Giants news, 9/24: Looking back at the Giants’ first victory

Good morning, New York Giants fans! It’s a happy day after the Giants’ first victory of the season, so let’s get to the headlines.

“This is an opportunity to go win a football game”

That is what quarterback Eli Manning told his teammates before the start on a 9-play, 77-yard fourth-quarter drive that turned a tenuous 20-15 lead into 27-15 advantage with 5:29 to play. The quarterback said he also told his teammates “it comes down to this drive.”

“We had a great first half, hadn’t done really anything in the second half and we had a chance to go win the football game,” Manning said. “Guys stepped up, made some big plays. I think coach called it aggressive.”

“We just had energy”

Saquon Barkley noted after the game that there was “a different vibe” amongst the team prior to Sunday’s game.

Odell Beckham Jr. also noticed it.

“I just feel like apart from (more offensive production) that we just had energy,” Beckham said. “We came out, we played like we loved the game of football, like this was football with kids and we were having fun. It was lighter. It wasn’t like we’re down 0-2, we got to win. It was like, let’s go out and have fun today, and that’s what we did and we got the W doing that.”

Game ball

Manning gave coach Pat Shurmur a game ball in honor of his first victory as Giants coach. Shurmur, in turn, said he was going to present GM Dave Gettleman with one. Gettleman, whose lymphoma is in remission, did not attend the game.

Around the Inter-Google

Giant concerns for tight end Evan Engram after knee injury - NY Daily News
One third of the Giants’ dynamic offensive attack is ailing. Tight end Evan Engram, who along with Odell Beckham and rookie Saquon Barkley make up the Giants’ explosive triple threat on offense, left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a right knee injury.

Leonard: Chad Wheeler jump starts Giants in place of disappointing Ereck Flowers, who team should have already moved on from - NY Daily News
Pat Shurmur benched Ereck Flowers and started Chad Wheeler at right tackle on Sunday

How an allegedly washed-up QB rescued the Giants’ season
The Giants were losing their grip on the game and on their season, when it was Eli Manning who answered the S.O.S.

Eli Manning, who remembered how to be great...

Eli Manning shows he still can get job done | Newsday
He completed 25 of 29 with two TD passes, including one on the clinching late drive.