The Giants showed toughness in a dramatic 12-7 win over the Titans, finding a way to finish a game that easily could have slipped away. At 2-1, New York still has plenty to clean up, but this team is proving it can win even when things get ugly.
A win is a win.
Was it pretty? Absolutely not. The weather was ugly, the offense was ugly, and for a while it looked like the New York Giants were going to find a way to give away a game they had controlled for most of the afternoon. Instead, they held on for a 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans, improved to 2-1, and now have another potentially favorable matchup next week when the Arizona Cardinals come to MetLife Stadium.
Last year’s Giants probably lose this game, but this year’s team found the one extra play it needed to win it. That might be the biggest takeaway from Sunday.
What Are the Giants Without Their Franchise Quarterback?
The question I’ve been thinking about since Jaxson Dart went down is pretty simple: how good is this Giants team without the franchise quarterback masking some of its problems? We’re starting to find out, and Sunday showed that there are still plenty of issues to work through.
Jameis Winston struggled again, even when accounting for the rain and difficult conditions. I’m still riding with Winston for now, but the Giants absolutely need to add another quarterback to this roster.
My opinion hasn’t changed from earlier in the week. Don’t trade draft picks or players for a third quarterback. Go get Jimmy Garoppolo if he’s available, keep your assets, and try to survive until Dart returns. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Giants have another quarterback, or potentially even two, in the building before Wednesday.
Jevon Holland Saves the Giants
Jevon Holland made the play of the game when the Giants needed it most. Tennessee had driven all the way down to the Giants’ seven-yard line with a chance to steal the game before Holland intercepted Cam Ward in the end zone with 17 seconds remaining.
Holland now has an interception in each of the Giants’ first three games, and he continues to look like one of the best additions the Giants made this offseason. This is exactly what you’re paying him for, because when the game was slipping away, Holland made the one play that prevented the collapse.
Cam Skattebo Brings the Grit
After struggling to establish the run against the Rams, the Giants got back to it against Tennessee. New York finished with 138 rushing yards while averaging 4.2 yards per carry, with Cam Skattebo and Najee Harris combining for 112 yards on the ground.
Skattebo gave the Giants exactly what they needed in these conditions. He rushed for 60 yards and added another 40 receiving, giving him an even 100 yards from scrimmage. It wasn’t flashy, but it was physical, gritty football, and on a rainy afternoon like this, that was exactly what the Giants needed.
The Red Zone Offense Has to Get Better
The Giants won, but settling for four field goals almost cost them. You can’t consistently move the football into scoring position and come away with three points, because eventually, especially against better teams, that catches up with you.
The Giants controlled most of this game and should have put Tennessee away much earlier. Red zone offense needs to be a major point of emphasis this week.
Dominic Zvada Was Perfect When the Giants Needed Him
Dominic Zvada deserves a ton of credit for what he did Sunday. He drilled four field goals in the rain, with every Giants point coming off his right foot.
The rookie has now made his first six field-goal attempts to begin his NFL career, and Sunday was easily his biggest test yet. When the offense couldn’t finish drives, Zvada made sure the Giants still came away with points.
Jordan Stout Continues to Flip the Field
Jordan Stout deserves some love too, because he has become a legitimate weapon for this team and continues to bury opponents deep in their own territory. In a game where field position mattered as much as it did Sunday, Stout was huge.
He uncorked a 74-yard punt against Tennessee after hitting a 78-yarder against the Rams the week before. That’s an incredible weapon to have when you’re playing tight, low-scoring games like this.
The Pass Rush Still Isn’t Finishing
I’ll probably be saying this all season: the pass rush needs to start getting home.
The Giants made Cam Ward uncomfortable at times, but this defensive front was built to produce sacks and change games. Pressure is nice, but eventually you have to finish the play, especially with the amount of talent and resources invested in this front.
Penalties Continue to Be a Problem
The penalties need to be cleaned up because these are the types of mistakes that become even more costly in close games. The Giants aren’t going to be able to get away with them every week, especially when the offense is struggling to finish drives.
That’s something John Harbaugh and his staff need to hammer home before next Sunday. Against better teams, those mistakes can be the difference between winning and losing.
Now We Wait on Brian Burns
Brian Burns gutted it out Sunday after dealing with an ankle injury all week, only to leave the game with a knee injury. Now the Giants have to hold their breath while Burns undergoes an MRI.
Losing Dart was already a massive blow, and the Giants cannot afford to lose one of the most important players on their defense for an extended period too. Hopefully the Giants get some good news here.
The Bottom Line: This Time, They Didn’t Blow It
We’ve seen this movie before. The Giants control a game, fail to put the opponent away, let the other team hang around, and then watch it all unravel in the final minutes.
For a while, it looked like Sunday was heading in that same direction. Tennessee scored late, got the ball back, and drove deep into Giants territory with a chance to steal the game. This time, though, Jevon Holland made the play New York needed, picking off Cam Ward to seal the win and send the Giants to 2-1.
There is still plenty to clean up. Jameis Winston has to play better, the red zone offense needs to improve, the pass rush has to start finishing with sacks, the penalties need to come down, and the Giants still need help at cornerback.
Still, they found a way to win an ugly game, and that matters. Now the Cardinals come to town with the Giants having a chance to stack another victory and move to 3-1.
A win is a win. Take it, learn from it, and move on.
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