Giants Win But Miss Playoffs: The Giants defeated the Washington Redskins 17-14 earlier today at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. The win improved the Giants to 10-6 and assured them of a second-place finish in the NFC East. However, with the Packers beating the Bears 10-3, the Giants did not make the playoffs. The season is over for the New York Giants.
The game itself was rather uninspiring. The Giants accrued 325 yards of offense, but only 14 first downs. The Redskins gained 385 yards of offense and 20 first downs. Neither team could run the football particularly well with the Giants gaining 82 yards rushing to the Redskins’ 67 yards rushing.
Defensively, the Giants did force four turnovers (three fumbles and one interception). The Giants only turned the football over once (one interception).
The Giants scored on two of their first five drives of the game. After going three-and-out on their first possession, the Giants put together an 11-play, 78 yard drive that resulted in a 20-yard field goal by PK Lawrence Tynes.
New York’s next two drives ended with an interception by QB Eli Manning (off of WR Mario Manningham’s hands) and a punt after gaining 37 yards and two first downs. The Giants then went up 10-0 when New York drove 69 yards in nine plays with HB Brandon Jacobs scoring from two yards out.
Defensively, the Giants performed well until late in the second quarter. With just over three minutes to go before halftime, the Redskins drove 80 yards in seven plays to cut the Giants’ lead to 10-7 at the break. Before that, Washington had been held to only five first downs on their four other possessions. The Redskins did miss a 30-yard field goal on the second drive of the game. DE Osi Umenyiora also prevented what looked to be sure points after Manning’s interception when he sacked QB Rex Grossman, forcing a fumble that DE Jason Pierre-Paul recovered.
In the second half, both teams only scored once. The Giants only picked up three first downs in the second half. But one was a big one when Manning hit Manningham for a 92-yard touchdown on New York’s first possession of the second half. After that, the Giants’ offense did pretty much nothing as New York could not pick up a single first down on their next five possessions. The Giants also a 39-yard field goal after the Giants’ defense forced a turnover. New York didn’t pick up their second and third first downs of the second half until late in the 4th quarter.
In the second half, the Giants’ defense forced three turnovers, two punts, and two turnovers on downs. LB Keith Bulluck intercepted one pass, Umenyiora forced another fumble and recovered the football when he sacked Grossman a second time, and LB Jonathan Goff forced a fumble that S Kenny Phillips recovered. However, the Giants also allowed a long touchdown pass when Grossman found WR Anthony Armstrong for a 64-yard touchdown pass with with just under six minutes to play.
Up only 17-14, the Giants picked up two first downs before punting with just over two minutes to play. But the Redskins could only pick up one first down before being stopped on 4th-and-4. The Giants then kneeled on the ball to win the game.
Highlights of the game are available at NFL.com.
Seubert Suffers Knee Injury: Rich Seubert, who started the game at center for the Giants, was forced to leave the game in the first half with what looks to be a serious knee injury. The Star-Ledger is reporting that team doctors believe Seubert tore his patella tendon in addition to a dislocated knee cap. The injury not only puts into question Seubert’s ability to play in 2011, but his future with the team.
Mara Says Coughlin is Staying: John Mara, the President/CEO of the New York Giants, said after the game that Tom Coughlin will remain the head coach of the team.
“There was never any doubt he was going to be back next season,” Mara said. “There was never any doubt in my mind. There was never any doubt in Steve Tisch’s mind. There was never any doubt in the organization’s mind.
“I told him that last week. I said ‘Don’t listen to all the nonsense,” continued Mara. “You’re going to be back next season. We still believe in you and we want you as your coach.”
“The players play hard for him,” said Mara. “He’s very organized. He’s everything you want as a coach. I’m obviously disappointed we didn’t make the playoffs. Everybody in this locker room is disappointed. But that doesn’t mean you blow the whole thing up.”
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were WR Hakeem Nicks (toe), WR Duke Calhoun, TE Jake Ballard, OC Shaun O’Hara (foot/Achilles), OL Mitch Petrus, OL Jamon Meredith, DE Dave Tollefson (knee), and CB Corey Webster (ribs/knee).