Why the Giants’ late 4th-quarter weapon was so stunning
- 8 years ago
Why the Giants’ late 4th-quarter weapon was so stunning
#ny_giants #nygiants #giants
Rashad Jennings' 25-yard run at the two-minute warning sealed the win for the Giants.
The Giants ran out the clock in their pivotal 21-20 win over the Bengals on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
No, seriously. They ran out the clock. With the running game. With running back Rashad Jennings inserting the dagger into the Cincinnati defense and allowing Eli Manning to kneel to end the game in the cherished “victory formation” to bleed out the clock.
The Giants, ranked last in the NFL in rushing offense and hearing about it every single day in and out of practice — from the coaches, from the media, from fans — won Monday night because they ran the ball better than the Bengals.
With the game hanging in the balance, the Giants clinging to a one-point lead and desperate not to give the ball back the Bengals’ offense, it was Jennings bursting up the middle for 9 yards on a third-and-6 from the Giants’ 45-yard line and 2:50 remaining.
Another four downs to burn the clock.
And then the kill shot: Jennings rambled for 25 yards to the Cincinnati 21-yard line at the two-minute warning. With the Bengals having used all three of their timeouts, the Giants had to run only two more plays — Manning kneeling.
“It’s the best feeling, man,’’ Jennings said. “Better than any touchdown you can score is hearing ‘Victory. On one.’ ’’
Jennings’ late heroics allowed the Giants’ defense to rest for a change at the end. In the Giants’ previous three games — all wins — their defense was on the field at the end of the games frantically preventing the opposition to tie or win.
Jennings finished with 87 yards on 15 carries — none bigger than those last two late in the game. The Giants, as a team, rushed for 122 yards, nearly twice what they’ve been averaging this season.
“It feels good,’’ Jennings said. “Ain’t no way around that one. It feels good. And it should. That’s what we’re supposed to do. You’ve got to give credit to the offensive line. They were putting body on body and moving guys. We made some progress [Monday] night.
“The second half of the season is usually when you see the running game starting to get some synchronicity. And I’ve never been a part of a team that, Day 1, the coach doesn’t say, ‘Run the ball, stop the run, get after the quarterback.’ Those are always going to be the recipes of winning in the NFL.’’
The Giants, led by the maligned Jennings and their patchwork offensive line, which has been besieged with injuries, had the perfect ingredients on this night.
#ny_giants #nygiants #giants
Rashad Jennings' 25-yard run at the two-minute warning sealed the win for the Giants.
The Giants ran out the clock in their pivotal 21-20 win over the Bengals on Monday night at MetLife Stadium.
No, seriously. They ran out the clock. With the running game. With running back Rashad Jennings inserting the dagger into the Cincinnati defense and allowing Eli Manning to kneel to end the game in the cherished “victory formation” to bleed out the clock.
The Giants, ranked last in the NFL in rushing offense and hearing about it every single day in and out of practice — from the coaches, from the media, from fans — won Monday night because they ran the ball better than the Bengals.
With the game hanging in the balance, the Giants clinging to a one-point lead and desperate not to give the ball back the Bengals’ offense, it was Jennings bursting up the middle for 9 yards on a third-and-6 from the Giants’ 45-yard line and 2:50 remaining.
Another four downs to burn the clock.
And then the kill shot: Jennings rambled for 25 yards to the Cincinnati 21-yard line at the two-minute warning. With the Bengals having used all three of their timeouts, the Giants had to run only two more plays — Manning kneeling.
“It’s the best feeling, man,’’ Jennings said. “Better than any touchdown you can score is hearing ‘Victory. On one.’ ’’
Jennings’ late heroics allowed the Giants’ defense to rest for a change at the end. In the Giants’ previous three games — all wins — their defense was on the field at the end of the games frantically preventing the opposition to tie or win.
Jennings finished with 87 yards on 15 carries — none bigger than those last two late in the game. The Giants, as a team, rushed for 122 yards, nearly twice what they’ve been averaging this season.
“It feels good,’’ Jennings said. “Ain’t no way around that one. It feels good. And it should. That’s what we’re supposed to do. You’ve got to give credit to the offensive line. They were putting body on body and moving guys. We made some progress [Monday] night.
“The second half of the season is usually when you see the running game starting to get some synchronicity. And I’ve never been a part of a team that, Day 1, the coach doesn’t say, ‘Run the ball, stop the run, get after the quarterback.’ Those are always going to be the recipes of winning in the NFL.’’
The Giants, led by the maligned Jennings and their patchwork offensive line, which has been besieged with injuries, had the perfect ingredients on this night.