New York Giants' Top Offensive Plays of 2020

Tucked amid the Giants 6-10 season were several big plays that were significant. John Gidley counts down those plays from No. 5 to No. 1 and gives us a little context behind the significance of each.

John Gidley | Jan 20, 2021

New York Giants' Top Offensive Plays of 2020 /

The 2020 National Football League season saw the most points ever scored in a single year: 12,692 points scored, which broke the 11,985 points scored in the 2013 season to give the league its first season over 12,000 points.

The New York Giants? They contributed just 280 points to the pot, an average of 17.5 points per game, which was the second-lowest scoring average in the league, behind the Jets.

But despite their inability to light up the scoreboard, the Giants did have their fair share of exciting plays on the offensive side of the ball in the 2020 season, and here is a look at my top five ranked from No. 5 to No. 1.

No. 5. Daniel Jones 41-yard TD pass to Darius Slayton, Week 1 vs. Pittsburgh

Granted, the Giants lost this game, but this deep throw from quarterback Daniel Jones to receiver Darius Slayton would end up as the Giants' longest touchdown on offense this year.

Early in the second quarter, with the score tied 3-3, the offensive line gave Jones all the time in the world to deliver a deep ball to the end zone, where Slayton was just a few steps ahead of Steelers cornerbacks Joe Haden and Steven Nelson.

Slayton caught the 41-yard score, one of two he had in that game alone and one of the three he'd record all season after an eight-touchdown showing the year before in his rookie season.

No. 4. Jones 50-yard pass to Austin Mack, Week 9 at Washington

Early in the game with the Giants at their own 19-yard line, Jones again got the protection he needed from his line.

He threw a long pass down the sideline intended for and caught by undrafted rookie Austin Mack, who raced 50 yards and took it to Washington's 31-yard line. On the reception, cornerback Ronald Darby blew his coverage, and it took both Ronald Darby and safety Kamren Curl to bring Mack down.

This big reception set up a Graham Gano field goal to put the Giants ahead in a game they would eventually win, 23-20.

As for Mack's big reception, this was one of only seven catches by Mack this season. While this reception was good for 50 yards, his other six catches went for a combined 41 yards.

READ: Unveiling a Blueprint to Address Giants' Top Off-season Needs

No. 3. Jones 53-yard pass to Evan Engram, Week 12 at Cincinnati

This reception by tight end Evan Engram was a similar play to the Mack reception. This one came on the Giants' opening drive, with New York facing a 3rd-and-2 at their own 43-yard line.

Rather than playing it safe and hoping a run play would get them the two yards they needed, and despite a five-man rush by the Bengals' defense, Jones uncorked a deep ball down the sideline caught by Evan Engram.

Bengals safety Vonn Bell was well behind Engram for most of the play, and Bell didn't catch Engram until he reached the 4-yard line. Shortly after that, running back Wayne Gallman snuck in on a one-yard score, the only touchdown of the game for the Giants.

An additional four field goals kicked by Gano were enough for the Giants to escape with a road victory, 19-17.

No. 2. Daniel Jones 49-yard run, Week 6 vs. Washington

This was a smart play-call that resulted in a big run by Jones. Leading 10-3 early in the second quarter, with the ball at the Giants’ 25-yard line, Jones faked a handoff to running back Devonta Freeman, who was met immediately by Washington defensive lineman James Smith-Williams.

Unfortunately for Smith-Williams, Freeman didn’t have the ball. Jones did, and he took it 49 yards to Washington’s 26-yard line, setting up a Gano field goal in a game the Giants would win, 20-19.

Go back and watch this run. You’ll notice that the fake not only worked on most of Washington’s defense, but it also fooled the television cameraperson, who kept the camera on an empty-handed Freeman being tackled, not realizing that Jones still had the ball until he had reached midfield.

No. 1. Wayne Gallman 60-yard run, Week 13 at Seattle

This was the biggest play in what was easily the biggest win of the season for the Giants.

Early in the third quarter, with the Seahawks ahead 5-0, the Giants faced a 2nd-and-7 at their 23-yard line. Colt McCoy, starting in place of the injured Jones, handed off to Gallman.

Defensive lineman Rasheem Green and safety Quandre Diggs each had the opportunity to tackle Gallman before he got the first down. Instead, they both swung and missed, and Gallman took it to Seattle’s 17-yard line before finally being brought down by linebacker Jordyn Brooks.

From there, Alfred Morris scored on a 4-yard touchdown run. That play was followed by a successful two-point conversion attempt, giving the Giants the lead for good as they upset the Seahawks, 17-12.

Post Script

A name that was sorely missed in this countdown was running back Saquon Barkley, who tore his ACL in Week 2. We all hope that one of the NFL’s most exciting players will be back on the field and cracking into the top five Giants plays on offense next season.

NEW YORK GIANTS 2020 OFFENSIVE POSITION REVIEWS

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Published Jan 20, 2021

JOHN GIDLEY

John Gidley