Giants Week 6 Grades/Analysis
Six Flags Great Adventure is an attraction for many, but the biggest roller coaster in New Jersey came inside Met Life stadium yesterday. After three straight losses, the Giants’ season was starting to raise doubts if they could whether this storm. Against the Baltimore Ravens who seemed to be going through a rough patch themselves, both teams seemed desperate for a win to regain the confidence and hopes that this season won’t be a forgotten one. Despite the Ravens' best effort with an injury-riddled roster, the G-men were able to hold them off and the officials for the 27-23 win. Let’s recap.
Giants Running: F
You would think that with Rashad Jennings coming back from injury that the running game would get back into flow and give the offense some balance, think again. Jennings, Rainey, and Perkins combined to rush for 38 yards on 17 attempts. I can write a bunch of different adjectives and describe why the running game was ineffective but i’ll just leave this here instead.
best way to describe the Giants running game yesterday.
Giants Passing: B+
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
For the first time since week 2, Eli Manning and the offense gave us an eye-opening performance and may have ultimately saved their season from going down the tubes. It was a tail of two halves. In the first two quarters, the offense couldn’t garner a single first down until early in the 2nd. 2nd half however the Giants offense was resurrected when Eli and Odell both connected on a 75-yard and a 66-yard TD that ended any conversation that Eli was getting older and that Beckham wasn’t having fun anymore. With Eli finishing at 403 YDS passing and 3 TDS and Odell finishing with a career high 222 YDS receiving on 8 catches for 2 TDS. These two struck gold in the most crucial game of their season yet. Say what you will about Odell, but this game shows us why he may very well be the best WR on the planet right now.
Giants Run Defense: B-
Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Going in, Baltimore had the 16th best rushing offense in the league. The Giants D went up against new starting RB Terrance West who had 87 yards rushing on 23 carries and 2 TDs. Though most of that yardage came on one play. The play of the game came from Jonathan Casillas and Mark Herzlich who both stopped West on a 4th-and-goal from the photo above. The run defense stepped up and helped set the tone for the unit as well.
Giants Pass Defense: C+
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
In the first game after the Ravens fired Offensive Coordinator Marc Trestman and replaced him with Marty Mornhinweg, the Ravens were looking to go deep even without WR Steve Smith. Giants did themselves no favors by letting Joe Flacco play into the game plan. New York allowed 2 plays of 30-yards or more in this game that led to Flacco throwing for 307 YDS. The good news however, they didn’t give up a passing touchdown and the pressure was effective as Landon Collins and Jonathan Hankins each recorded a sack. The lack of sacks is alarming for sure, but what was a positive was how they disrupted Flacco's rhythm and made him look uncomfortable at times which was more evident here then there was against both Sam Bradord and Aaron Rodgers.
Overall Grade: B-
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Sure it wasn’t pretty, and yes some questionable calls made you panic and hope they wouldn’t blow it, but the Giants overcame many obstacles and hurdles to prevail a win in one of the most entertaing games of the season. What they do from here will remain to be seen as they will play the Los Angeles Rams in London. Luck will be on the Giants’ side as they have won their last six games against the Rams, most recently in 2014. Also at 3-3, the Giants now are back at .500 and starting to creep back into the NFC East picture. So maybe, just maybe, the Giants have a chance to make things turn out differently this season. Which is a positive development.
