In one of the season’s biggest point-spread upsets, the Giants beat the Texans 27-21 in overtime. Both the offense and defense fired on all cylinders. It was the game that perfectly summarizes the culture that the Giants are trying to build. A hard-nosed football team that is going to play tough for 60 minutes, despite “how much better” the opponent is. The players also appear to be buying into this. Abdul Carter was in the locker room telling everyone to give everything they had for one more quarter. This attitude will keep the Giants competitive, no matter who they miss.
There were many reasons for the Giants’ win on Sunday, but the biggest was Cam Skattebo’s play and the run game. A week after being benched, Skattebo put in a career performance, rushing for 124 yards on 17 touches and scoring a touchdown. Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy also put in strong efforts, each finding the end zone and putting in strong runs. It was the first time the run game has looked effective since Week 1 against the Cowboys. If they can keep this up, the offense will be much more dangerous. Here are the other takeaways.
The Giants Offense Works Better With a Mobile QB
For weeks, the Giants offense has been inconsistent. Ever since Jaxson Dart went down with injuries and Jameis Winston took over the offense never could play a full game. They always struggled for at least one quarter and looked lost. It was a rollercoaster that would hold the Giants back. But this week, when they started JJ McCarthy, things were different. The offense looked good from start to finish. They pushed the ball downfield and ran the football successfully for the first time in months.
While this could easily be written off as them taking advantage of a struggling Texans defense, the offense may finally be doing what it’s supposed to do. Dart’s mobility was going to be a big part of this team’s offensive identity. It was going to help the other area of the offense step up. But with Winston, they couldn’t call the plays as intended. With McCarthy and his athleticism, you can run an offense similar to what it would have been with Dart. Thus, creating a much more effective and efficient offense.
Deonte Banks Was a Shutdown Corner
When John Harbaugh took over, one of the first moves everyone wanted was to cut Deonte Banks. He has been on a downward spiral after a decent rookie season. It seemed like he was just going to be a bust and never live up to expectations. But this season has been different. Banks has taken massive steps this season and has looked much more confident on the field. But his best performance came against the Texans. He was against Nico Collins all day and held him to just one catch for four yards.
Collins has been one of the league’s best wide receivers for the past few years. The fact that Banks was able to not only defend him, but make him a non-factor is extremely impressive. When you neutralize an opposing offense’s biggest threat, you have a pretty good chance of winning the game. It also renews optimism that Banks can be the cornerback one. If you are able to make a top ten wide receiver invisible, there is not a receiver you can go against that can get the better of you.
Abdul Carter Is a Game Wrecker Even Without Sacks
We have already talked about the impact Carter has made off the field. He’s been able to hype the team up and is becoming one of the team’s vocal leaders. But he backs up his locker-room talk with his play on the field. Sure, his stat line does not look impressive, only registering four tackles. But he forced the Texans’ offensive line to commit two holding penalties. Had Carter not been held he likely lands a sack or at the very least a tackle for loss. He is still pushing the opposing offense back, even if he doesn’t get home.
This has become a trend for Carter. Over the last four weeks, he has been held four times. Sure, drawing a flag isn’t as good as a sack, but it’s still a negative play for the offense. It pushes them back and forces them to change up the game plan. This can be a killer for the opposing offense and stop them in their tracks. It may not be exactly what the Giants had in mind when they took him, but it’s working. The Giants can feel confident knowing they have an edge rusher who can disrupt the game in multiple ways.
