The New York Giants have proven they’re a scrappy group. When their execution matches their resolve, they get results like Sunday’s 29-20 win over the Seahawks. Here’s a final review of that impressive Week 5 victory:
Finger on the pulse
The Giants are averaging 17.8 points per game, which ranks 27th in the league. That production hardly suggests an offensive mastermind is at the controls.
But watching the plans Brian Daboll devises each week shows a coach with his finger on the pulse of how to attack opponents. That was on display on Sunday as the Giants mounted lengthy drives on three of their four first-half possessions.
The Giants’ control of the game only translated to 10 points because of a goal-line fumble by running back Eric Gray that was returned 102 yards for a Seahawks touchdown. But watching the Giants carve up the Seahawks with a flurry of screens, quarterback draws, power runs and quick passes showed that Daboll had the right formula to counter Seattle’s defense.
When quarterback Daniel Jones finally connected on a pair of long-awaited deep balls in the third quarter, the Giants’ offense was firing on all cylinders. The Giants gained a season-high 420 yards despite leading receiver Malik Nabers (concussion) and leading rusher Devin Singletary (groin) being sidelined.
It wasn’t a perfect performance, as the offense stalled late as it tried to ice the game. But the Giants did enough to overcome their personnel deficiencies. And that’s a weekly challenge for Daboll. Even when fully healthy, the Giants lack elite offensive talent. Aside from Nabers and left tackle Andrew Thomas, would any Giant start for the Detroit Lions?
Despite that deficit, the Giants have had an effective approach for every defense they’ve faced as long as we all agree to dismiss the debacle against the Minnesota Vikings in the opener since defensive coordinator Brian Flores has flummoxed every offense he’s seen this season.
The plan was to feed Nabers against Washington’s overmatched cornerbacks in Week 2, designing plays to get the dynamic rookie in the open field. In their win over the Browns in Week 3, the Giants attacked the perimeter, using screens and quick passes to negate Cleveland’s pass rush. Daboll again Nabers schemed open against the Cowboys in Week 4 despite the heavy attention from the defense, and there were deep shots in the plan that weren’t executed.
The Giants need to do a better job adjusting and executing as the game progresses. Removing the Vikings game, they have out-scored opponents 52-40 in the first half, but they have been out-scored 36-31 in the second half.
When the Giants surprisingly succeeded during Daboll’s first season in 2022, it felt like they had a schematic advantage in every win. There has been a similar feeling in both of their wins this season.
No Nabers, no problem
The Giants wisely picked on Seattle’s weakest corner, Tre Brown. Darius Slayton beat Brown for a 41-yard gain on a go route and then a 30-yard touchdown on a deep crosser during a third-quarter drive.
DJ LAUNCHES TO SLAYTON 🚀
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Ei9YalCAPD
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024
Slayton tallied five catches for 93 yards and the touchdown when matched up against Brown. Slayton’s eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets made him a legitimate stand-in Nabers.
Wan’Dale Robinson had a 7-yard touchdown grab, but he also had two critical third-down drops and finished with just 36 yards on six catches. Robinson dropped a perfect pass on a crossing route on third-and-5 early in the third quarter. He needs to make those catches to develop into more than just a short-range target.
Jalin Hyatt had played 51 snaps in the first four games. Nabers’ absence opened the door for Hyatt to play 48 snaps on Sunday. It didn’t make a difference, as the second-year receiver didn’t attact a single target. Hyatt did draw two holding penalties on Brown, but he has no catches and three targets through five games. It’s stunning that he’s been such a non-factor.
‘It starts up front’
The Giants’ offensive line was the unsung hero of Sunday’s game. After so many years of dreadful line play, it’s foreign to see such competency.
Jones was only pressured on 10 of his 40 dropbacks and only one of Seattle’s three sacks was the result of poor pass protection. There’s a symbiotic relationship forming, with Jones’ trust in his protection enabling him to navigate the pocket better.
The run blocking bounced back after a dreadful 24-carry, 26-yard showing in Week 4 against the Cowboys. Enormous holes propelled rookie running back Tyrone Tracy to 129 yards on 18 carries.
Ladies and gents, Tyrone Tracy Jr. ‼️ pic.twitter.com/aKVXMH3tAs
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 8, 2024
The improvement up front has benefited the entire offense. Jones has more time; the running backs have more room; and Daboll has more freedom to open the playbook without worrying poor blocking will torpedo his calls.
“It starts up front,” Daboll said. “Without those guys, you’re not getting plays downfield or an efficient passing game and pass protection or the screen game. And same thing with the run game, that’s where it starts.”
More Tracy
Tracy’s breakout performance as the feature back should force the coaching staff to reconsider the distribution of carries. Singletary got 56.6 percent of the carries in the first four weeks before missing Sunday’s game. Meanwhile, Tracy only had 12.1 percent of the Giants’ carries in the first four games.
