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AT FIRST GLANCE**
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In a game that featured 13 touchdowns through the air, it all came down to the leg of Saints kicker Kai Forbath, who made a 50-yard field goal as time expired to defeat the Giants 52-49 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Giants (4-4) stay on the road and will travel to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) in their second-to-last game before the bye. The Giants have a four-game winning streak in the series, including a 24-14 victory in a 2007 NFC Wild Card Game. They also won regular-season games vs. the Buccaneers in 2006, 2009 and 2012.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE
After scoring just two offensive touchdowns in the last two games, the Giants broke out with 416 yards and 49 points against the Saints. Eli Manning completed 30-of-41 passes for 350 yards and a career-high six touchdowns.
Three of the scores went to fellow Louisiana native Odell Beckham Jr. (eight receptions for 130 yards and three touchdowns). Dwayne Harris caught touchdowns on consecutive drives to tie the game 42-42 with 9:30 to play in the fourth quarter.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE
To sum up the day, Manning threw six touchdowns and still wasn't the most prolific passer in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday. Racking up 300 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone, Saints quarterback Drew Brees tied the NFL single-game record with seven touchdowns overall and 511 yards. New Orleans added 103 yards on the ground for 614 total. However, the Giants have lived off takeaways all season long and did so again to tighten the game on Sunday.
After grabbing two interceptions last week, including a 58-yard pick-six, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie notched another on Brees midway through the third quarter. Rodgers-Cromartie now has four interceptions in the last four games. That was before cornerback Trumaine McBride returned a fumble 63 yards for a touchdown to give the Giants a 49-42 lead with 7:23 left in the game.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS
While kicker Josh Brown made all seven of his extra-point attempts,
Brad Wing averaged 53.0 yards on four punts, including a 62-yarder that the Giants downed at the 4-yard line. However, Wing committed a 15-yard facemask penalty after a 24-yard punt return by Willie Snead to set up the Saints' game-winning field goal.
INACTIVES
NYG: LB Jon Beason, WR Victor Cruz, CB Prince Amukamara, LB J.T. Thomas III, DE Owa Odighizuwa, OL Bobby Hart, DT Louis Nix III.
NO: QB Garrett Grayson, LB David Hawthorne, DE Obum Gwacham, LB Dannell Ellerbe, DT Kaleb Eulls, OT Andrus Peat, DE Tavaris Barnes.
LINEUP CHANGES
NYG: Jasper Brinkley for Beason at MLB; Jonathan Casillas for Thomas III at WLB. NO: Ramon Humber for Ellerbe at WILL.
GAME CAPTAINS
LG Justin Pugh, S Brandon Meriweather, and DT Cullen Jenkins along with season captains QB Eli Manning and LS Zak DeOssie.
GIANTS INJURY REPORT
TE Larry Donnell (neck), RB Orleans Darkwa (back), WR Dwayne Harris (knee/ankle, returned), OL Geoff Schwartz (ankle, returned), CB Jayron Hosley (facial laceration, returned).
