Improving their record to 4-1 on Sunday were the NY Giants who put together a second-half comeback to steal a win from the Packers in London, 27-22. A shout out has to be given to Brian Daboll and the rest of his coaching staff for having the team prepared.
Big Blue were battling injuries before the game and even had a few players banged up on Sunday. Wink Martindale’s defense shut out Aaron Rodgers in the second half and got the offense the ball to help start a comeback.
The Giants are a second-half team and the stats prove it. NY has been outscored 51-36 in the first half of games. In the second half they’ve outscored their opponents 70-39, and 34-15 in the fourth quarter. Clearly the offense is making the correct adjustments at the half and it’s helping them win football games.
Even with a 4-1 start to the season, injuries are still holding the team back from being in full force. Next, we’ll look at four NY Giants desperately needed back to help this offense moving forward.
4. WR Wan’Dale Robinson
It hasn’t been easy for Giants WRs this season. Sterling Shepard and Collin Johnson were both lost to season-ending injuries. On top of that, Wan’Dale Robinson hasn’t played in the past four games for the Giants.
The rookie had one catch for five yards in Week 1 vs Tennessee and it’s been all rehab to get back on the field since then. He’s a dynamic playmaker who NY could use back as soon as possible.
Big Blue’s starting receivers on Sunday vs. the Packers were Darius Slayton, Richie James, and David Sills. Surprisingly, WR Marcus Johnson who was elevated from the practice squad played the most out of any receiver for NY. He played in 47 of the 61 offensive snaps.
Johnson caught three passes for 35 yards. Sunday’s victory vs Green Bay was the first time this season that Daniel Jones passed for 200 yards or more. He needs more WR help and Robinson is on the list.
3. QB Tyrod Taylor
Daniel Jones came out of the Week 4 game vs Chicago with an ankle injury, but would have to come back after backup Tyrod Taylor suffered a concussion. The league has been implementing a new protocol for concussion safety after what happened to Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa. That is likely why Taylor was not available for the Giants game vs. Green Bay. Both NFL teams and the league as a whole are going to be extra cautious with concussions.
The Giants needed a backup QB yesterday in case Jones needed to come out for an extended time. That’s why Big Blue went back to their preseason star and someone who’s familiar with the offensive system. Davis Webb was the perfect answer.
NY would love to see Taylor out of concussion protocol and back on the field. He’s a great insurance QB that not all teams are lucky to have.
2. OL Shane Lemieux
Third-year pro Shane Lemieux made a name for himself his rookie season where he played in 12 games and started nine of them. In 2021, he played just one game for the Giants after having a season ending injury in Week 1 that required surgery.
After injuring his foot before the season started, Lemieux was placed on the IR on Aug. 31. He had to miss a minimum of four games, which he has, before he could then start to work back being in the starting lineup.
Giants GM Joe Schoen did a great job in the offseason trying to have as much depth as possible for the OL. That is why Ben Bredeson was able to be plugged into the starting OL without any real worries. Lemieux was seen at practice for the first time last week since being placed on the IR. Certainly a step in the right direction to getting back on the field.
OL Shane Lemieux was at practice with the rehab group today. First time he’s been spotted at practice since going on IR with a foot/toe injury in the preseason. Out of the walking boot he had been wearing.
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) October 5, 2022
1. WR Kadarius Toney
This campaign has been absolutely brutal for Kadarius Toney. Three different hamstring injuries this year, in a season that still has 12 games left. It’s hard to predict when we may see Toney again. You don’t like to see injuries pile up for any player.
Even with Toney, Golladay, and Robinson out, the Giants WRs managed to do just enough to help secure a win vs. Green Bay. Slayton stepped up and played a big role for the team on Sunday. Slayton had his best game since 2020 when he had eight catches for 129 in a 37-34 loss to the Cowboys. Against the Packers in London, he had six catches for 79 which led all Giants WRs for the game. It had to feel great for Slayton to contribute more than he has in a while and help get a win.
While the play of Slayton was great to see, the wide receivers as a whole need to produce more for Jones. The return of Robinson will be huge, and you can say the same for Toney.
The former first-round pick is in the middle of a year to forget, but fans are hoping he can return to full strength in the near future and prove his haters wrong. Only time will tell if he’ll be able to do that or not.
This NY Giants trade for DJ Moore would be just what Daniel Jones needs
With the NY Giants in a very desperate spot at the WR position, they could potentially reach out to the Panthers to inquire about star receiver DJ Moore.