The Giants finally broke through in Philadelphia, and they did it in a game that was equal parts grit and mess. New York snapped its 13-game losing streak in the city by beating the Eagles 19-11 on Sunday, its first win there in 14 tries.
Arvell Reese was the headliner. The rookie turned in a monster line with three sacks, 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three quarterback hits.
Per NextGen Stats, Reese became the first rookie since at least 1994 to post three sacks and 10 tackles in a game. That’s the kind of day that gets people talking about Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Jameis Winston also made his presence felt in a short but important burst. He handled one full drive, completing 6 of 7 passes for 71 yards and tossing a 5-yard touchdown to Isaiah Likely.
Winston also converted a fourth-and-1 Tush Push and added an 11-yard scramble on the same march. It was the latest reminder of why he matters, even if he’s not the kind of quarterback you want under center every week.
Likely made his own noise, too. The tight end caught five of six targets for 53 yards and the score, pushing his season total to 46 receptions and past his previous career high of 42.
Dominic Zvada steadied himself after some recent shaky moments and answered every kick he was asked to make. He went 4 for 4, drilling field goals from 53, 49, 49 and 38 yards. The Giants have not exactly made life easy on the rookie kicker, but he delivered when it counted.
There were a few more bright spots on a day when the offense never really found its footing. Gregory Desrosiers gave New York a small spark in his NFL debut, picking up 20 yards on three carries.
Darnell Mooney chipped in three catches for 54 yards, including gains of 17 and 27. Darius Alexander added a sack, a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup on Philadelphia’s final desperation drive.
Malachi Fields caught three passes for 40 yards, with receptions of 16 and 14 yards.
J.J. McCarthy’s stat line wasn’t eye-popping - 12 of 19 for 127 yards - but he battled through a hip injury and took five sacks while helping the Giants get the win.
The day also got a boost from outside New York. The Rams went into Washington and beat the Commanders 20-13, giving the Giants a little help elsewhere in the standings. The Colts, meanwhile, came up short against the Cowboys in the final minute.
Not everything was clean, and plenty of it was ugly. Special teams was a mess beyond Zvada and Jordan Stout.
Charlie Jones muffed a punt. The Giants were flagged, for at least the third time this year, for having the wrong number of players on the field on a special teams snap, with Jack Kelly unable to get off the field on an extra point and the 12 men on the field penalty helping lead to Philadelphia’s 2-point conversion.
Elijah Campbell also drew a 15-yard penalty that helped set up the Eagles’ only touchdown. On top of that, rookie returners Desrosiers and Phil Mafah twice let kickoffs bounce into touchbacks, pinning the ball at the 20.
The offensive line had its own rough afternoon. The run blocking never got going, with Devin Singletary limited to 31 yards on 21 carries and the team averaging just 2.6 yards per rush. Protection wasn’t much better, as Giants quarterbacks were sacked six times and hit on nine other plays.
Malik Nabers, meanwhile, saw his streak of 100-yard receiving games end at four. He finished with five catches for 43 yards and had a chance to put the game away when he couldn’t secure a 20-yard pass from McCarthy.
The catch wasn’t simple, but it was one a receiver of Nabers’ caliber is expected to make. The FOX broadcast also took note of his body language at times.
Nabers did recover an onside kick, and he was amused when the Eagles kicked the ball to him.
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Giants Win Leaves One Big Concern After Harbaugh Statement In Philly
The Giants finally got a result in Philadelphia, and it carried some real weight beyond the standings. For the first time since 2013, New York left Lincoln Financial Field with a win, ending a 12-game road losing streak there and giving John Harbaughs team another firm hold on the NFC East race. J.J. McCarthy helped make it happen with a few sharp third-down throws, even as the offense spent much of the afternoon fighting uphill.
What should linger, though, is how often the pocket collapsed around him. The offensive line gave up six sacks and never really opened much for the run game, which made every sustained drive feel harder than it should have been. McCarthy also had to deal with a hip issue during the game, and while the Giants were able to finish the job, the protection problems remain the kind of concern that can travel with a team deeper into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Have A Backfield Concern At The Worst Time Vs Eagles
The Giants head into their Week 9 matchup with the Eagles carrying a familiar kind of late-season injury concern, and this one lands in the backfield at an awkward time. Cam Skattebo is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury, leaving New York to sort through its running back plan while the rest of the roster also deals with a few bumps and bruises.
Malik Nabers, meanwhile, appears set to give the offense a lift after working through a recent knee issue, which helps soften the blow on the perimeter. The Eagles are also shorthanded at receiver, with DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks out, but the Giants bigger question is whether they can find enough stability on the ground to keep their offense balanced in a game where every possession figures to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Had To Watch An Eagles Punt Make History
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For Giants fans, it was the kind of play that lingers because it did more than just flip the field. The kick settled deep in New York territory and kept rolling into rare company in Eagles lore, trailing only a pair of massive punts that have stood near the top of the franchise record book for years. [Read more 🡒]