Tracy brought more explosiveness to the run game with carries of 13, 25 and 27 yards against the Seahawks. Tracy has an explosive run (12-plus yards) on 11.4 percent of his carries compared to 6.1 percent for Singletary.
The sample sizes are obviously different, with Singletary tallying 56 carries to Tracy’s 30. The Giants should increase Tracy’s workload when Singletary returns to the lineup to see if the rookie can continue to add a dynamic element to the run game.
Defensive dominance
Re-watching the game revealed that the Giants didn’t blitz as much as it seemed. The Giants only blitzed on 20 percent of the Seahawks’ 50 dropbacks, which was one of their lowest rates of the season.
Part of that can be attributed to the Giants dropping more players into coverage and only rushing four as they tried to preserve their lead on the Seahawks’ final three drives. But the Giants also did a good job of showing pressure even when they only rushed four.
Inside linebacker Bobby Okereke often walked up to the center before dropping into coverage on the snap. That threat helped free defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence of some double-teams because the center had to first react to Okereke.
5TH SACK OF THE DAY 🤧
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/jtzNTt5vOz
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024
The Giants also moved Lawrence around more than usual, with him lining up across from the right tackle on 13 of his 44 snaps. Lawrence provided a reminder of how futile it is to try to block him with one player when he drove Seahawks right guard Christian Haynes into quarterback Geno Smith’s lap for a sack on third-and-6 in the fourth quarter. Other times, Lawrence, who had three sacks, simply beat double teams to pressure Smith.
The Seahawks converted just 3-of-11 third downs. They went 3-for-3 on third downs of third-and-3 or shorter. They went 0-for-8 on their longer attempts. They faced third-and-7 or longer six times.
Impact player
Outside linebacker Brian Burns described his play in his first season with the Giants as “decent.” Burns, who has two sacks, is seeking more game-changing plays. He made a pair on Sunday.
Not so friendly neighborhood Spider-Man 🕷️
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/TkJptx6qtp
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 6, 2024
Burns’ fourth-and-1 sack at Seattle’s 27-yard line early in the fourth quarter was one of the biggest plays of the game. A play that flew under the radar was Burns tipping a pass from Smith to running back Zach Charbonnet in the flat on the Seahawks’ next possession.
Seattle caught the Giants in a blitz, and Charbonnet was all alone in the right flat. Smith tried to get the ball out quick, but an unblocked Burns closed quickly and leaped to bat down the pass. Charbonnet would have had a chance to go the distance if the ball got to him. Instead, Lawrence and outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux combined for a sack on the next play to force a punt.
“I definitely feel like there’s a lot more I can do, just from my own criticism and what I see,” Burns said. “Just creating more plays. Even today, fourth-and-1, it’s a big play, get off the field, put them in great position to score again. Those are the plays that I want myself to make and I want our best players to make — me, Bobby (Okereke), Dex, Kayvon. We need to make those types of plays for us to win the game and be the defense that we want to be.”
Less action for Jackson
The Giants had cornerbacks Dru Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson on pitch counts as they each returned after missing a game with calf injuries. Cor’Dale Flott started at the outside corner spot opposite Deonte Banks with Nick McCloud in the slot. Jackson replaced Flott and Phillips replaced McCloud in the dime package the Giants used on passing downs.
It’s unusual to rotate cornerbacks, but the Giants have been doing it in the dime all season. It makes sense to get Phillips into the game even if he can’t play a full workload because he’s an impressive rookie. But it’s harder to justify benching Flott for Jackson.
Flott is a third-year player who is finally getting into a groove. Jackson is an eighth-year veteran who was signed off the street two weeks before the opener. Jackson was beat by wide receiver Tyler Lockett for a 28-yard completion — a defensive pass interference penalty was declined — late in the first half that allowed Seattle to kick a tying 43-yard field goal before the break.
It was understandable to bring in a veteran after the young corners struggled during camp. But Jackson has not looked good, so they need to stop forcing him into the lineup over Flott.
Special play
Special teams hadn’t been a strength this season, but there was a strong showing on Sunday beyond Isaiah Simmons’ game-sealing blocked field goal. Greg Joseph went 3-for-3 on three short field goals. Joseph has made eight-straight field goals in the past two games after missing a 48-yarder in his debut in Week 3.
Joseph has been a capable replacement for Graham Gano, who is eligible to return from injured reserve next week. Gano was working on the side with trainers during Friday’s practice, which is a sign that he’s making progress from the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2.
Jamie Gillan delivered what should have been a pivotal punt, when he booted a 59-yarder that pinned the Seahawks at their 5-yard line with 5:53 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Seattle drove 95 yards for a touchdown to pull within 23-20.
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(Photo: Joe Nicholson / Imagn Images)
