Giants and Seahawks Takeaways From Week Five

The New York Football Giants had a great time playing the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle on Sunday afternoon. The Giants are bringing a win back to New York and things are looking better and better playing-wise each week. They have had areas where they strongly still struggle, but in yesterday’s game, they proved that they can pull through and win their games. They won this game with a final score of 29-20. 

The game did not start off very promising for this team. The Giants’ two biggest weapons were out on the injury list. Malik Nabers, who was out with a concussion, and Devin Singletary, who was out with a groin injury. The first drive was not great for the Giants. They made it to the end zone but as they were about to score, Eric Gray fumbled the ball and it turned into a touchdown for the Seahawks. Nonetheless, things got better from there, here are three takeaways from the Giants’ victory over the Seahawks. 

1. The Giants’ Offensive Line Played the Best They Have All Season 

The Giants have been working on getting better in their last few games. In this game, it definitely showed. The Giants did not have their two top receivers but they made it work. There was a lot of discussion of the Giants using their rushing game. Thankfully, they didn’t and Daniel Jones was passing the ball on every other play. Jones was 23 for 24 on his passes and threw for 257 yards. The second most in a game this season and helped the team score two touchdowns. Jones’ passer rating for this week was 109.6 and his 7.6 yards per completion was his best all season. 

The Giants had a strong rushing attack throughout the game, with Tyrone Tracy Jr. leading the way, achieving a career-best performance this week against the Seahawks. Tracy accounted for 129 of the team's 175 rushing yards in the game, gaining his yards on 18 carries with an average of 7.2 yards per carry. The way the offense was set up in this game made it hard for the Seahawks to stop. They were also successful on nearly all of their third downs, with the first eight downs being great for the Giants. 

2. Darius Slayton Rose up to the Giants’ Top Receiver in Week Five 

The Giants had to find other means this week to make sure the ball went down the field. With Nabers being out this week, they had to find a way to get the ball moving. Nabers has been the main focus of the offense through the first five weeks of the season. The Giants had to have contributions from all other aspects of their offensive playmakers. 

In this game, Darius Slayton emerged as Jones’ top receiver for this week. Slayton recorded 122 receiving yards on eight catches. He took off with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Jones to give them the 17-10 lead they needed in the third quarter. Slayton has always had trouble catching the ball. Before Sunday, he had received more than three receptions all season. The hope is that Nabers will return in Week Six to play. The Giants felt pretty good about Slayton. With how his performance was, he may find his way back into being a big part of the Giants’ scheme as he definitely showed that he can be trusted. 

3. The Giants’ Defense Was Outstanding Against the Seahawks 

The Giants have struggled defensively for the last several weeks. In the game against the Seahawks, they definitely pulled it together. The Giants made a statement toward Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. Smith was sacked at least seven times during this game by Dexter Lawrence. He had help during some of those sacks by Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns. They haven’t made much noise during the first few games but now the Giants have a fearful defensive line. 

Deonte Banks also did a great job holding off D.K. Metcalf. They created the wall that the Giants were looking for. The big play of the game came from the special teams. They have really opened up the way they have played. During one of the last plays of the game, Jason Myers was about to kick a field goal when the ball was blocked by Isaiah Simmons, who took it down the field and scored a touchdown in the final moments of the game. 

The Giants truly did great during this game. Hopefully, they will be able to continue their smiles and the way they have been playing. For now, they will celebrate their win on their way home from Seattle. Next week, they will play the Cincinnati Bengals, who are struggling after dropping to 1-4 following their loss to the Ravens. Hopefully, both Nabers and Singletary will be able to be back in the game to help the Giants find their stride again.