Holy smokes ladies and gentlemen, holy smokes! No one thought the NY Giants would be able to pull off an upset win over the Green Bay Packers in London on Sunday. Daniel Jones over Aaron Rodgers? In your dreams.
Well, dreams have come true, as the Giants just did the unthinkable, pulling off a huge win over the Packers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 27-22. This victory is another massive statement for new head coach Brian Daboll. Here’s our takeaways from the action, as this truly is a W people won’t forget in the near future.
5. NY Giants WR Darius Slayton looked fantastic
The Giants were without Kenny Golladay, Wan’Dale Robinson and Kadarius Toney for Sunday’s matchup. With this, someone on the outside needed to step up for Jones and this offense. Enter Darius Slayton.
Perhaps no one would have been able to guess that Slayton would have his best game of the year, as he’s been disappointing early on in 2022. Matter of fact, the Giants WRs have looked rough and you just never know what they’re going to be able to do. Slayton silenced so many of his haters against the Packers.
In the first half, he was getting bashed after he didn’t turn his head around on what could have been a huge gain for the offense. That wasn’t good. Then, Slayton turned things around and became a reliable option for Jones, leading the way with his six receptions for 79 yards. Moving forward, Slayton needs to be heavily involved in the O.
4. Saquon Barkley continues to be an animal for the NY Giants
Just about everyone’s heart dropped when Saquon Barkley landed awkwardly on his shoulder in the second half and was slow to get up. Barkley, who entered Week 5 leading the NFL in rushing, made his way to the sidelines gingerly and then was taken into the blue medical tent by members of the NY staff.
Then he went to the locker room. Was there any chance Barkley wouldn’t return, though? No. 26 fought through the pain and was back on the field when the Giants needed him the most. Barkley broke free for a 41-yard gain on a pass from Jones and then gave NY the lead with 6:08 left on the clock with a TD run.
Barkley is the straw that stirs the drink for this team and he was jacked up after that fourth-quarter score. So was Daboll, who has injected this team with new-found confidence and belief. Through five games, Barkley is playing at an All-Pro level. Heck, we might even have to put this kid in the MVP conversation sooner than later.
3. Daniel Jones showed an unreal amount of heart
The supporting cast Jones had for Week 5 wasn’t what anyone expected. Marcus Johnson, Richie James and David Sills, along with Slayton, were his receiver options. Daniel Bellinger, who scored on Sunday on a sweet reverse call from Mike Kafka, was there to catch some balls too, but still, the aerial threat is missing too many options.
Despite that, Jones still found a way to keep the Giants in this one from start to finish. Remember, he’s dealing with a sprained ankle and not as mobile as he normally is. Despite that, Jones still took off for some key runs and even took some big shots from Packers defenders. A bloodied Jones wouldn’t be denied.
Daniel Jone bloodied up pic.twitter.com/WvLaePY3Fo
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) October 9, 2022
When the Giants defense stepped up and stopped the Packers on 4th down with the game on the line, Jones was all smiles and understandably so. This kid has been trolled left and right for years, and this is without question the biggest win of his career. Jones deserves this moment. He finished the contest throwing for 217 yards, while adding 37 more on the ground.
2. Brian Daboll is the man with the plan
No one would have predicted the Giants to be 4-1 after five games, especially with all of the injuries this team has had to try and overcome. Depsite that, Daboll has done his job perfectly and inspired this group of young men.
With the Packers as big-time favorites for this battle, the belief was that the Giants would take a step back. However, Daboll indeed had his guys ready and his coaching staff was on point. Kafka called some fantastic plays, particularly in the second half. Remember, this team was down 20-10 after two quarters.
Oh, and how about Wink Martindale? The new defensive coordinator is a total legend. He kept the Green Bay offense scoreless in the second half. That’s unheard of, especially with Rodgers at quarterback, plus playmaker Aaron Jones at running back. Martindale did his thing and he’s getting a lot of praise right now.
1. This team can push for a division title
Forget about just making the playoffs, the G-Men have what it takes to fight for the NFC East title. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles are the only undefeated team left in the NFL as of this writing, and yes they’ve looked strong thanks to the superb play of Jalen Hurts.
However, these pesky Giants continue to show that they can stun countless folks out there. Oh, and this team is only going to get stronger on offense when key players return from injury. Rookie Wan’Dale Robinson has a ton of potential and the hope is he can get back on the field sooner than later.
With Toney and Golladay, they’re banged up too, but there’s optimism their injuries won’t be long term. Getting more weapons for Jones and Kafka will be crucial and help this team make even more noise the rest of the way. Time and time again, people count out the Giants and assume they’re going to blow it. The narrative is starting to change with Daboll as head coach.
Refs gift the Packers a TD vs. Giants with embarrassing pass interference call
The Green Bay Packers were gifted with a terribel call against the NY Giants in the London showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.