Giants Defeat Saints 16-13, 2-0 For First Time Since ’09
When the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints met last season in Week 8 it was an offensive explosion. The two teams put up more than 1000 yards of offense and a combined 101 points, the third-highest combined point total in NFL history.
On Sunday, the defenses and special teams took center stage as the Giants overcame three turnovers and hit a game-winning field goal as time expired to beat the Saints 16-13 in their home opener at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants’ defense redeemed itself from last season’s game in which Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 511 yards and seven touchdowns, tying a record that he shares with Sid Luckman, Adrian Burk, George Blanda, Y.A. Tittle, Joe Kapp, Peyton Manning, and Nick Foles.
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This time around, Brees was limited to 29-of-44 for 263 yards and one touchdown.
“It always comes down to a few plays but, literally, we needed one more play in each of those games, and we potentially sitting there at 2-0,” Brees, who passed Dan Marino for third on the all-time passing yards list, said.
The Saints lost to the Oakland Raiders last week. They are now 0-2 for the third consecutive season.
In spite of three turnovers by the Giants, the Saints only managed to put up 13 points, a credit to the upgraded Giants defense.
One of the game’s premier highlights occurred on a Saints field goal attempt in the second quarter. The kick was blocked by Johnathan Hankins and scooped up by Janoris Jenkins. Jenkins then proceeded to return the blocked field goal 65 yards for the Giants’ lone touchdown of the game.
The last time the Giants returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown was Dec. 7, 2008 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The game’s other premier highlight was in the fourth quarter.
Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 34-yard pass on third down that set up Josh Brown’s game winning field goal. Last week, Cruz caught the go-ahead touchdown pass against the Dallas Cowboys.
After spending the better part of the last two seasons recovering from injury, Cruz was very satisfied with his play.
“I just wanted to work my way in, catch things that are in front of me, make the plays that are presented to me,” he said. “To make the game-winning catch a week ago and today to make a pretty decisive catch on the sideline to seal the game, I couldn’t draw it up any other way. I just go out and play the game and I think I’m getting better as the weeks go on.”
Manning was mostly efficient, going 32-of-41 for 368 yards. He passed Drew Bledsoe for 10th on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list. Cruz, Odell Beckham, Jr., and Sterling Shepard combined for 20 receptions and 294 yards.
The Giants are 2-0 for the first time since 2009. Next up for them is the defending NFC East champion Washington Redskins at MetLife Stadium.
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