The New York Giants overcame the Washington Football Team 23-20 in week 9, but it didn’t come without struggles in the second half. The Giants nearly blew a 20-3 lead, allowing 17 points to draw Washington within three and the ball in the final two minutes. Luckily, the Giants’ defense bailed them out, with veteran quarterback Logan Ryan recording an interception to finalize the victory for a Big Blue.
However, there were some stand out performances from the Giants on both sides of the ball and some youngsters who finally got some deserved action.
Three standout New York Giants players in the victory over Washington:
1.) WR – Austin Mack
Rookie wide receiver Austin Mack finished the day with four receptions for 72 yards, just barely missing out on a touchdown in the first half.
Mack, a 6-foot-2 and 215-pound wide receiver, has been waiting for his opportunity to be a more prioritized pass catcher. With Golden Tate sitting out due to disciplinary actions, Mack was called upon to pick up his reallocated targets.
He did exactly what the Giants needed him to do, hauling in all but just one pass and picking up several first downs, including a 50-yard pass earlier in the game. Averaging 18 yards per reception, it was clear that Daniel Jones was targeting him downfield, and I expect him to be eased into the action more as the season progresses.
One thing I loved about Mack was his desire to help in the run game, securing the edge and showing off some of his effort. That is exactly what head coach Joe Judge has wanted to see and why he is deserving of his recent opportunities.
2.) S – Jabrill Peppers
Strong safety Jabrill Peppers had another solid outing after having his best performance in weak 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his New York Giants career. Peppers finished the day with six total tackles, three passes defended, and one interception.
After having just one defended pass the first several weeks of the year, he has five in the past two games. He is quickly becoming a focal point in Patrick Graham’s defense, flying around the field and playing well against the run. He was beaten on one deep pass in the second half, biting on a wide receiver screen, but aside from that mistake, he has been playing sound football.
3.) RB – Alfred Morris
The Giants elevated veteran running back Alfred Morris last week against Tampa, with Devonta Freeman missing time. While Morris got some solid action in week eight, he was much more productive against Washington, picking up 67 yards on nine carries.
In what seemed to be a revenge game for Morris, who formally played for Washington, he averaged 7.4 yards per carry and showed off some of his vintage moves.
While I don’t expect Morris to be a focal point for much longer, with Freeman expected to return by next week, he proved to be efficient in the running game and even ran for a long of 20 yards. The Giants needed to establish the run and did just that, as the veteran reached into his back pocket and extracted some leftover juice from years past.