Giants Stomp Hawk’s Nest at Qwest
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Coming off a bye-week and traveling west to play a team unbeaten at home in one of NFL’s loudest stadiums is something that would usually make any Giants fan wary. The Giants before their game against Seattle were 6-15 and 3-3 with Tom Coughlin after the bye week and had been overpowered 40-30 in 2006 at Qwest Field, turning the ball over 4 times and penalized 8 times. However in 2006, Seattle did not have 8 players on their inactive list, one including starting QB Matt Hasselback. With the NY Giants coming out playing Big Blue football in what would be a statistical mismatch and ultimately a New York Football Giant beat down, they improved their record to 6-2 and remain one game on top of the Eagles in the NFC East.
After forcing the Seahawks to a three and out to start the game, the Giants first possession ended like many of the previous this season, with a turnover. Kevin Boss on the Giants fifth play on offense fumbled the ball on the SEA 32, stalling a potentially scoring drive and giving the ball back to the Seahawks, showing a continued concern for the Giants turnover “plague”. It was the Giants 19th turnover this season and an all too familiar sight for Giants fans as the game began. After the turnover, the Giants’ D set the tone early forcing Charlie Whitehurst and Seattle to -4 yards in three plays, forcing a second consecutive three and out. Beside a meaningless fourth quarter score, Boss’ fumble proved to be the Giants only setback of the game as they continued their dominance through Week 9. The Giants scored three times in four minutes in the first quarter, five times total en route to a 41-6 decimation of the wounded Seattle Seahawks.
Qwest Field, known for its “12th man” atmosphere, went from quite to being silenced after the first play of the second quarter when Terrell Thomas intercepted a pass from Charlie Whitehurst intended for Mike Williams. The Giants continued to keep a muzzle on Qwest, possessing the ball for a staggering 42:34 putting up 487 total yards. Eli Manning went 21/32, passing for 290 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 2 touchdowns and 66 yards, Brandon Jacobs led the team in rushing with 78 yards. The Giants defense, while watching a majority of the game from the sidelines, continued adding Fewell to the fire with interceptions from Terrell Thomas and Corey Webster. The Seahawks were held to 162 total yards and 7 first downs. The Giants 35-0 halftime lead was their biggest since a game in 1959 against the Redskins.
Even the special teams got in the mix on Sunday causing a forced fumble, which later transformed into a 4 yard touchdown run by Bradshaw. Matt Dodge proved he’s coming into his own with no miscues for a second consecutive game. Although he only punted once, he got off a booming 50 yarder. With Darius Reynaud ruled out with a tweaked hamstring, Will Blackmon got his first start with the Giants, a week after being picked up. Blackmon returned one kickoff for 17 yards and three punts with a long of 22. Although showing more elusiveness and explosiveness than Reynaud, we still have yet to see a big play from the Giants return men. As for the coverage team, they continue to struggle. Seattle’s Leon Washington managed 113 yards on five returns, one long for 57 yards. Many have questioned special teams coach, Tom Quinn and with good reason after last season and the start of this seasons performance.
As the game concluded the Giants ran away with their biggest win of the season, their biggest road win since 1993, and their first win in Seattle since 1981. With a 6-2 record, the Giants are no strangers to starting off the first half of the season as the NFL’s elite. In all seven seasons with Tom Couglin, the Giants have started off 5-2, but have a winning percentage of only .453 in the final nine games. However, this year just feels different. This season is quickly being compared to the 2007 season when the Giants made their miraculous Super Bowl run. In each of the two seasons, the Giants started off slow and overcame diversity in the locker room. In each of the two seasons, Eli Manning caught fire and the defensive looked impenetrable. However the big difference between this year and 2007 is that it is only Week 10. With 5 huge division games still to play, two against the Eagles, and games in Green Bay and Minnesota, the Super Bowl is still three months away. So relax people, as much as we’d all like to see the Giants run through the division, the remainder of the schedule, and make it to the Super Bowl, lets just focus on next week’s game against the transitioning Dallas Cowboys.
The Giants had two massive injuries to the offensive line this weekend. Adam Koets, the center who has done an outstanding job filling in for an injured Shaun O’Hara went down for the year with an injured knee ligament. David Diehl is out indefinitely with a partial hamstring tear and hip injury. Currently Seubert is playing center and Andrews is playing left tackle. All season the Giants have been puzzling offensive linemen in due to O’Hara’s injury and have seen much success. But this is something to watch, if O’Hara cannot get healthy and Diehl’s hamstring injury persists, the Giants might have a few pieces missing to the puzzle.