Francisco on Oct. 21, 2007. On Boley’s touchdown, Umenyiora sacked Roethlisberger and forced the fumble.

*Boley also led the team with 10 tackles (seven solo).

*Justin Tuck sacked Roethlisberger twice; he had one sack in the first eight games.

*Jason Pierre-Paul had the Giants’ fourth sack, raising his team-leading total to 6.5.

*Corey Webster intercepted a Roethlisberger pass, Webster’s third pick of the season.

*David Diehl started at right tackle for the first time since suffering a knee injury against Tampa Bay on Sept. 16. Diehl missed three games before playing in three as an extra lineman and on special teams. Sean Locklear, who had started in his place, took the roles Diehl filled when he wasn’t starting.

*Mark Herzlich made his season starting debut at middle linebacker for the injured Chase Blackburn. He had eight tackles (six solo).

Herzlich was one of only four linebackers the Giants had active for the game. The others were Mathias Kiwanuka, Michael Boley and Spencer Paysinger.

*Tight end Travis Beckum played for the first time this season. He was activated Saturday off the reserve/physically unable to perform list. Beckum did not have a ball thrown to him.

*Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard returned after missing four games with a quadriceps injury. He had four tackles (two solo).

*Pittsburgh’s Isaac Redman rushed for 147 yards (on 26 carries), the highest total by a Giants opponent since Carolina’s Jonathan Stewart ran for 206 yards on Dec. 27, 2009. Redman is the fourth opponent to rush for more than 100 yards this season, and the first outside the NFC East. The others were Dallas’ DeMarco Murray (131), Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy (123) and Washington’s Alfred Morris (120).

*The Giants’ inactive players were safety Kenny Phillips (who missed his fifth consecutive game with a knee injury despite practicing all week); linebackers Chase Blackburn (hamstring), Keith Rivers (calf) and Jacquian Williams (knee); tight ends Bear Pascoe and Adrien Robinson; and defensive end Adewale Ojomo.

Pascoe had played in 39 consecutive regular-season games, which was the team’s fifth-longest active streak.