The New York Giants are playoff-bound for the first time since 2016. With a landslide 38-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17, the Giants officially clinched a spot in the postseason. It was a statement victory for Big Blue as quarterback Daniel Jones turned in one of the best games of his career. New York improved its record to 9-6-1 with the win.
Main takeaways from Giants vs Colts Week 17
Daniel Jones rose to the momentous occasion of the Giants’ win-and-in Week 17 matchup. Jones was the definition of a dual threat, passing for two touchdowns and rushing for two touchdowns in the contest. He completed 18 of his 24 attempts, throwing for 177 yards and adding 91 rushing yards on 11 carries. Playoff Danny has been unlocked as the Giants’ quarterback is making his first career trip to the postseason in the fourth season of his career.
The New York Giants defense smothered the Indianapolis Colts’ offense from start to finish. Landon Collins made the play of the day on the defensive side of the ball, picking off quarterback Nick Foles and returning it 52 yards for a touchdown. Collins was a captain on the Giants’ defense the last time the team made the playoffs in 2016. He was signed by the Giants midway through this season after spending time with Washington then as a free agent and has made a massive impact.
Kayvon Thibodeaux put together another standout performance. The rookie recorded five total tackles, including two tackles for loss, a sack, and one pass defended. Dexter Lawrence also continued his dominance, recording a sack bringing his total to 7.5 sacks on the season (career-high). Lawrence was selected to the first Pro Bowl of his career this season and could very well find his way on an All-Pro Team, too.
The Giants’ offense ran for 217 yards, the fourth time this season that the unit has eclipsed 200 rushing yards in a game. They achieved this feat with running back Saquon Barkley only totaling 58 yards himself. Daniel Jones was the team’s leading rusher (91 yards). Matt Breida added 59 yards on the ground, taking over as Barkley rested late in the fourth quarter with the game already settled.
The New York Giants will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles next week to end their regular season before preparing for a Wild Card Playoff matchup. If the season ended today, the Giants would hold the sixth seed in the NFC and face the San Fransisco 49ers in the first round of the playoffs. That could change, though, depending on where the Vikings finish the season. The bottom line, the New York Giants will be playing postseason football to start 2023, and, after a statement victory this afternoon, they have a chance to make some noise.