AT A GLANCE
Without their top receiver and running back, the New York Giants scored their most points of the season in a 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Isaiah Simmons sealed the win when he jumped over the line of scrimmage and blocked a potential game-tying field goal, which Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned 60 yards for a touchdown with 55 seconds left in regulation. The Giants improved to 2-3 on the season while the Seahawks fell to 3-2 after consecutive losses.
UP NEXT
The Giants will host a primetime game for the second time in three weeks when the Bengals come to MetLife Stadium for a Sunday night matchup. Cincinnati fell to 1-4 on Sunday with a 41-38 overtime home loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants trail the all-time series with the Bengals, 6-5, but have won their previous two meetings in 2016 and 2020.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE OFFENSE
The Giants played without their top wide receiver and running back on Sunday. Malik Nabers, the sensational rookie who led the NFL in catches and ranked second in receiving yards through the first four weeks, was ruled out due a concussion that he suffered in Thursday's game against Dallas. He did not travel with the team to Seattle.
Devin Singletary, meanwhile, was listed as doubtful with a groin injury on the final report of the week. The veteran running back had 293 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in his first four games as a Giant.
Second-year running back Eric Gray, a former fifth-round pick, had just 86 yards from scrimmage in his first 17 games in the NFL. In his 18th, he had 52 on the opening drive alone, including three catches for 50 yards. But then disaster struck when Gray lost a fumble reaching for the goal line and Seahawks strong safety Rayshawn Jenkins returned it 101 yards the other way for a touchdown.
Daniel Jones got off to another hot start by completing 12 of his first 13 passes for 123 yards, including a seven-yard touchdown to wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. Overall, Jones finished 23 of 34 for 257 yards and two touchdowns with a 109.6 passer rating. He also added 38 yards on 11 rushing attempts.
Jones and Darius Slayton connected on a picture-perfect deep shot for 41 yards down the right sideline in the third quarter. Three plays later, Jones went back to him for a 30-yard touchdown to retake the lead, 17-10, at the time.
Slayton finished with 122 yards, the third-highest of his career, while notching his sixth 100-yard game and first since the 2023 season finale.
Rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr., another running back taken in the fifth round, led the way on the ground with 129 yards on 18 carries, with a long of 27 yards. He had just 29 rushing yards entering Week 5.
The Giants emphasized the run game over the extended break following a 24-carry, 26-yard output against the Cowboys. They responded with 176 yards on 33 carries in Seattle.
Giants tight ends entered Sunday with just five catches for 57 yards combined on the season. That changed in Seattle, where rookie fourth-rounder Theo Johnson caught five passes for 48 yards, with a long of 22 yards.
The Giants dominated the time of possession once again, 37:22 to 22:38.
The New York Giants travel to Seattle to face off against the Seahawks in Week 5.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE DEFENSE
The Seahawks lost in Week 4 at Detroit despite recording season-highs in points (29), total yards (516), pass yards (383), and first downs (38). In fact, their 38 first downs were the most by a losing team since at least 1950. On Sunday, the Giants held them to just five first downs in the first half and 17 overall.
The Seahawks moved the ball to start the second half, but that's when cornerback Deonte Banks and linebacker Bobby Okereke converged on wide receiver DK Metcalf, with the former ripping the ball away. Rookie safety Tyler Nubin recovered the fumble for the first takeaway of his young NFL career. The Giants scored a go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing possession.
Banks notched a career-high three passes defensed after he had two through the first four weeks.
The Seahawks ran just 10 times for 94 yards, 64 of which came from quarterback Geno Smith. The veteran quarterback broke a 32-yard run to move Seattle into field goal range with under two minutes left in the game.
With three in Seattle, Pro Bowl defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence increased his season sack total to six through five games. His career-high is 7.5 in 2022.
Outside linebacker Brian Burns came through with a clutch sack on fourth-and-one from the Seattle 35 early in the fourth quarter. On Seattle's next series, Burns tipped a pass that defensive lineman D.J. Davidson nearly intercepted. On the following play, Kayvon Thibodeaux notched the Giants' fifth sack of the day.
Davidson finished with two sacks while the Giants had seven as a team.
Adoree' Jackson and rookie Dru Phillips returned to action after both cornerbacks missed last week with calf injuries.
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS
Greg Joseph, who accounted for all 15 of the Giants' points on five field goals in Week 4, made all three of his attempts in Seattle from 38, 31, and 24 yards.
All three phases complemented each other on Sunday. With the Giants looking to preserve their 10-point lead with under six minutes remaining in the game, Jamie Gillan booted a 59-yard punt that Dane Belton downed at the five-yard line.
Isaiah Simmons sealed the victory when he jumped over the line of scrimmage and blocked a potential game-tying field goal, which Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned for a touchdown with 55 seconds remaining in the game.
IN-GAME INJURY REPORT
NYG: None
SEA: LB Uchenna Nwosu (thigh), CB Riq Woolen (ankle), LB Derick Hall (foot)
INACTIVES
NYG: WR Malik Nabers (concussion), S Anthony Johnson, RB Devin Singletary (groin), CB Tre Hawkins III, OLB Boogie Basham, G Jake Kubas, QB Tommy DeVito (3rd)
SEA: C Olu Oluwatimi, T Sataoa Laumea, T Michael Jerrell, OLB Boye Mafe (knee), DT Byron Murphy II (hamstring)
WEEKEND ROSTER MOVES
On Saturday, the Giants activated linebacker Matthew Adams (quad) from injured reserve among a series of roster moves. The team also waived linebacker Benton Whitley and elevated wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins and running back Dante Miller from the practice squad.
Giants 100th season book on sale now
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