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New York Giants Week One Win: Reaction

By Evan Graziano

Sep 11, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; The New York Giants huddle in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; The New York Giants huddle in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Giants won a season opener for the first time since the 2010 season. Their defense played well enough to secure a win.  The offense mustered 20 points to eke out a win against the hosting Dallas Cowboys.  There is plenty to talk about and dissect, and the season doesn’t get any easier.

Perhaps the most disconcerting element of the game on Sunday was the play of the defense.  Individually, some players performed well, but as a unit, some of the same problems that sunk the team last year still cropped up. The New York Daily News noted some of these issues.  Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott played in his first NFL game and led the offense on numerous double-digit play drives.  While those drives only resulted in four field goals, a more experienced quarterback could very well have turned this into a blowout. 

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    • “Work in Progress” Defense

    Prescott led the Cowboys on five scoring drives of 15, 15, 11, 11 and seven plays.  The Cowboys lived off of their best unit, the offensive line.  They utilized the middle of the field and shot gun heavy formations. These two components have given the Giants defense fits for years.

    Ezekiel Elliot had a rougher time of it than Alfred Morris, but Morris saw the field less and perhaps to the Giants benefit.  Prescott missed some throws to Cole Beasley, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant; connections that a more seasoned arm could make look automatic.  The defense is by no means a sure thing. Even the favorable ending for the Giants was in doubt until wide out Terrance Williams committed a crucial mental mistake in the final seconds.  The Giants won the game, but until the defense shows up against a quarterback with more than four preseason games worth of experience, the pressure will still be on the “prolific” offense to put games out of reach.

    A Prolific Offense?

    That same offense, led by Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., went up against a Dallas defense with three suspended starters, a converted cornerback at free safety, and a crippled Sean Lee at weak-side linebacker, managed only 20 points and were outpaced in time of possession, 23 to 37 minutes.  The offensive line played better than expected, but still surrendered two sacks despite Dallas being without two starting defensive ends; Prescott was not sacked once.  The most promising part of the offense last night, besides Victor Cruz’s successful return, was the effectiveness of the running game.  Rashad Jennings is far removed from his late season barrage a year ago, but he still rushed for 75 yards while splitting carries with Shane Vereen. 

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    Like last season’s opener against Dallas, Jennings ran extremely well on the Giants final possession.  He picked up important first downs, kept the clock running, and didn’t turn the ball over.  Both Jennings and Vereen had great success running into the teeth of the Dallas defense.  But again, the offense seemed sporadic, off pace, and sometimes not even on the same page.  For all the accolades and praise the offense garnered over the offseason, they still appeared to falter. Per the Daily News, Odell Beckham echoes this belief. “They [defense] play like that, we shouldn’t lose. We need to put up more points.”

    Tone-Setter

    The victory over the Cowboys is tremendously important in setting the tone for the season. Jordan Ranaan at ESPN has said as such. The emotion and jubilation was evident on the Giants’ sideline.  Wherever momentum comes from and whatever forces conjure it, the Giants were in desperate need of some.  They found it in beating a division rival on the road in the first week of the season.  The game still leaves plenty to be parsed and nitpicked.  An overhauled defense that comes to within five seconds of potentially losing a game to a rookie 5th round quarterback; an offense that put up only 20 points against a ravaged and unimposing defense.

    “Break the Stigma of Mediocrity”

    The Giants always seem to play to their competition, whether that be up or down, and honestly this just seemed to be another case of that. But to break the stigma of mediocrity, and to show they can be a great football team, they must play better on a consistent basis.  And during the first week, the Giants still showed the inconsistency and mind numbing ineptitude that has led the owner to call the team embarrassing.

    Just as Giants’ fans were harping that had games been 58 minutes long as opposed to 60, the 2015 season would have been one to remember.  Now, the Cowboys have a similar sentiment, only their stipulation requires an extra five seconds. Dan Bailey showed he might be the best kicker in the league. And while 50+ yard field goals are no certainty, Dak Prescott still led his team to within five seconds of an improbable, but not quite unexpected victory over the New York Giants.

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