New York Giants Week 17: By the Numbers
For the first time in six seasons, a period that sometimes felt much longer than that, a January game at MetLife Stadium would not end in the sorrows of another lost season. Nor would one find fans adorned with masquerading paper bags over their heads, letting out groans deathly audible from the top decks.
On New Year’s Day 2023, with a packed house in East Rutherford reminiscent of the 2011 Wild Card game when New York would begin the improbable, the exact opposite happened. With the opportunity placed right in front of them, the Giants would spark a moment years ahead of their time by putting on a dominant 38-10 thrashing on the Indianapolis Colts and clinching their first postseason berth since 2016.
In a season where there were competing prognostications about how low the franchise would go in year one of a long, arduous rebuild, the Giants showed the world they could fix the team and compete simultaneously. Despite countless obstacles, including injuries and a ridden salary cap situation, the new brass made do with a roster full of practice squad players. It helped them compete for a spot in the league’s ultimate dance.
It’s finally that time, the New York Giants have returned to the postseason after a half-decade of miserable mediocrity. There’s certainly credit to be passed out to all but nobody more than quarterback Daniel Jones.
Coming off his second-best performance of the season, Jones put the entire team on his shoulders and offered the ultimate supporting case for his return as the quarterback in the years to come. He completed 19 of his 24 passes for 177 and two touchdowns, the second-best completion mark of his career. The bigger marvel came from his legs, where Jones added another second-best 11 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns in two burners to the endzone.
The Giants earned extra football through 394 yards of offense among their skilled players and Jones' contributions. Running backs Saquon Barkley and Matt Brieda combined for 117 of the team’s 277 yards, gashing the Colts in the first half before receding in the second. The aerial attack also got going early, led by receivers Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins, who notched 118 yards and two endzone finishes.
For a group that has heavily valued the “next man up” mentality, there were far more contributions to the Giants’ storybook success than meets the eye. As it has all year long, it took three groups of under-the-radar individuals playing crisp football to show the world the franchise would not keel over despite the depressed expectations under their new regime.
That franchise marked their candidacy with a stomping victory and, contrary to the past few seasons, sent their faithful at MetLife Stadium into a flurry of excitement and hope synonymous with the unforgettable run circa 2012. It’s a game that might change futures within the Giants’ locker room, but it could also change hearts in the viewpoint of the organization to come.
While Big Blue celebrates and gets ready for their regular season finale next Sunday, let’s take a deeper look at the numbers and playmakers that defined the Giants’ latest historic win.
Daniel Jones: Touchdowns by Air and Land
If there happened to be any last rations of doubters and naysayers sitting in the rambunctious crowd at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, quarterback Daniel Jones presented the ultimate case to change their hearts in the most important game of his Giants’ career.
After two weeks of leading the Giants through valiant efforts with their playoff dreams on the line, including an incredible 330-yard passing performance against Minnesota, Jones made the hat trick against Indianapolis to help lead the charge in securing the franchise’s first berth since his freshman year of college. The former No. 6 pick tallied 19 completions covering 79.2% of his attempts for 177 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per throw and a second-best 125.2 passer rating.
Jones's impressive and reassuring performance wasn’t capped by his success in distributing the football either. He led the Giants’ offense down six drives of at least eight plays, including four of at least nine snaps that went a distance of at least 43 yards per possession. On four of those drives, New York posted numbers on the scoreboard, with two of those scores coming via his unfrightened legs to 91 rushing yards and two 10+ yard red zone conversions.
The playoff-worthy afternoon drew rounds of joyful serenading from the Giants’ faithful, who rained down chants of Jones’ name as he exited the contest in the fourth quarter. Even with the newfound love he received, the 25-year-old couldn’t let the spotlight rest solely on his shoulders.
"I'm appreciative and grateful for the support of the fans, but it's a team thing,” Jones said after the game. “This was a complete team win today."
While Jones certainly earned some assistance on the other end of the Giants’ five offensive scoring drives, no exclamation mark was complete within his poise and touch out of the pocket.
Following a fruitless opening drive that saw Indianapolis earn their sole 3-0 advantage of the contest, Jones executed a masterclass 11-play, 71-yard drive spanning almost seven minutes and tallying production from five players. After the Giants pounded mostly through the ground, Jones went three straight passing plays, with the final hitting Richie James for six yards and a touchdown to give Big Blue a 7-3 lead.
Greater kudos goes to Jones for turning James into the first hero of the afternoon after what was a tumultuous first half of the season for the receiver. He led all Giants’ pass catchers with seven receptions for 76 yards and the score, the second-best line in the last five weeks. James now has three games with at least 60 yards receiving with that span, a mark he never crossed beforehand.
On the succeeding Giants drive, Jones led the huddle another 64 yards in nine plays, connecting with three different receivers and adding more yardage up the interior. He capped it off with another touchdown in the second quarter, this time going to Isaiah Hodgins for the 14-3 lead. The conversion marked Hodgins fourth touchdown in five games, a feat that has made him a beloved figure in East Rutherford since his acquisition.
