HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!
The Giants got to Hurts, bottled up Saquon, and watched Dart and Skattebo shine under the lights as they stunned the Eagles in primetime.
Before last night, the last time the Giants won on Thursday Night Football was over 10 years ago on September 24th, 2015. It's sure been a long decade, but it truly felt like a franchise-changing win. That may seem like an overreaction, but beating a division opponent in primetime in that fashion is something I can't remember Big Blue ever doing.
Jaxson Dart got things started with an electric opening drive, finished off with a 20-yard scramble all the way for a touchdown. Things only got better from there, as the next drive was capped off by Wandale Robinson, who made a defender miss on a short throw and was able to outrun the rest of the secondary and take it to the crib.
A few Eagles touchdowns later, the game had tightened up. But the Giants answered right back, driving down the field for two straight Cam Skattebo touchdown runs, burying any defender in his path. Still, the Eagles managed to hang onto a bit of momentum until a costly fumble by backup running back AJ Dillon sealed their fate. The turnover set up yet another Skattebo touchdown Simone Biles–level backflip to go along with it.
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| image via nygiants.com |
The offense looked phenomenal, and as much as I hate to admit it, it was due to the play-calling. After calling him out last week, Mike Kafka answered back with his best game plan of the season. He came in with a clear strategy to feed Cam Skattebo, and it worked to perfection. Kafka mixed things up with more play-action, some well-timed pitches to the backs, and an overall more creative approach to the offense. With their top two targets out, Kafka knew the only way they could manage to win this game was on the legs of Skatt and Dart, and that they did.
But Kafka wasn’t the only coach to switch things up. Shane Bowen finally dialed up some blitzes and applied real pressure to the opposing quarterback. As a result, Jalen Hurts was forced into quick decisions and missed on several throws, including a deep ball to Devonta Smith that would have been a shorefire TD. On top of that, the return of Nunez-Roches has shown to be massive to the interior as the Giants hold yet another opponent under 100 yards rushing.
With all of that said, do I think we're gonna make the playoffs? Probably not. Do I think we're gonna win the Super Bowl? Definitely Not. But embarrassing Saquon and the defending champion Eagles on National TV while your two rookies steal the spotlight, that feels significant for the future of this team. And may have saved a job or two.
Now we wait 10 days until New York's next game, where they travel to Denver to take on another one of the league's best defenses.
P.S.
Had a great time celebrating my Birthday with my friends, Andrew, Kai, Joe G, Kelly, Ben, CJ, and Matt G at the game last night. Thanks for coming, boys! Here's a bonus pic of us postgame.
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