Giants Rally to Beat Dolphins: The Giants scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally past the winless Miami Dolphins 20-17 earlier today at MetLife Stadium. The victory improved the Giants’ overall record to 5-2 and kept the team in first place in the NFC East.
It did not look good for the Giants early on. Miami was up 14-3 on the Giants in the second quarter and 17-10 until the fourth quarter.
The star of the game for the Giants was QB Eli Manning, who finished 31-of-45 for 349 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Once again, the Giants’ ground game struggled as New York only managed 58 net rushing yards.
While the Giants did out-gain the Dolphins 402 to 246 total net yards, the defense struggled early and allowed the Dolphins to rush for 145 yards.
Miami’s offense scored touchdowns on two of their three first-half drives. The Dolphins went 66 yards in 10 plays on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead. On their second possession, Miami drove 90 yards in 12 plays, scoring on 4th-and-goal, to take a 14-3 advantage.
The Giants had four offensive possessions in the first half. New York received the ball first and moved sharply down the field. However, the Giants turned the ball over on downs when Manning’s 4th-and-9 pass fell incomplete. On the Giants’ second possession, the offense put together a 7-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a 25-yard field goal by PK Lawrence Tynes. This promising drive had been sabotaged by a holding penalty on TE/FB Bear Pascoe and a false start by RG Chris Snee.
The Giants picked up one first down on the their third possession but then were forced to punt. With just over four minutes to play until halftime, and trailing by 14-3, the Giants and Manning engineered a 13-play, 84-yard effort that resulted in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Manning to WR Mario Manningham with 8 seconds remaining before intermission. At the half, the Giants trailed 14-10.
Miami received the football to start the third quarter and drove 58 yards in seven plays to set up a successful 40-yard field goal and extend their lead to 17-10.
At this point, the Dolphins had gained 16 first downs in the contest. They would only pick up an additional two for the remainder of the game. Miami’s next five possessions ended with three three-and-outs, a four-and-out, and an interception.
The Giants were held scoreless in the third quarter. After gaining 41 yards and two first downs on their first drive of the second half, the Giants were forced to punt. The Giants then went three-and-out on their second possession. At the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth quarter, the Giants put together a 12-play, 78 yard drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal. The Giants now trailed 17-13.
On the Giants ensuing possession, New York took the lead for good when the Giants went 53 yards in six plays to go up 20-17. On 3rd-and-12, Manning found WR Victor Cruz over the middle for a 25-yard touchdown.
Miami had two more offensive possessions in the game to attempt tie the score or take the lead. On the first, Miami actually lost 14 yards, including a 10-yard sack by DE Justin Tuck and DE/LB Mathias Kiwanuka.
On Miami’s final possession, after moving the football to their own 40-yard line with a 24-yard pass, the Dolphins’ quarterback was sacked on back-to-back plays by DE Osi Umenyiora and Kiwanuka. Two plays later, on 4th-and-23, CB Corey Webster intercepted a pass to effectively end the game.
Highlights/lowlights of the game are available at NFL.com. Video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game address to his team is available at Giants.com.
Injury Report: WR Hakeem Nicks left the game with a hamstring injury. “I was running a route, I was about to run by the guy and right when I tried to accelerate to run by him I felt a little, I don’t know what it was, a tug or cramp, whatever but I felt it,” Nicks said. “It got my attention. It was more like a cramp that didn’t go nowhere, it just stayed. I knew I wouldn’t be able to do nothing…Obviously we’re going to have to see what it feels like in the morning. Right now I really can’t judge.”
OC David Baas injured his right knee but stayed in the game. He will have further tests on Monday.
HB Ahmad Bradshaw had x-rays taken on his foot that turned out to be negative. “I’ve got a screw in my right fifth metatarsal two Februaries ago and I think the head of it is just aggravated right now,” Bradshaw said. “I think it will be fine.”
DE Osi Umenyiora also had x-rays taken on an undisclosed part of his body.
CB Justin Tryon injured his right forearm.
Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s Post-Game Press Conference: The transcript and video of Head Coach Tom Coughlin’s post-game press conference are available at Giants.com.
Post-Game Player Media Q&As: Transcripts and video clips of post-game media Q&As with the following players are available at Giants.com:
- QB Eli Manning (Video)
- WR Hakeem Nicks (Video)
- WR Mario Manningham (Video)
- WR Victor Cruz (Video)
- DE Justin Tuck (Video)
- DE Jason Pierre-Paul (Video)
- DE/LB Mathias Kiwanuka (Video)
- CB Corey Webster (Video)
Post-Game Notes: Inactive for the Giants were HB Da’Rel Scott, FB Henry Hynoski (neck), OT Stacy Andrews (back), OG Mitch Petrus, OT James Brewer, DT Dwayne Hendricks, and CB Prince Amukamara (foot).
The Giants are 5-2 for the seventh time in Tom Coughlin’s eight seasons as head coach.
The Giants have won five of their last six games following a regular season bye.
The Giants have had three 400+ yard offensive performances in a row.
QB Eli Manning has had six consecutive games with a quarterback rating greater than 90. Manning is now 23-5 in October as a starter. It was the 18th fourth-quarter comeback of his career.