The Daniel Jones’ running showcase took full effect in the second half. On a six-play, 62-yard possession, one of the team’s shortest of the day, Jones brought back shades of the Texans game when he ran in two scores by notching another on a frenzied gallop toward the pylon. Taking off from the Colts’ 18, Jones scurried down the sideline to the goal line, absorbing extra contact to secure the Giants’ fourth touchdown and a 31-3 score.
You never know how much things can change for a player within one season, and Jones has become a living example. One year removed from his career-worst outing that made some call for his release after the 2022 season, the quarterback is having his best campaign at 3,205 passing yards and is en route to a contract extension this summer. He is also among the best quarterback rushers in the league, boasting 708 and 7 scores with at least two contests left to go.
Yet, Jones again credited his growth to the invaluable tutelage he’s received from head coach Brian Daboll and company over the past several months.
“He’s meant a lot,” said Jones. “I’ve learned a lot from him, a lot of football, and I’ve grown as a player. I appreciate his support and giving me the chance to go out there and play, so he’s helped me a lot and all of us a lot.”
In what has been a fairytale season for the signal caller, he’s not only been able to play under this regime. He’s turned himself into a new franchise quarterback, which is why the Giants are heading back to the postseason.
Landon Collins Repeats History with a Pick Six
Flip back to October 23, 2016, the same season the Giants last made the NFL playoffs, and one highlight you’re bound to remember became famous on international soil. Playing against the Los Angeles Rams in a matchup in London, safety Landon Collins intercepted quarterback Case Keenum and proceeded to elude five tacklers in a footrace toward payday. One play and 44 yards later, the Giants’ star had a remarkable pick-six that powered his team to the overseas victory.
Six seasons later, in a triumphant return to the organization, Collins brought the stylish moment back within American borders, punching another visit to the endzone as the droves in MetLife Stadium erupted like it was 2016 all over again.
Coming off the Giants’ nine-play, 64-yard clinic in the second quarter that put Indianapolis in a decisive 14-3 hole, the visiting Colts got the ball pinned at their 25-yard line, looking like a team already dead in the water. Little did they know the party at their expense would get bigger as a keen-eyed Collins lurked in the secondary, waiting for his comeback moment.
In six plays and 21 yards, the Colts’ longest offensive drive of the first half, quarterback Nick Foles pushed the opponent to the Indianapolis 46-yard line for their first decent sniff at the Giants’ side of the field on the afternoon. After connecting with two receivers for safe completions, the former Super Bowl champion’s football acumen was tested as he selected an ill-advised turf space to make his next dish of the pigskin.
On 3rd-and-11 from the Indianapolis 46, Foles stepped back into the pocket and quickly looked right toward wide receiver Parris Campbell. Attempting to connect with his teammate, that finished with three catches for 52 yards, Foles’s pass was sharply picked off by Collins, who read the short route beautifully and began sprinting down the sidelines for the house mobbed by Giants faithful.
Fifty-two yards and a narrow path to the goal line later, Collins had welcomed himself back to the New York spotlight with an interception touchdown to put the Giants up three scores in a flash. The score marked the second time in three weeks the Giants recorded a defensive touchdown, the former being Kayton Thibodeaux’s sack fumble return in Week 15 against Washington.
It was a moment Collins called an “honor” as swarms of jerseys bearing his names were back in MetLife Stadium to greet him. Perhaps it was also a moment that proved he should’ve never left in the first place.
“It was dope to come back and see my name still on the jerseys in the stands. It was an honor.”
An honorable play for sure, but more so an exciting sign of success returning from a player who symbolizes the last time that success stood tall in East Rutherford.
Giants Capitalizing in the Red Zone
Before Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator, Mike Kafka arrived in East Rutherford to revive the group, the New York Giants offense had been one of the most abysmal in the entire NFL.
Last fall, that woeful New York offense couldn’t buy a sniff of the endzone every Sunday, holding the league’s second-worst points total and 30th-ranked scoring drive percentage. Barely able to stay on the field for longer than an average of 2.5 minutes, the team also finished 26th in plays per drive, 31st in yards, and dead last in average points per possession.
Yet, one of their biggest issues came in the rare moments when the offense did reach inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. In 38 total red zone appearances in 2021, the Giants sat in dead last again with an appalling 44.7% success rate, a mark that was paired with the defense allowing the ninth-best opposing percentage over the same time.
With one calendar year behind them under the new regime, there’s been a renewed offensive energy in the Big Apple. It finally came to life on Sunday against an overmatched Indianapolis Colts defense. The meaning of “life”—the Giants’ first contest with at least 30 points scored in the past 43 straight.
Through 17 games with the Buffalo-Kansas City-inspired offensive system, the Giants have improved their overall production to make them one of the standard scoring attacks among the rest of the 31 neighboring franchises. In total points and yards, Kafka’s unit has risen to 15th and 17th, respectively, while posting the lowest turnovers and an average drive of 6.29 plays and 32.2 yards, per Pro Football Reference.
Going back to the red zone woes, the Giants are also making a turnaround in that department. The team ranks 16th in overall scoring drive percentage (37.7%) and has increased their points per possession average to a more efficient 1.97 points on the year. Approaching the “goal to go” territory, they’ve elevated their red zone scoring percentage to a whopping 63.8% out of 47 total visits, which currently positions them ninth in the entire NFL.
