Takeaways from Giants’ ugly win over the Patriots

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (15) throws the ball during the first half against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants earned their third win of the season on Sunday afternoon, improving their record to 4-8 after a 10–7 win over the New England Patriots. The Giants are now on a two-game winning streak entering their bye week.

The Giants have something in QB Tommy DeVito

QB Tommy DeVito earned the second win of his career in his first career home start. The Italian Stallion went 17/25 with 191 yards and one touchdown passing and did not throw an interception.

DeVito completed passes to nine different receivers. His leading receiver was fellow rookie Jalin Hyatt who turned in his best performance of the season so far. Hyatt totaled five receptions on six targets for a career-high 109 yards, including a couple of deep connections between the two rooks.

The Giants relied on DeVito’s arm and sound decision-making with the ground game struggling to get going. RB Saquon Barkley only had 12 carries, totaling just 46 yards on the ground. This was DeVito’s second straight game without an interception.

He may not be the future of the franchise, but DeVito is an exciting young player and a fantastic story. He’s easy to root for and, considering the way he and the team have played in recent weeks, DeVito is proving to be a capable NFL player who could very well develop into a long-term backup quarterback (or maybe even an eventual starter).

This defense is great, even without its best player

DL Dexter Lawrence was inactive for today’s game as he is dealing with a hamstring injury. But even without their best player in the lineup, Big Blue’s defensive unit was a force to be reckoned with.

The Giants’ defense forced three turnovers and held the Patriots’ offense to just 283 total yards and one touchdown en route to the ugly Week 12 win.

S Xavier McKinney led the defense with 10 total tackles, added two passes defended, and also nabbed his first interception of the season. LB Bobby Okereke also grabbed his first interception on the season while rookie CB Deonte Banks snagged one, too, his second on the year.

EDGE Jihad Ward had his best game of the season, totaling 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, and five tackles. Overall, it was a stellar performance from defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s unit.

Draft positioning is not this team’s top priority

While the Giants were thrilled to pick up their fourth win of the season, many fans were disappointed to see their team come out on top. In what appears to be a lost season, winning feels like a loss for fans hoping to see their team land a higher draft pick.

After their win over the Pats, the Giants currently hold the sixth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That, of course, is subject to change with five games left on the schedule.

No matter how badly fans might want the Giants to lose and tank for a higher draft pick, the team obviously has no interest in taking such a course of action. They are playing hard and with passion, seeking every win they can get during this final stretch of the season.

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