The Giants did everything they could to give their Week 7 matchup with the Washington Commanders away, but Wink Martindale’s defense wouldn’t it happen.
Nearly squandering a two-touchdown halftime lead, the Giants’ defense — which posted a season-high six sacks — stopped the Washington Commanders on a 4th-&-5 just seven yards away from the equalizing score with 1:01 to go in the game to secure a 14-7 victory. Commanders receiver Jahan Dotson dropped quarterback Sam Howell’s pass at the 2-yard line, securing the Giants’ (2-5) first victory since Week 2.
Outside of the defense, though, costly mistakes nearly derailed a game that saw New York dominate the first half — mainly a muffed punt by Sterling Shepard in the third quarter that led to Washington’s lone score and Saquon Barkley’s lost fumble with an opportunity to ice the game deep in enemy territory that sparked the Commanders’ final drive that nearly tied things up.
Up 14-7 with just under eight minutes remaining in the game on the Washington 10-yard line, Barkley was stripped of the football, which was recovered by the Commanders (1-6). The visitors proceeded to mount a 17-play, 85-yard drive that came up empty.
While the Giants’ offense led by backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor (18-of-29, 279 yards, two touchdowns) with Daniel Jones still on the shelf was the best it’s been in weeks, a quiet second half left an active defense out to dry on their best showing of the season. Entering Week 7 with an NFL-worst five sacks on the season, they took down Howell six times, including five in the first half.
It was their second sack of the day, though, with just under five minutes to go in the first quarter, that helped turn things around. Following a missed Graham Gano field goal, a 3rd-&-4 sack on the Giants’ 38-yard line with four minutes left in the first quarter sparked New York toward their first offensive touchdown since the third quarter of their Week 3 loss to the San Francisco…
Read the full article here