On Sunday, the Giants’ friendliness with the red zone only grew stronger as the team put up five total visits on the Colts’ defense, converting an impressive four of those visits into an onslaught of points during the blowout affair.
The first two conversions inside the Colts’ 20 came on back-to-back Giants’ possessions during the book ends of the first and second quarter. Daniel Jones opened things up with an 11-play, 71-yard drive that tired the opposing defense and ended with a play-action scramble touchdown to Richie James for the team’s initial 7-3 lead. On the next drive, Jones torched the Colts again to their 6-yard line, finding Isaiah Hodgins on a comeback route for the speedy 14-3 differential.
By the end of the first half, the Giants had tacked on two more scores, one off the crafty hands of safety Landon Collins who secured his first pick-six since returning to the organization. The other came off the legs of Graham Gano, who nailed a chip a shot from the Colts’ 18-yard line to send the teams into halftime at a 24-3 score.
The second half didn’t get off to such a friendly start for the Giants, who fumbled on their opening drive when receiver Darius Slayton had the ball ripped out and recovered by Rodney McLeod Jr. on the very first play. However, the team caught a break behind a missed field goal by Chase McLaughlin on the ensuing Colt’s drive and proceeded to cash it in for a rushing touchdown of their own in the third quarter.
After Jones’ added his two rushing touchdowns of 18 and 10 yards, respectively, to compound the already obvious deficit, the Giants offense earned themselves one of their most dominating red zone outings of the season. It was a masterclass in crossing the goal line that would be hard for any opposing team to overcome on pure answers alone.
One that only took nearly three seasons to accomplish but hopefully one that transcends into the postseason and beyond.
Defense Holds Colts to 141 Yards Receiving
On the defensive side of the game, if the Giants unit wanted to slow down the Colts’ offensive ambitions, they knew it would require minimizing the damage done by the team’s receiving corps.
The passing game accounted for the better half of Indianapolis’s dismal system in 2022, ranking 9th in attempts and 23rd in yards. Still, New York found a way to keep them grounded and, in turn, exacerbated another painful afternoon for the visiting team.
The Colts didn’t boast a completely fearsome group of ballhawks entering Sunday's contest. Despite being top-10 in attempts this season, the Colts ranked 27th in total passing touchdowns and had the highest number of turnovers among the rest of the NFL. Yet, they still had a trio of receivers with 500 yards each that could be serviceable in the air if given the opportunity.
Thus, Wink Martindale and company knew the answer to winning the defensive edge was forcing the Colts’ offense into a one-dimensional rushing attack. They did that from start to finish, holding the opponent to 141 receiving yards and one touchdown while keeping all Indianapolis pass catchers below 52 yards through the air.
In the first 30 minutes of competition, the Colts’ offense leaned heavily on its receivers to push the envelope and keep pace with the Giants’ fast start. Quarterback Nick Foles would target his route runners on exactly half of the team’s total snaps in that span, connecting with five of them for 81 yards, including a long pass of 49 yards that was the only threat towards the Giants’ secondary all-game long.
However, the Colts’ efforts would come up practically fruitless, as Foles only completed eight of his passes, and the unit never came close to crossing the endzone in the first two quarters.
In a half that saw the quarterback get sacked once for nine yards and throw a brutal interception that went back the other direction for six, the closest Indianapolis got to the goalline was the New York 5-yard line, where after Parris Campbell’s 49-yard catch they were forced to settle for a chip shot field goal.
The difference-making plays came from a respective trio of Giants’ pass rushers—Jaylon Smith, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Landon Collins. While Smith led the team in total tackles after two periods and helped limit the passing efficiency, Thibodeaux laid the hammer on Foles for the nine-yard sack, and Collins put the icing on the cake with his 52-yard interception return.
Returning from the halftime break with Samuel Elllinger relieving the injured Foles, things did not improve much for the Colts’ aerial dreams. Instead, the production continued to decline in the next two quarters, seeing just 60 yards of offense, no new players over the 50-yard mark, and another sack to the collection of the Giants’ dominant defensive front courtesy of Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence.
When it was all said and done, the Colts’ offense finished with a 50% red zone conversion percentage, a number deceivingly high given their inability to earn more than a single passing shot at the back of the endzone. They finished 3-12 on third down conversions, a number starkly contrasted to the Giants, who managed a definitive 57.1% of their conversions throughout the contest.
While Campbell was the owner of the team’s flashiest play, he didn’t even finish atop the final Colts receiving leaderboard. Michael Pittman Jr., the Colts’ arguable No. 1 receiver, topped him with six receptions for 41 yards and the visitor’s lone touchdown. Like the rest of the depth chart, Pittman Jr. could not eclipse the arduous 52-yard marker during the remainder of his route-running duties, and the Indianapolis endzone drought was never further quenched.
The Giants’ defense truly took the Colts’ receivers out of the game, forcing the opponent to beat them on the ground against their immense interior gap stuffers. The run game never took over the driver’s seat from that point on, lending to another miserable campaign for the Indianapolis offensive operation.
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