It Feels Good To Be Number One!

On Sunday October 16^th the New York Giants welcomed the Buffalo Bills to their home at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford New Jersey.  The fact that they were from upstate New York made it feel more like a family gathering for state bragging rights.  It was partly cloudy and a cool 66 degrees. 

The New York Giants received the opening kickoff from the Buffalo Bills. As usual the Giants were unable to establish an opening drive down the field.  But they did manage to pick up a ten yard penalty to get off to a familiar start.  After three plays, they also managed their usual punt.  But something felt unusually different today.

Buffalo was also unable to muster an opening drive as well. Brian Moorman was forced to punt to New York after they had no success rushing or passing. Aaron Ross returned the punt for 17 yards to the Giants 35 and Eli Manning finally arrived for work at the office.  Utilizing a good mixture of rush and pass plays, the Giants were able to drive down the field and Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a one yard touchdown run.  Lawrence Tynes nailed the field goal and suddenly New York was on the boards with the first seven points of the game.  In four minutes the Giants ran nine plays for sixty-nine yards and a score.

The Bills where right back in the game though, on the first play from scrimmage.  Ryan Fitzpatrick handed the ball to Fred Jackson, who ran eighty yards down the field for a touchdown in fourteen seconds. Linebacker Jacquian Williams, Cornerback Aaron Ross and Defensive Back Deon Grant where all a step to slow to catch the speedy running back.  But to their credit, with the help of Free Safety Antrel Rolle, they were able to bottle Jackson up the remainder of the game.

New York responded with three downs and a punt.  But when the Bills got the ball back they scored again after six plays for seventy-eight yard; on a pass from Fitzpatrick to Naaman Roosevelt for a touchdown.  After five minutes and thirteen plays for eighty-four yards, New York answered with a field goal from Tynes in the Second Quarter.  This made the score 14 to 10 in favor of Buffalo.

At this point the Giants began to take control of the game. When New York received the punt from the Bills toward the end of the Second Quarter Eli and the Giants offense went to work once again. By shuffling  the ball around to Bradshaw, Ballard, Nicks and Ware, the Giants were able to move the ball eighty-nine yards on five plays in a little over two minutes for another touchdown.  But Fitzpatrick was able to move the Bills to the 49 yard line; where Rian Lindell completed a field goal to tie the game.  The Bills and Giants entered the locker room at half time dead locked at 17 points a piece.

New York started the Third Quarter by marching down the field to another score.  Eli distributed the football to Bradshaw, Ballard, Nicks and Manningham on ten plays for seventy-five yards and a touchdown in just over five minutes of work.  The Giants were in command again at 17 to 24.  The Third Quarter concluded with an interception by Giants Cornerback Corey Webster and a blocked field goal attempt by Bills Linebacker Alex Carrington.

The Bills maintained their momentum in the beginning of the Fourth Quarter. Fitzpatrick, with the help of an encroachment penalty by Defensive End Jason Pierre-Paul, moved Buffalo into New York real estate.  Then Fitzpatrick ran for 4 yards and on the next play threw a 9 yard touchdown pass to Steve Johnson.  Suddenly, after twelve plays and sixty yards, the score was tied at 24 points each with just less than nine minutes remaining in the game.

New York’s Devin Thomson received the kickoff and returned the ball to the 23 yard line.  But a ten yard holding penalty by Bear Pascoe put the ball on the Giants 13 yard line. 

It was crunch time and the Giants needed to close this game out with a score.  New York’s offense answered the challenge with three plays and a punt.  At this point it was starting to look like the Giants were about to resort back to their usual play in the Fourth Quarter; but something was different today.

Bills return man C.J. Spiller retuned Steve Weatherford’s fifty-six yard punt seven yards to the Buffalo 26 yard line.  Fitzpatrick went to work immediately! He drove Buffalo down the field to the Giants 26 yard line. I could see Head Coach Tom Coughlin pacing the sidelines ready to explode.

New York needed a miracle and, with minutes remaining in the game, they got one on the very next play.  Fitzpatrick threw the ball on a go pattern toward Steve Johnson, but Corey Webster stepped in and intercepted it at the five yard line.  Johnson reached out and grabbed Webster’s face mask on the tackle, for a 15 yard penalty. This put the Giants at their twenty yard line.

Coughlin had another chance to close out the game with a victory.  In went the Giants’ offense to finally put this game out of reach.  Eli threw to Pascoe for three yards.  He then handed the ball to Bradshaw; who ran thirty yards down the field to the Buffalo 37 yard line. Then Buffalo’s Cornerback Drayton Florence donated eleven yards on a pass interference penalty. But right after the Two Minute Warning, New York’s Tackle Stacey Andrews returned five of those yards on a False Start Penalty.  Drayton Florence would not stand for this, so he donated another 15 yards on a Pass Interference Penalty. 

After a four yard loss on a Bradshaw run and an incomplete pass from Eli to Manningham it was fourth and five.  Coughlin decided to send in the Field Goal Unit. Tynes steps up and nails the twenty-three yard field goal to give the Giants a 24 to 27 victory over the team from upstate New York.

Manning threw for 292 yards, without an interception.  Bradshaw rushed for 104 yards and three touchdowns on twenty-six carries. Wide Receiver Hakeem Nicks had 96 yards on four receptions. This win places the New York Giants atop the National Football Eastern Conference.  Hats off to Webster and Tynes, for stepping up to win this game for the Giants fans and the team. Enjoy the Bye Week!

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Article by Keith Anthony for

Contemplating New York Giants Football™