NFL

Giants blitz: Throwback night for defense

Hero

The Redskins’ offensive line was like the fountain of youth for Justin Tuck, who could not be contained Sunday night while racking up a career-high four sacks against Robert Griffin III. Tuck matched his entire 2012 sack total in one night, becoming just the fifth Giant to record four or more sacks in one game.

Unsung hero

You can probably cross “middle linebacker” off the Giants’ list of offseason needs after Jon Beason’s beastly performance. The former Panther continues to be a revelation since joining Big Blue in midseason and was a relentless force with a team-high 17 tackles — including 13 unassisted — as the Giants held Washington to just three points in the game’s final 41 minutes.

Zero

The Giants won, but they’ve got a big problem on their hands in Will Beatty. The veteran left tackle was supposed to be a cornerstone (even getting a significant contract extension in the offseason), yet he was abused by Redskins defensive end Brian Orakpo as Orakpo had two of Washington’s three sacks of Eli Manning.

Key stat

1: Penalty (for minus-1 yard) by the usually mistake-prone Giants. The Redskins had eight penalties for minus-55 yards in comparison.

Quote of the night

“They truly showed what they’re made of.”

—Tom Coughlin, on his refuse-to-quit Giants.