Eli, Offense Stout in First Win of Season

It wasn’t without some hiccups along the way, but the New York Giants were determined not to let yet another double-digit fourth quarter lead evaporate on Thursday Night Football against the Washington Redskins.

Some very efficient quarterback play, grinding runs and a near-perfect balance between the two phases on offense earned the Giants a 32-21 win, throwing them right back into the fire of a persistently volatile NFC East.

The unit got off to a strong start through Eli Manning, who completed his first eight passing attempts on mostly dink-and-dunk routes designed to move the chains. Satisfied that the Redskins’ defense had been kept honest long enough, Eli gradually opened up the playbook and began to hook up with his potent skill receivers further and further downfield.

Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle led the charge with 7 receptions each, for 79 and 116 yards respectively, and a touchdown each to boot. Manning finished with 23/32 completions for 279 yards and 2 scores, doing an excellent job of keeping a potential Washington resurgence always just out of reach.

There was nothing sexy about the Giants’ run game, but the production was at least static.

Only former Patriot Shane Vereen cracked over 3 yards per carry with his 6 totes for 23 yards. Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams did the bulk of the work for little reward, but New York’s 31 rushing attempts at least kept Washington off balance and unable to break out a splash play that may have inspired a comeback.

A pretty win it was not, but divisional games in the least amicable division in football never are. It would be easy to say the Giants will need to up their game against Dallas or Philadelphia, but with both teams harbouring their own concerns about where their season is headed, every win will be crucial in a four horse race that may not be decided until week 17…again.