You have to go back more than a decade to find the last time the Giants won a game without scoring a touchdown. Of course, everyone recalls that memorable 9-6 victory over the Seahawks on Sept. 22, 2002, on the strength of three Matt Bryant field goals.
No doubt, the Giants are going to have to clean up their act on offense in order to make a serious run in the second half of the season. For now, they have solved their terrible turnover problems, not committing any in wins over the Vikings and Eagles. But their running game remains a yard-by-yard deal and their red-zone efficiency is poor, especially when targeting Hakeem Nicks in the end zone. For a team that entered the season with far more questions on defense than they had on offense, the Giants are being carried by a defensive unit that has not allowed a touchdown in 10 consecutive quarters and is undergoing a transformation right before our eyes.
Did you notice linebacker Spencer Paysinger or safety Ryan Mundy in Sunday’s 15-7 victory over the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field? Both players were virtually immovable earlier this season, starters on the field for every defensive snap. Well, neither of them got a single defensive snap against the Eagles, with Paysinger (17 snaps) and Mundy (11) getting work only on special teams. Their replacements, Jon Beason at linebacker and Will Hill at safety, didn’t come off the field on defense, playing all 61 snaps.
Another big change: Linebacker Jacquian Williams, an afterthought in the first month, made a difference against the Eagles and was on the field for all 61 defensive snaps, plus 11 snaps on special teams. His diving, rolling recovery of a Matt Barkley fumble forced by Terrell Thomas was a thing of athletic beauty, the sort of play Williams is supposed to make. Williams always seems to be coming back from some sort of physical ailment, but for the moment he’s healthy and it appears he is a big part of the plans moving forward.
Beason has been, as Justin Tuck says, “a godsend’’ to this team and this defense, a rare in-season acquisition that so far is paying huge dividends. Hill missed the first four games while serving a suspension for violating the league’s drug policy, and since his return he’s added a physical presence and some rough-around-the-edges toughness. Williams is one of the best athletic specimens on the team. So, for now, they are in and guys such as Paysinger, Mark Herzlich (zero defensive snaps) and Keith Rivers (zero defensive snaps) are out.
Other notables from the game in Philly:
— Antrel Rolle is finally back as his natural safety spot and is making game-changing plays. Incredibly, his mauling of Michael Vick in the first quarter was Rolle’s first full sack with the Giants. When allowed to roam and play some center field, Rolle is showing he is a fine ball-hawk. He already has more interceptions (three) this season than he has in any other season with the Giants.
— Another defensive change: Corey Webster is back after missing time with a strained groin, but he played 12 snaps on defense while Trumaine McBride played 49. McBride has been a strong addition. He’s competitive and battles, and he might have supplanted the veteran Webster on the depth chart, even if Webster is healthy. The rise of Terrell Thomas, who was outstanding against the Eagles with 11 tackles, one sack and one forced fumble, could be very significant in the second half of the season. If he continues to progress, Thomas could be fashioning a Comeback Player of the Year season coming off his third career ACL surgery.
— Peyton Hillis was better in his second game than he was in his first, which makes sense, and his 20 carries for 70 yards amounted to decent production. But his longest run was nine yards and he does not look to be the longterm answer this season. The Giants have started five different running backs in eight games: David Wilson, Da’Rel Scott, Brandon Jacobs, Michael Cox and Hillis. It is likely none of those five is the answer if the Giants are going to get one of the NFL’s worst ground games going — unless Wilson gets a clean bill of health with his neck and can return.
Andre Brown is eligible to return for the next game, on Nov. 10 vs. the Raiders. He claims he is fully healed from the broken left leg that put him on the short-term Physically Unable to Perform list. Brown has had a few weeks in practice to get back into the swing of things and now gets a bye week to ready himself for his return.
— The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday. Anyone still think the Giants are going to cash in on the season and trade Hakeem Nicks away?
– General manager Jerry Reese has deservedly taken plenty of heat for the demise of the Giants, but he should be praised for the offseason moves that directly led to an improvement in the run defense. Reese was determined to get bigger and stronger at defensive tackle and he did, signing Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson, re-signing Shaun Rogers and using a second-round draft pick on Johnathan Hankins. Along with Linval Joseph, it’s a position of great depth. Perhaps Markus Kuhn is ready to be activated off PUP, though there might not be a place for him on the roster.
— The Giants finally ended what grew into an eight-game road losing streak, their longest since 1978-79.
— With no touchdowns allowed in 10 quarters on defense, this is the Giants’ longest such streak since one that lasted 15 quarters from Oct. 23-Nov. 20, 2005. The defense has not surrendered a touchdown in 158:24.
— Lest anyone get too giddy, the 2-6 record at midseason is the worst for the Giants since they were 1-7 in 1980.
— The Giants improved to 19-6 in games prior to a regular-season bye, a .760 winning percentage that is the NFL’s best.