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Good morning, New York Giants fans! Let’s get right down to business on your Thanksgiving Week Monday morning.
NFC East standings
The Giants’ victory Sunday gives them a chance — not a good one, but a chance — in an up-for-grabs NFC East. Here are the current standings:
Washington Redskins 6-4 (.600)
Dallas Cowboys 5-5 (.500)
Philadelphia Eagles 4-6 (.400)
Giants 3-7 (.300)
The Giants are 0-3 in the division, but still have games with each of the teams ahead of them. Beginning, of course, this Sunday in Philadelphia.
Eli’s record-setting day
Eli Manning went 17-of-18 for 231 yards, two touchdowns and a 155.8 passer rating on Sunday. Manning’s 94.4 completion percentage is a Giants record in a game with at least 10 attempts. The last NFL quarterback with a percentage that high with at least 10 attempts was Miami’s Ryan Tannehill on Oct. 25, 2015, when he was 18-for-19 vs. Houston. Manning’s previous best completion percentage was 87.1 (27-of-31) at Miami on Dec. 14, 2015. His second-highest was the 86.2 (25-of-29) he posted in the victory in Houston on Sept. 23.
Michael Thomas was ready for onside kick
Giants’ defensive back Michael Thomas has long been one of the league’s best special teams players. Sunday he correctly diagnosed and then recovered an onside kick with 2:22 to play and the Giants clinging to a three-point lead.
“We have a bunch of veterans who have been premier special teams players for their different teams. So once we saw the formation, we pretty much knew where they were trying to go with the ball with how they were lined up with two guys on either side of the kicker bunched in, so once we saw it, we were prepared,” Thomas said. “We saw the ball kicked at the tee, saw the ball kicked and went up and made a play.”
The six-year veteran didn’t listen to the inner voice that was telling him to get down once he corralled the ball, though he knew he should have.
“Obviously the rule is to get down, but if they didn’t tackle me, I was going to the crib,” Thomas said.
Some leftover statistical notes
- Tampa Bay’s 510 yards was the highest total for a Giants opponent since the Saints gained 608 yards in their 52-49 victory in New Orleans three years ago.
- Tampa Bay’s 31 first downs was the highest total for a Giants opponent since the Saints had 35 on Nov. 1, 2015.
- The second Giants’ touchdown drive covered 95 yards and took 12 plays and 6:36 to complete. It was the Giants’ longest drive since a 96-yarder at Miami on Dec. 14, 2015.
- Odell Beckham Jr.’s touchdown reception was the 43rd of his career, tying Frank Gifford for fourth on the Giants’ career list.
Around the Inter-Google
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Odell Beckham's Giants goal to win out is looking less funny
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