Because we ran the football.
We gained 148 yards on the ground and ran for 4.6 yards a clip on the best rushing defense in football.
Coming into tonight, Denver was allowing 2.4 YPA. They had allowed just 203 rush yards in 4 games and 0 rushing TD's.
This is the same defense that made Ezekiel Elliott pretty much quit just 3 weeks ago.
This season could have been much different if we had identified the offensive linemen who could block, the backs who could find holes, and made more of an effort to establish a ground game from jump street. But we didn't. We decided to simply hand jobs to guys who didn't earn them.
No one is going to mistake this line for Dallas or even call them "good" - but it's pretty clear that we went into this season with the wrong configuration.
It's also pretty clear that McAdoo should have given up the playcalling some time ago.
It makes such a massive difference when you can get a few first downs and run the football in this league. Even if you don't score on every drive. Just pushing possession and helping out your defense is a big deal. The way this team was playing early in the season was fucking impossible.
It's too little too late now - but it's tough because I think a lot of us knew this team shouldn't have been 0-5.
Hard to be mad about the Giants winning a football game.. but it's fucking frustrating that we are where we are now.
I'm not sure I agree with that part of the idea. Feel like we're running with an idea that fits just because.
Manning only completed 11 passes. We only gained 12 first downs. But it FELT different. That all said, this offense has a long way to go.
The Giants really have botched the OL situation for some time now. It's not only a talent issue, but as folks have pointed out, THE COACHES (unless they were being pressured by the front office) picked the wrong configuration.
They killed the season with the first five losses. Right now, I'm happy they won, but in a way, it feels like another kick to the balls because three of the five losses were games where we had 4th quarter leads. If our OL had been configured better... if Tom Quinn's special teams did have a huge hand in four of the losses... if the defense could have held the lead in three of those losses...
Oh well.
The team played fast, loose, and downhill from the opening kickoff.
It just annoys me that we came into this season with virtually zero competition or possibility of a different grouping because of "continuity" - you have to put your best guys out there where they are in their best positions.
The problem with Darkwa is that he always seems to get hurt when he gets a larger workload - but if guys like Darkwa or Gallman are able to gain some yardage like this, it tells me that these guys can run block and that these coaches should have identified this much earlier.
Maybe I'm putting too much stock in a couple of games - it just feels like maybe this year could have been a bit different if there was a better feel for the players on the roster and the offense was run accordingly.
Manning only completed 11 passes. We only gained 12 first downs. But it FELT different. That all said, this offense has a long way to go.
The Giants really have botched the OL situation for some time now. It's not only a talent issue, but as folks have pointed out, THE COACHES (unless they were being pressured by the front office) picked the wrong configuration.
They killed the season with the first five losses. Right now, I'm happy they won, but in a way, it feels like another kick to the balls because three of the five losses were games where we had 4th quarter leads. If our OL had been configured better... if Tom Quinn's special teams did have a huge hand in four of the losses... if the defense could have held the lead in three of those losses...
Oh well.
You know what I mean... this game had a totally different feel - this was the first time all year where I felt like on both sides of the ball, we were going to do what we had to do.
It felt like the Giants came into this game, had a game plan, and followed through with it.
Like I said before, it's just frustrating because I feel like this team should never have been in this 0-5 hole to start. But it's too late now and here we are.
Link - ( New Window )
SUlly had a perfect game plan for tonight which featured our rookie TE sensation. It was so nice watching a TE do damage again
Yeah, I don't know how believable this is as proof of anything.
The Giants looked especially effective as he pushed the right buttons on the opening drive when they went 69 yards on 13 plays and settled for a momentum-setting field goal.
I mean, really?
It's way too late for this season to turn around like that - I just feel like this team didn't even seem competitive the first few weeks and there's no way it should have been like that.
I felt like I was watching a professional football team tonight. A team that had a game plan, looked prepared, and executed when there were plays to make.
To have as many impact players missing like we did tonight and play that type of game - that's team football, preparedness, and good coaching.
Just sucks that it took this long to see something like that.
Chargers: 25 rushes, 152 yards, 1 TD
Tonight: 30 rushes, 144 yards, 1 TD
What dramatically changed? The line is playing better, the defense is playing better. There wasn't this revolutionary shift in changing playcallers. They lost the charger game on a sack-fumble-turnover in the 4th quarter. They lost the Tampa game despite dominating time of possession because the defense busted coverages to TEs all day long.
LA: 36 attempts
Denver: 19 attempts
It is more about the ratio.
The Giants were running well to the right last week when Hart was at RT. No doubt Pugh is the better RT, but don't dismiss what happened last week.
We finally had a pass rush so our defensive backfield could make some plays.
The defense needs the pass rush to be successful
Yeah, the OL looked better. Maybe Sullivan was a difference. Hell, John Jerry even played better on the left side. Darkwah ran better, Engram had a great night, and most importantly, this was the first time the D actually played remotely close to what people expected them to look like this year.
They almost looked like the team they were expected to be this year. Except for the lack of Beckham, Vernon, Marshall, Sheppard, DRC etc.
