The New York Giants defeated the Washington Football Team in a heated divisional battle on Sunday.
The Giants were able to secure their first win of the season in a 20-19 victory over Washington. This divisional win was big for Joe Judge and the Giants as it puts them right back in the thick of things as they are only 1.5 games out of a playoff spot; yes, the NFC East is that bad. Nevertheless, there’s no saying how much a first win can do for the players and the staff.
Here’s how this victory affected the stock of various aspects in the Giants organization.
Stock up
Joe Judge, Head Coach
Joe Judge got his first career win as a head coach on Sunday. This is a big milestone for Judge and definitely helps his stock as he could have been on the hot seat if New York kept losing. While the Giants do not have the best talent, wins are still expected in the NFL, and it is good for Judge that he was able to earn his first.
Daniel Jones, QB
Daniel Jones played one of his better first halves of this whole season here in week six. In the first half, Jones had 61 rushing yards, one passing touchdown, and only one incompletion. This was a strong bounce-back showing from Jones as he has been a player who has lost stock the previous four weeks.
While he did not play great in the second half (6 incompletions and one interception), Jones’s play in the first half would prove to suffice as he led his team to their first win of the season.
Offensive Line
In order for Daniel Jones to find this success, he had to have the help of his hog mollies upfront. This unit played their best game of the season as they helped the Giants rush for over 130 yards and surrendered a season-low one sack and five pressures.
This improved play from the line helped open up the playbook to intricate play-action passes, and Daniel Jones designed runs, one of which that went for 49 yards.
Another major thing to look at from the offensive line was benching first-round pick Andrew Thomas. The Georgia alum had underwhelmed all season it seemed that New York had had enough and gave Matt Peart the opportunity at tackle. And in Thomas’ absence, Peart registered an elite PFF grade of 89.7.
Logan Ryan, S
Barring the fourth-quarter touchdown reception surrendered, Logan Ryan was having his best game with Big Blue. On the day, Ryan had eight tackles, one sack, and one pass breakup. Ryan also ended up recovering the onside kick to secure the win for New York. The Giants will need more of these performances from Ryan going forward as he has played 100-percent of defensive snaps in the last three games.
Tae Crowder, LB
In his second career start, Mr. Irrelevant had the best game of his short career easily. He made ten total tackles and had the game-winning fumble recovery for the Giants’ touchdown in the fourth quarter. This was a fumble recovery that took elite focus from the 255th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and one that he had to show a little athleticism with as he returned it 43 yards.
Kyler Fackrell, EDGE
The free-agent signee makes his way onto the stock up section once again after another huge play from Fackrell. On Crowder’s touchdown, Fackrell was the one who made the third-down strip-sack on Kyle Allen, which would have ended the drive but ended up ending the game. Fackrell now has a sack every other game this season, three total and will look to add to his total against a susceptible Eagles offensive line on Thursday.
Leonard Williams + Dalvin Tomlinson, DT
The big boys on the defensive line showed up in this divisional matchup. The two both wreaked havoc on the Washington offensive line, severely neutralizing both the run and passing game. Leonard Williams posted seven QB pressures, five QB hurries, two run stops, and one sack in a dominant display of talent on Sunday.
Dalvin Tomlinson, while not being as active in the pass rush, still was able to record three run stops, two QB pressures, and one QB hit. He ended up being the Giants’ highest-graded defensive starter from PFF with a grade of 83.9.
James Bradberry, CB
James Bradberry continued his All-Pro campaign in week six, where he recorded his second interception of the season. In this game, Bradberry’s presence alone helped the Giants tremendously as he was targeted only four times for three receptions and twelve yards.
Stock Down
Andrew Thomas, OT
Andrew Thomas probably was the Giant who’s stock was dropped the most on Sunday. He first received a first-quarter benching due to disciplinary reasons. When he came into the game, he was benched again, as he missed multiple assignments and blocks.
To make matters worse for the fourth overall pick, his competitor, Matt Peart, played excellent in his absence. Peart recorded a PFF grade of 89.7, highest on the offensive line, for his efforts against Washington.
All of this goes to question if the 2020 first-round pick will even start in week seven at Philly.
Blake Martinez, LB
After five straight amazing starts, Blake Martinez arguably had his worst game of the season. Martinez missed several tackles and was not a reliable coverage option, getting burnt on many passing plays. The veteran from Green Bay should be able to bounce back against an injured Eagles squad on Thursday.
Julian Love, FS
Julian Love saw his defensive snap count drop to zero percent last week in Dallas. However, with Adrian Colbert inactive against Washington, Love saw an increased role but did not take advantage of the opportunity. Love was the second-worst Giants defender, PFF grade of 47.0, and did more harm than good as he allowed one of the only two touchdowns on the day.
Wayne Gallman, RB
Since the arrival of Devonte Freeman, Wayne Gallman has essentially been thrown to the waste side. He only registered four offensive snaps on Sunday, where he received no touches. The former fourth-round pick’s lack of usage puts Gallman’s return in New York next season in major jeopardy.
David Mayo, LB
Another player whose future with the squad is in question is David Mayo. After registering 13 starts for Big Blue last season, Mayo saw his first playing time of the 2020 season in week six due to a preseason injury. However, in this game, he was vastly outperformed by his competitor, Tae Crowder, and ended up only playing 11 snaps where he recorded a team-low PFF rating of 28.6.