Skip to main content
New York Giants Website
Advertising

Giants News | New York Giants – Giants.com

Experts analyze Giants following win over Titans

The streak is over.

relatedlinks-250.jpg

GIANTS VS. TITANS
> Watch Highlights from Giants vs. Titans
> Giants execute in all three phases
> 5 Players that stood out
> Giants.com hands out Game Balls
> 3 impact plays from Giants vs. Titans
> Postgame Stats and Notes

The Giants had a winning locker room on Sunday for the first time since Oct. 5, snapping their seven-game skid with a 36-7 road victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 14.

On an NFL Monday when Big Blue finds itself 4-9 on the season with an upcoming game against the Washington Redskins, Giants.com rounds up what experts and analysts are saying about the team:

"GRADE: A. The Giants defense doesn't get a credit for a shutout because Eli Manning threw a pick-six, which might have been the only mistake the Giants made the entire game."

"The Giants have won a game. I repeat, the Giants have won a game. It doesn't mean much in the grand scheme, as they long ago were eliminated from playoff contention.

But for the first time since Oct. 5, the Giants scored more points than their opponent scored in a game. The victory breaks a seven-game losing streak as the Giants improve to 4-9, keeping alive their chances of matching last season's 7-9 record."

"One week removed from their implosion against Jacksonville, they put forth perhaps their most complete performance of the season.

The offense, led by the burgeoning Manning-to-Beckham connection, churned out 402 yards while scoring on five of its first six possessions.

And the defense, which has been ravaged by injuries, forced three turnovers, notched eight sacks and scored a touchdown on a fumble return. The Giants were crisp from the opening possession.

The return of right tackle Justin Pugh, who had been dealing with a quadriceps injury, brought stability to an offensive line that had resembled a jigsaw puzzle in recent weeks. With Pugh healthy, the Giants returned to the group that started the first 10 games of the season, which Pugh said greatly improved the communication up front."

"The New York Giants had gone so long between wins they had started dreaming of what it might feel like. After beating the woeful Tennessee Titans, they don't need to dream anymore.

Odell Beckham Jr. had 130 yards receiving and Andre Williams ran for 131 more as they became the first rookies to top 100 yards in the same game in team history, and the Giants routed the Titans 36-7 Sunday to snap their seven-game skid. It was the Giants' first win since Oct. 5, a span made even longer thanks to their bye."

"There were finally smiles in the Giants' locker room again. Not the uncomfortable, what-just-happened smirks of embarrassment that show up during extended losing streaks, but those that often accompany relief and laughter.

For the first time in 63 days, the Giants won a football game, and they did so with relative ease by managing to somehow stay out of their own way to the finish line. Sunday's 36-7 victory over the inept Titans was indeed a collective effort, but the rookies led the way, headlined once again by the remarkable talent of Odell Beckham Jr. with assists to Andre Williams, who posted the first 100-yard game of his career, and linebacker Devon Kennard, who picked up two sacks and finished with six solo tackles.

And after charging out to a seemingly insurmountable halftime lead for the second consecutive week, this time the Giants actually waited until the game was over to exhale."

"Normally when a team heads to the locker room with a 23-point lead, there's a certain confidence and coolness that accompanies them. To secure an almost insurmountable lead like that after just 30 minutes practically assures a victory.

But these are the 2014 Giants, and halftime leads have not exactly been a portent of success. It was just a week ago that their 21-point advantage over the Jaguars melted away into a devastating loss. So instead of assuredness, the Giants headed off the field at the midway point of Sunday's game against the Titans with that cloud still lingering over them.

Even Tom Coughlin, who normally steers around references to negatives such as potholes, spoke directly of the failures of the previous week and those prior to it. 'I had an occasion to mention that, yeah,' Coughlin said. 'It was there and that's what you zoom in on.' This turned out to be the one that didn't get away."

"It was the long-awaited first breakout game for rookie RB Andre Williams (24 carries, 131 yards, one TD), who opened eyes on a 50-yard scoring run. Eli Manning (26-of-42, 260 yards) had a strange outing, as he was given plenty of time from his line (no sacks). Manning was sharp early, not so much late, throwing a terrible pick-six and was ineffective in red zone.

What else can be said of Odell Beckham Jr.? He was targeted 15 times and caught 11 passes for 130 yards and one TD, plus a 9-yard run and a nice-looking spiral on his first NFL pass attempt."

These 5 players stood out in the Giants win over the Titans

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.
Advertising