By Andrew Rosario
The New York Giants paid tribute to past Super Bowl heroes at halftime of their game when they hosted the Buffalo Bills last Sunday. After their performance the organization wished that some of them could still play.
For the second straight week, the Bills, who many consider the only “New York” team invaded MetLife Stadium. In week one, the Bills came back against the Jets after trailing 16-0 shutting them out in the second half and winning 17-16. Meanwhile, Big Blue was small in Dallas getting blown out 35-17 as the offense was non-existent and the defense was nowhere to be found. On a golden Sunday afternoon, the Giants and much maligned Eli Manning hoped to avoid a 0-2 start.
Like last week against the Cowboys, Manning gets them into the end zone after Buffalo deferred and gave them the ball. Workhorse running back Saquan Barkley runs for 55 yards, the last 27 into the end zone giving them a 7-0 lead. Now it was up to the defense to show that last week was a fluke. Immediately they did something against the Bills on their first possession they did not do all game last week. Sack the quarterback making Buffalo punt after 3 plays. The Giants stalled on their next possession and Buffalo made a quick adjustment with QB Josh Allen capping a 10 play, 75 yard drive, running it in from 6 yards out tying the game at 7.
Eli was out of sync the next time they got the ball and watched as the Bills convert on 3 third down attempts. Allen getting them down to the Giants 26 needing 10 yards for the first down. He finds wide receiver Cole Beasley for 12 yards before running back Devon Singletary runs it in from 14 yards out extending the lead to 14-7. After another inept offensive series, Allen continued to carve up the Giants secondary despite starting on their own 2 yard line. Allen completing 3 passes for 78 yards. The last a shuffle pass to Singletary putting them up 21-7.
New York had two chances to close the gap. First, looking to get within 7, Manning sees a wide open Bennie Fowler which would have given them a first down. Bills safety puts a jarring hit on Fowler dislodging the ball as Fowler was shaken up. Then, normally reliable field goal kicker Aldrick Rosas misses the 48 yard field goal.
The Giants put the final nail in their own coffin with a costly penalty. Trailing 21-14 after Manning hits TJ Jones for a 4 yard touchdown, the defense was looking to hold the Bills to a field goal. Instead, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence is hit with a personal foul hitting Buffalo’s center Mitch Morse in the head giving them an automatic first down. Veteran Frank Gore scoring from 1 yard out. Game, set, match.
“Credit Buffalo,” said Giants head Coach Pat Shurmur. “They played well in all three phases of the game. Big Blue was without wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion) and lost Corey Latimer late in the fourth. He was concussed after a helmet to helmet hit in which no penalty was called. Golden Tate will miss the next two games for testing positive for PED’s.
The Giants travel to Tampa Sunday to face the Bucs. “I think his play is indicative of how our team played,” said Shurmur. “There were some really good play in there and there are some things we have to improve on.” It obviously was not good enough as it was announced Tuesday morning that Manning would be benched in favor of Daniel Jones the #6 pick in this years draft. Jobs will be at stake based on his performance.
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