SACK EXCHANGE: Jason Pierre-Paul sacks Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III in the fourth quarter yesterday — one of the few times the Giants stopped the rookie, who nearly drove his team to victory before Big Blue pulled out a 27-23 win. (Paul J. Bereswill)
Osi Umenyiora didn’t mince words. After chasing Robert Griffin III for four quarters yesterday at MetLife Stadium, Umenyiora had nothing but respect for the Redskins’ rookie quarterback.
“That guy is flat out unbelievable,” Umenyiora said after the Giants survived their first test of the season against the Redskins and Griffin. “He’s the best quarterback we’ve played all year for sure,” Umenyiora said. “It’s unfortunate he’s a rookie because he’s going to be around here forever doing stuff like that and that’s just crazy.”
The Giants have already faced Tony Romo, Michael Vick, Alex Smith and Cam Newton this season. But no one scared them more than Griffin did yesterday. That’s why praise for the rookie and relief for the victory were the themes from a Giants defense that made enough plays of its own to secure a 27-23 win over their division rivals. This is your future, Giants, at least twice a season.
“I’m pretty mad at the football gods for putting him in the NFC East,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “To face that guy twice a year is going to be a headache.”
On paper, it looked like a dominant game by the Giants defense. They collected three sacks, including the first of the season by Tuck. They forced four turnovers, including three fumble recoveries. The last one came with 39 seconds left when linebacker Chase Blackburn stripped Santana Moss from the ball and cornerback Jayron Hosley recovered. It secured the Giants’ first NFC East win of the season and improved their first-place standing to 5-2.
But while the victory was welcomed, the Giants knew they had escaped with one thanks to Eli Manning and Victor Cruz, who connected for a 77-yard TD pass with 1:13 to play.
“We were lucky to pull this one off,” Tuck said.
Working out of the spread option-offense, Griffin was a menace and a marvel. He completed 20 of 28 passes for 258 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran nine times for 89 yards, including a 28-yard gain. His 30-yard TD pass to Moss with 1:32 was a perfect over-the-shoulder throw that gave the Redskins a 23-20 lead and hushed MetLife Stadium.
He kept the Giants guessing and off-balance throughout the game, faking handoffs, escaping pressure, making big throws and long runs. His signature moment came with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter when on fourth-and-10, he escaped the rush of Jason Pierre-Paul and then Umenyiora before completing a 19-yard pass to tight end Logan Paulsen. It extended the drive that led to the go-ahead touchdown pass to Moss.
“It’s hard to game-plan for that guy,” Tuck said. “He takes away your enthusiasm for the game a little bit when you play a play perfect and you still have a guy with 4.3 speed who make plays.”
But the Giants’ defense made its share of plays, too. Pierre-Paul forced a fourth-quarter fumble by Griffin that was recovered by Linval Joseph, and Blackburn sealed the game by taking it away from Moss.
“You wrap and rip,” Blackburn said. “When you feel the ball you have to go after it.”
That’s the only way the Giants were going to beat the Redskins yesterday. Wrap and rip.
“They force you to dig down in and make some plays,” said Giants coach Tom Coughlin.
The Giants’ coaching staff made several defensive adjustments in the second half, altering the way they attacked if given certain looks. It was as much a mental game as it was physical.
“We lacked some communication in the first half, but I thought we picked it up in the second half,” Tuck said.
Perhaps the more the Giants see Griffin and the Redskins offense the better they’ll be able to defend it. But that might be wishful thinking.