Giants Ground Birds

The Giants returned from their bye week and flipped the script on a division rival.

On Sunday afternoon, for the first time since 2012, Big Blue defeated the Eagles at home. However, the 28-23 win didn’t come without some drama.

After being close to perfect for three quarters, Eli Manning – who threw for 257 yards and four touchdowns – tossed an inexcusable interception on third down with the Giants leading by five points and less then two minutes remaining in regulation. Defensive lineman Connor Barwin deflected the pass at the line of scrimmage and linebacker Jordan Hicks hauled in the pick.

That set up a short field for rookie Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense. But the Giants defense made a stand, forcing Wentz into an incompletion on fourth down to seal the victory. Jordan Matthews had a chance to secure the catch in the end zone, but the ball tipped off his hands.

The Giants improve to 5-3 on the season, with a Monday night matchup against the Bengals in the Meadowlands waiting next week. The Eagles fall to 4-4.

Odell Beckham caught two first-half touchdowns and finished with 46 yards receiving. The Giants, though, lost both starting left guard Justin Pugh (knee) and wide receiver Victor Cruz (ankle) to injury in the victory.

The Eagles cut the lead to five on a field goal with 3:55 remaining. Eagles cornerback Nolan Carroll ripped the ball away from Beckham for what was eventually ruled an interception, and the Philly offense turned the giveaway into points.

The Giants opened Sunday’s contest with 14 unanswered points, capitalizing on two dreadful throws from Wentz. On the first, the Giants pass rush forced Wentz to scramble to his right inside his own 25. The North Dakota State product then made an ill advised and off-target throw that safety Landon Collins intercepted.

Two plays into the ensuing possession, Manning found Beckham on a slant. The wide receiver broke a tackle at the 20-yard line, shaking off Eagles safety Rodney McLeod before sprinting to the end zone for the game’s first score.

Philadelphia got the ball back. But the team’s next drive ended in similar fashion. Wentz, noticeably shaken from the Giants’ early pass rush, grossly misfired on a throw deep down the middle. The ball sailed over Dorial Green-Beckham’s head and into the waiting arms of rookie safety Andrew Adams.

The Giants took over at the Philly 30-yard line. And three plays into the possession, Manning connected with rookie Roger Lewis Jr. for the 30-yard touchdown completion. Two Eagles defenders collided, leaving Lewis wide open. The play was a sign of things to come for the Eagles secondary.

Still, the Eagles pulled within four points after a Caleb Sturgis field goal and an eight-yard touchdown run from Ryan Matthews. Wentz set up the touchdown with a 58-yard play-action completion to Bryce Treggs on a missile of a throw.

In the meantime, the Giants offensive stagnated without a running game. They finished with just 11 yards on nine carries in the first half.

But the Giants nonetheless added to their lead before the half when Beckham caught a one-yard touchdown pass with 2:43 left in the half. Cruz hauled in a 46-yard reception down the right sideline to set up the score that put the Giants up 21-10.

Jason Pierre-Paul blocked a Sturgis field goal attempt with just more than a minute remaining to preserve that lead heading into halftime.

Wentz marched the Eagles down the field on the opening drive of the second half. Kenjon Barner punched in a three-yard touchdown run to cut the Giants lead to 21-17 with 12:17 left in the third quarter.

But Manning responded on the next Giants possession, this time finding rookie Sterling Shepard for a 32-yard touchdown reception. The Eagles busted another coverage, and Shepard was wide open in the right side of the end zone.