It wasn’t the prettiest game for several reasons, but the Giants knocked off the Titans 12-7. The rain and wind affected both sides, and Tennessee scored only one touchdown in the fourth quarter. But despite everything, the game felt like a turning point for the Giants. In the last three minutes of play, the Titans marched down the field. They were getting closer and closer to the end zone, and the Giants’ defense had no answer. It seemed like another win the Giants let slip away.
However, on 1st and Goal from the Giants’ 7-yard line, Cam Ward scrambled out of the pocket. He then fired it to the end zone, where Jevon Holland picked it off, sealing the victory for Big Blue. It was the signature moment in a tremendous season for Holland. But it is also a sign that things are changing under John Harbaugh. Last season the Titans scored on that drive, and the Giants are sitting at 1-2. But making a clutch play like that shows the losing culture is finally starting to break. Here are the other takeaways.
Arvell Reese Coming Out Party
One player the fanbase has put under a microscope is Arvell Reese. As the fifth overall pick in this past year’s draft, many expected him to make an impact from the jump. Even though he’s playing inside linebacker for the first time in his career, expectations were that he would quickly show the talent we saw at Ohio State. But through the first two games, Reese was relatively quiet. That led many to think the experiment had failed and it was time for him to return to an EDGE role.
But that changed on Sunday. Reese had a team-high 13 tackles, 11 of which were solos. He also had a tackle for loss and a pass deflection. You kept hearing his name over and over on the broadcast. If it were not for Holland’s game-saving pick, Reese would have been the most talked-about player on defense. This game proved he can translate his skill set to the NFL and handle inside linebacker. All he has to do now is prove he can do it consistently.
The Run Game Will Carry This Team
While the weather made passing hard, this game proved the run game will be the engine of this offense. The running backs’ ability to get chunk runs and the yardage needed to move the chains is a big reason the Giants were able to get points on the board. As usual, Cam Skattebo led the way with 60 yards on 20 touches. He also had over 70 yards after contact, which is the most Skattebo stat you have ever heard. Najee Harris also had his best game in a Giants uniform, with nine touches for 52 yards.
With all the questions at quarterback and the lack of wide receivers, their strong running game is a good sign. It shows that they should still be able to move the football despite how bad the passing game looks. It also helps that it’s not just one guy carrying the entire workload. The combination of Skattebo and Harris should be the main combo going forward. With Devin Singletary coming in as that change of pace back. This trio of backs should be good enough to carry the offense and make up for any potential shortcomings.
Giants Offense Still Feels Clunky With Jameis Winston
You should always be happy when your team wins a game. Especially with how bad the Giants have been for the past decade, any time they walk away it is reason to celebrate. But just because they won does not mean everything was perfect. Especially from an offensive perspective, there is a lot to be concerned about. For the second straight week, the offense felt clunky with Jameis Winston under center. Guys were running into each other, and they couldn’t execute in the red zone. Winston also didn’t look good for the second straight week.
Sure, the weather did not make it easy for Winston to push the ball downfield. However, his throws were low and had a lot of air under them. Those aren’t the throws you want to see from your starting quarterback. With how poorly he played, it makes sense why the Giants decided to trade for JJ McCarthy. Although McCarthy has struggled in the NFL, he has a similar profile to Jaxson Dart. Matt Nagy can develop a game plan similar to what they would run with Dart. The pressure is now on Winston to turn things around.
