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Giants Now: Darius Slayton makes Pro Football Focus' team of the week 

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Darius Slayton makes PFF's team of the week after explosive performance

Darius Slayton got his season off on a strong note in Week 1. Going up against a tough Steelers defense, the second-year receiver reeled in six passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns, including one from 41 yards out, the Giants' longest offensive play of the season.

Slayton was held in check from Weeks 2 through 4, catching three passes in each contest for a total of 134 yards and no touchdowns. But last week against the Cowboys, the former fifth-round pick exploded for a huge day.

Slayton was targeted 11 times in Dallas, catching eight of those passes for 129 yards. Among those eight catches, seven of them resulted in first downs while none went for less than nine yards, resulting in an average of 16.1 yards per catch.

According to Pro Football Focus, Slayton forced four missed tackles against the Cowboys, helping him earn the second-highest overall grade (91.6) among all wide receivers from the analytics site last week.

Slayton's performance led to him being named to PFF's Week 5 team of the week. His 76.7 overall grade on the season now ranks 22nd among all wide receivers.

Other quick notes from PFF

James Bradberry continues to shine in the secondary. The veteran corner limited Cowboys WR Amari Cooper to one catch for eight yards, earning a 77.9 overall grade on the day. His 85.7 overall grade for the season ranks second among all cornerbacks.

Markus Golden saw significant action for the first time this season, playing 86 percent of the defensive snaps. He led the team with four pressures and added a half-sack and two quarterback hits.

Inside the Numbers: Graham Gano's impressive start

Graham Gano's only missed field goal attempt of the season prevented him from owning a quirky distinction in NFL history.

On the final play of the first half in Chicago on Sept. 27, Gano's 57-yard try was wide left. If the ball had split the uprights, Gano would share the record for the longest field goal in Giants history; Aldrick Rosas kicked a 57-yarder against the Bears in MetLife Stadium on Dec. 2, 2018.

Had that happened, Gano would have been the only kicker with the longest field goal for a franchise and the longest three-pointer against that same team. On Oct. 7, 2018, his 63-yard field goal with one second remaining gave the Carolina Panthers a 33-31 victory against the Giants. By two yards, it is the longest field goal ever kicked against the Giants.

Of course, Gano's impressive start to his first Giants season suggests he still has a good chance to accomplish that unique double.

His 13 field goals in 14 attempts are tied for the league's third-highest total and his .929 success rate is tied for second among kickers with more at least 12 attempts. Gano's 14 tries tied him with three other kickers for second in the NFL.

Of course, one reason for his numerous attempts is the Giants' lack of touchdowns. They have scored only six and tried two-point conversions after two of them. Gano's four extra points are the fewest among the top 32 kickers listed in this week's official NFL statistics.

Gano's 43 points place him eighth in the NFL and are the most by a Giants kicker through five games since Josh Brown scored 50 points in 2015.

But the real reason Gano is a threat to tie or exceed Rosas' record is his demonstrated success with the long ball. He has succeeded on four of five attempts from 50 or more yards, missing only the aforementioned 57-yard try. Gano has kicked three-pointers from 52, 55, 50 and 54 yards. His four 50-plus-yard field goals tie the Giants' single-season record – with 11 games remaining. The mark is held by Brown in 2014 and Rosas in 2017.

View photos from the Week 5 matchup between the Giants and Cowboys in Dallas.

Joe Judge Report: Breaking down film with Coach

Check out the video below to watch a new episode of the Joe Judge Report, where the head coach uses the telestrator to break down film, including some big plays from Week 5 in Dallas.

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