Let's call it Complimentary Coaching, that's where it starts. Glad to see the HC took his head out of his ass this week.
its weird
The biggest change was the O line configuration and Sully making the play calls
The D, minus DRC and Vernon, came out, ugh, "heavy handed" and "bullied" the other team off the field. They got after the QB, they stopped the run, and they wrapped up all over the field.
This was the D we knew we had, the question is - where the fuck were these guys for the first few weeks of the season? I hate to say first few, for the first couple of weeks I felt they did a very good job, despite being hung out to dry by a completely dysfunctional offense. But the next 3 games were an absolute abomination, and I still can't figure out why Spags hasn't eaten more shit over it to date.
I also want to say this with all honesty, that was the best feeling after a W I have had in the past 2 years. None of the 11 wins last year were this decisive (against a very good opponent), and it was shocking/awesome to watch. Just wish we won one of the previous 3 and we would have a season right now.
Sean : 8:13 am : link : reply
after tonight the problem looks more to be coaching. This team has talent.
Reese drafting has been terrible that why we have little to no depth . We had 12 first downs the WR's caught two balls .
We won the game in the trenches as in part to Pugh moving to RT and inserting Fluker . Hart needs to stay on the bench
he is not a RT . Was happy for Darkwa because he is always injured . The pick six gave us some breathing room and the run game aided in the TOP keeping the defense from wearing out they still hung 400 yards of passing . Apple finally played a decent game he had 3 passes defended and made some good stops .
The defense is not a dominant unit, but can have dominant stretches. The offense needs to move the football at an average clip and this D will resemble last year's. Lots of bend, timely turnovers and lockdown red zone play.
The biggest difference last night was no head scratching, stomach turning turn over.
On defense, after weeks of waiting for it, we finally saw some big plays on defense with the pick-6, Collins' interception, and the goal-line stand.
This game was closer than the scoreboard might indicate. Take away the pick-6, the missed and blocked FG's by Denver, and give them the TD that was so close the replay officials couldn't confirm one way or the other, and this game probably would have been lost by the NYG.
I'm glad they won, they deserved to win. They also were very close to winning the previous three weeks. They just couldn't catch the breaks, didn't score early, and couldn't get a big defensive stop or play in those previous three games. Football fans should realize those things were going to happen, but also shouldn't count on them happening every week.
On defense, after weeks of waiting for it, we finally saw some big plays on defense with the pick-6, Collins' interception, and the goal-line stand.
This game was closer than the scoreboard might indicate. Take away the pick-6, the missed and blocked FG's by Denver, and give them the TD that was so close the replay officials couldn't confirm one way or the other, and this game probably would have been lost by the NYG.
I'm glad they won, they deserved to win. They also were very close to winning the previous three weeks. They just couldn't catch the breaks, didn't score early, and couldn't get a big defensive stop or play in those previous three games. Football fans should realize those things were going to happen, but also shouldn't count on them happening every week.
Dan, you can play the if's and but's game in about 95% of the NFL games played. Most are tightly contested and could go either way. I dont think it was a matter of the game being close or not that made this W feel good. We saw 11 W's last year, and I dont think any of them felt as good as this one. As mentioned before, the Giants were able to establish a run game, pass-block with 2 competent looking Tackles, and play a sound defensive football game. It was a sight to see. Unfortunately, probably a tad too late.
Simien sucks. Hes a big reason why they lost
They lose and the coach gets killed. They win and the coach gets killed. Classic BBI.
Quote:
Well said.
Manning only completed 11 passes. We only gained 12 first downs. But it FELT different. That all said, this offense has a long way to go.
The Giants really have botched the OL situation for some time now. It's not only a talent issue, but as folks have pointed out, THE COACHES (unless they were being pressured by the front office) picked the wrong configuration.
They killed the season with the first five losses. Right now, I'm happy they won, but in a way, it feels like another kick to the balls because three of the five losses were games where we had 4th quarter leads. If our OL had been configured better... if Tom Quinn's special teams did have a huge hand in four of the losses... if the defense could have held the lead in three of those losses...
Oh well.
You know what I mean... this game had a totally different feel - this was the first time all year where I felt like on both sides of the ball, we were going to do what we had to do.
It felt like the Giants came into this game, had a game plan, and followed through with it.
Like I said before, it's just frustrating because I feel like this team should never have been in this 0-5 hole to start. But it's too late now and here we are.
Maybe the different "feel" just comes down to the basics of winning physical battles, not getting blown up, making blocks, getting off blocks, not making dumbass mental mistakes, not whiffing on tackles, you know, competency.
LA: 36 attempts
Denver: 19 attempts
It is more about the ratio.
While there's some merit to that, the ratio from last night is completely unsustainable for the purposes of winning in most cases. You aren't going to go anywhere meaningful if you cannot establish a pass offense, thus a balanced offense. You can bet the next team will be keying for the run and it won't be a "trap game". A run heavy offense that can't pass when they have to is easily defended. They're not at the point where they can confidently run even when the opponent knows it's coming. Even last night, a good night for running, plenty of plays got stuffed at or behind the line. That plan also won't work if they fall behind and don't have a defense that's creating turnovers and actually scoring.