Sleeping Giants Awaken To Go Jaguar Hunting

The Jaguars and Maurice Jones-Drew had run the ball down the Giants throats in the first half. Trailing 17-6, the Giants had been booed off their home field. Yet another second half season collapse was on its way. Another year ending in failure. But inside a prideful, angry halftime locker room, the face of a game and a season changed. With defensive coordinator Perry Fewell trying to make adjustments, Justin Tuck made his stand with stirring words: “They came in our house, and they took over. They kicked down our door, they’re eating our food, they’re sleeping in our bed, and they didn’t wipe their feet at the mat. They really disrespected us in our own house. And I don’t allow that. And you shouldn’t either.” The locker room was quiet.

On the first play of the third quarter, Terrell Thomas intercepted a David Garrard pass, leading to a Giants field goal, cutting the deficit to 17-9. With the Giants defense heating up, Eli Manning started to take control. He hit Mario Manningham for a 26 yard touchdown and trailing 17-15; Coach Coughlin went for two and got it when Ahmad Bradshaw bulled his way in to the end zone to tie the game at 17. After a Jaguar field goal made it 20-17, Manning hit tight end Kevin Boss for a 32 yard touchdown with 3:15 remaining in the game, putting the Giants ahead 24-20. With defensive coordinator Fewell bringing the pressure with his secondary, Garrard was sacked three times. First by Tuck and safety Antrel Rolle for an 11 yard loss, then by rookie Jason Pierre-Paul for an 8 yard loss and finally by blitzing Terrell Thomas, who forced a fumble that Rolle recovered to seal the win.

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Eli Manning threw for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns while compiling a 117.7 passer rating, his second highest of the season. Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combined for 136 yards on the ground, averaging more than 5 yards per carry. Rookie Jason Pierre-Paul had his first 2 sacks of the season to lead the defense. The most important statistic though was no Giants turnovers for the first time this year.

Next game Sunday Dec 5th vs. Washington at the Meadowlands.

By: Mitchell D. Schlau
ProFootball-fans.com New York Giants Correspondent