Notes and statistics from the Giants' 29-14 victory over the Jets.
*The Giants improved to 8-7. They will face the Dallas Cowboys, also 8-7, in a winner-take-all game for the NFC East title on New Year's Day in MetLife Stadium. The Giants' victory today eliminated the Philadelphia Eagles from playoff consideration.
*The eighth victory guarantees the Giants will finish with a non-losing record for the seventh consecutive season, the franchise's longest such streak since the Giants had 10 in a row from 1954-63.
*The Giants swept their four AFC foes this season, the first time they were undefeated in inter-conference games since 1989, when they were also 4-0.
*The Giants won their fifth consecutive regular season game vs. the Jets and lead the series, 8-4.
*The game included some unusual numbers. The Giants outgained the Jets by a yards (332-331), despite running 34 fewer plays (89-55) and owning the ball for almost 14 fewer minutes (36:06-23:54).
*The Giants finished with 11 first downs, their lowest number since they had 11 at Minnesota on Jan. 3, 2010 (the 2009 season finale). It was their fewest first downs in a victory since Sept. 12, 1999, when they had four first downs in a 17-13 victory at Tampa Bay.
*The Giants rushed for 115 yards, their highest total since they ran for 122 yards in a victory over Buffalo on Oct. 16.
The Giants' time of possession of 23:54 was their third-lowest of the year. They owned the ball for 23:09 and 23:42 in their two games vs. Philadelphia.The Giants (and Steve Weatherford) tied a season high with nine punts. They also punted nine times vs. the Eagles on Nov. 20.
*The defense sacked Mark Sanchez five times, tying the season high it set against Miami on Oct. 30.
*The victory was the 149th of Tom Coughlin's career (141 regular season and eight in the postseason). That broke a tie with Tony Dungy and moved Coughlin into sole possession of 19th place on the NFL's career list. Coughlin is 20th in regular season victories, one behind Jeff Fisher.
*Coughlin was limping following the game after suffering an undetermined leg injury when he was hit on the sideline at the end of a 17-yard run by D.J. Ware.
"Never better," Coughlin said. "Nobody is worried about how fast I am and nobody was ever worried about that, as a matter of fact. I got it on the knee but I think it is up higher. You can imagine what the players said when they went by, 'No toughness, no championship.' I said, 'You are exactly right.'"
*Eli Manning completed nine of 27 passes for 225 yards, one touchdown and an interception. The nine completions were his fewest in a game since he had eight on Oct. 11, 2009 against Oakland – but he played only the first five series in that game. It was his lowest total in a full game since he completed seven passes at Buffalo on Dec. 23, 2007.
Manning increased his franchise single-season record to 4,587 passing yards.The Giants scored their first touchdown on the longest play in the 87-year history of the Giants, a 99-yard pass from Manning to Victor Cruz. The previous long play was a 98-yard pass from Earl Morrall to Homer Jones at Pittsburgh on Sept. 11, 1966. It was the fourth pass of at least 90 yards in Giants history.
*Manning's previous long throw was a 92-yard touchdown to Mario Manningham in the 2010 season finale at Washington on Jan. 2, 2011.
*Cruz's previous long reception was a 74-yarder at Philadelphia on Sept.25.
*Cruz caught three passes – he was the only Giants player with more than one – for 164 yards. That increased his season total to 1,358 yards, a new franchise record. The previous mark of 1,343 yards was set by Amani Toomer in 2002.
*Cruz's sixth 100-yard game of the season set another Giants record. He had been tied with Del Shofner (1963) and Homer Jones (1968).|
*Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 54 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. He has eight rushing touchdowns this season, tying the career high he set in 2010.
*Bradshaw's 54 yards increased his career total to 3,160. That moved him past Hall of Famer Tuffy Leemans (3,132) and into 10th place on the Giants' career list.
*It was the second time this season a Giants back rushed for two touchdowns; Brandon Jacobs did it on Dec. 11 in Dallas.
*Jacobs ran for 42 yards on seven carries, including a 28-yard run that was his longest of the season and the Giants' longest since Bradshaw had a 30-yarder vs. Buffalo on Oct. 16.
*Jason Pierre-Paul had two of the Giants' five sacks, increasing his season total to 15.5, the most by a Giant since Michael Strahan had 18.5 in 2003.
*Justin Tuck, Dave Tollefson and Chris Canty had the Giants' other sacks. Canty's sack of Sanchez in the fourth quarter resulted in a safety, the first of his career and the second by the Giants in three games; on Dec. 11 in Dallas, Pierre-Paul sacked Tony Romo for a safety.
*Corey Webster and Kenny Phillips each intercepted Sanchez passes. The pick was Webster's team-high sixth of the season, the highest total by a Giant since Emmanuel McDaniel had six in 2000. Phillips picked up his fourth interception. He had four in his first three seasons combined.
*Antrel Rolle, lined up as the up-back, ran back a punt three yards in the first quarter, his first punt return since he was with Arizona in 2009, when he had six returns for 55 yards.
*The Jets scored a touchdown on their first possession on Mark Sanchez's five-yard pass to Josh Baker. It was the third time this season and the first time in eight games the Giants surrendered a touchdown on their opponent's opening series. It had last happened vs. Miami on Oct. 30. The Giants are 2-1 this season and 14-14 under Coughlin when their opponents score a first-possession touchdown.
*Center David Baas returned to the starting lineup after missing three games with a neck injury. Kevin Boothe moved over to left guard.
*Bear Pascoe started at tight end, but did not have a reception.
*The Giants' inactive players defensive end Osi Umenyiora, wide receiver Mario Manningham, tight end Jake Ballard, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, linebacker Mark Herzlich and offensive linemen Jim Cordle and James Brewer.
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