Two shut wins doesn’t imply the Giants are finishers but. Not to middle Jon Feliciano, who lamented the offense’s “many mental errors” in Sunday’s 19-16 win over the Carolina Panthers at MetLife Stadium.
“I don’t think we’re there yet,” Feliciano mentioned. “I think we got lucky today offensively. I think our defense and special teams played lights out.”
He’s proper. Safety Julian Love’s third-down sack of Baker Mayfield with 2:38 to play — which compelled Carolina to punt the ball and by no means get it again — epitomized this victory.
So did Graham Gano’s 4 subject targets, capped by his 56-yard go-ahead kick with 3:34 remaining that required some physique English to show left contained in the upright.
So did the primary quarter fumbles compelled by linebacker Carter Coughlin on a kickoff and Darnay Holmes on protection, recovered by security Dane Belton and nook Adoree Jackson, respectively.
And but, Daniel Jones and the offense had been those who actually completed the sport.
Jones was the one who put the Panthers down by improvising on a third and 6 bare bootleg to the fitting with 1:50 to play on the Giants’ 40.
Jones was the one who stopped, in the reduction of previous Panthers defensive finish Henry Anderson, and sprinted right into a slide throughout the NFL brand at midfield to ice this sport.
Jones was the one kneeling in victory formation to seal the Giants’ first 2-0 begin since 2016, the final time this franchise went to the playoffs.
“Mental toughness, grit and resilience” had been the qualities Jones described as essential to win an unsightly sport like Sunday’s. And right here’s the factor about Jones, who’s below stress to show he’s a franchise QB as soon as and for all this season:
He has all three.
“It was another game that wasn’t perfect, especially on offense,” Jones mentioned. “There’s a lot to clean up. Slow start in the first half, picked it up in the second half, a lot we can do better. But at the end of the day, we made plays to win the game.”
They did. Jones did. For a second straight week.
Most importantly, for a second straight week, Jones didn’t let a horrible determination with the soccer compromise his potential to carry out later.
He persevered. He carried out. He answered when he wanted to.
Sunday’s determination was an ill-advised throw into zone protection towards the fitting sideline, into the fingers of Panthers linebacker Frankie Luvu.
Luvu ought to have had an interception on the Giants’ 43-yard line, in a tie sport with an opportunity for Carolina to get factors earlier than the half.
He dropped it, however the followers booed the Giants as they trotted off the sphere afterward anyway.
They had simply watched Jones’ offense squander beginning subject place at Carolina’s 22 and 40 yard strains on their first two drives of the sport, settling for subject targets on each.
Jones had made the identical type of horrifying throw into site visitors that he’d made on his Week 1 pink zone interception in Tennessee. That choose had introduced the wrath of head coach Brian Daboll upon the Giants’ quarterback.
So Sunday’s throw injected an unsettling feeling into an already nervous constructing.
But Jones didn’t let enjoying on the razor’s edge in one other nail biter get to him.
“I think that’s part of playing the position is being able to refocus and get going,” he mentioned. “It’s part of it. Gotta be able to move on and play the next play.”
Jones’ offense went three and out to open the second half. Then the Panthers took their first lead, 13-6, on a 3-play, 67-yard landing drive.
Baker Mayfield attacked rookie Giants nook Cor’Dale Flott for 2 completions to receiver D.J. Moore for 45 yards and a 16-yard TD on the drive.
The sport was turning.
But Jones answered. He captained an 8-play, 75-yard TD drive to tie it up, finishing 4-of-5 passes for 58 yards on the drive, together with a 16-yard TD to rookie tight finish Daniel Bellinger.
Jones’ 15-yard, thread-the-needle strike to receiver Richie James on third and 9 from the Giants’ 26 jump-started the possession and altered the sport Barkley made a strong block to purchase the QB time.
Jones’ potential to shake off a sluggish begin and ship that dart, although, is a key high quality he has honed via a rocky first three seasons.
“I think you learn that,” Jones mentioned. “These are long games. They’re tough games. Most of these are like today, a 3-point game that comes down to the last possession and one score. You can’t afford to worry about the last play or let that affect any decision you’re gonna make. I’ve learned that over my career and it’s something I’m always trying to do better and to focus on. I think it’s important for playing the position.”
Martindale’s alternative of Flott with veteran Fabian Moreau on protection made a distinction late. Mayfield and receiver Shi Smith did not benefit from one huge Moreau breakdown.
A run-game led Giants subject aim drive gave the house workforce their last lead within the fourth quarter, highlighted by Gary Brightwell’s 14-yard scamper on third and 1. And as Feliciano famous, the offense didn’t cough up the ball all day.
“We did a good job of not turning the ball over on offense,” the middle mentioned. “We kinda got our run game going late.”
Jones then used his head and his legs to place the Panthers on ice when his workforce wanted an enormous play to finish it.
“A situation like that, you get outside the pocket,” Jones mentioned. “You want to throw a completion, stay inbounds or run the ball to keep the clock moving. I thought they matched Saquon in the flat, so I saw a lane to step up and run and obviously wanted to protect the ball.”
What does this all imply? The Giants (2-0), imagine it or not, may host the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 3 in first place within the NFC East, relying on what the Philadelphia Eagles do in Minnesota on Monday evening.
In the meantime, the offense will get again to work.
“Shoutout to Wink and the defense for playing such a great game,” Feliciano mentioned with a smirk. “They could be really good. And we thank them for that.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com