/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61600261/1043857004.jpg.0.jpg)
The New York Giants fell on Sunday to the New Orleans Saints, 33-18. The Giants are now 1-3 one quarter of the way through the season.
The Giants tried their best to make it a game late. After trailing 26-10 late in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning and the Giants offense went down the field and with a Saquon Barkley touchdown and a Sterling Shepard two-point conversion, cut the Saints lead to 26-18. The Saints put the game out of reach with a 49-yard rushing touchdown from Alvin Kamara with just over two minutes left.
“We’re 1-3 and that’s not where we want to be right now. Some games that were close enough that if we made more plays, we might’ve had an opportunity to win,” said head coach Pat Shurmur. “You just keep working. You just keep working and you play your way out of it and you coach your way out of it. Period.”
Eli Manning finished the game 31-of-41 passing for 255 yards and one touchdown. Manning was unable once again this week to throw the ball down the field, averaging 6.21 yards per attempt.
Odell Beckham Jr. had a relatively quiet afternoon. Beckham finished with seven catches for 60 yards and was stopped from getting into the end zone. Sterling Shepard reeled in 10 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown.
Moments that mattered
First-half bend-not-break defense: The Giants defense defined the saying ‘bend not break’ in the first half. Big Blue allowed the Saints into the red-zone four times in the first half, all resulting in field goals. The defensive stands close to the end zone kept the Giants in the game in the first half.
Kamara rips apart Giants defense: Saints running back Alvin Kamara excelled in Sunday’s game, rushing for 134 yards on 19 carries, including a two touchdown runs, both of which put the Saints back up two possessions. Kamara also added 47 yards receiving on five receptions. With his two fourth-quarter touchdowns, Kamara put the game out of reach.
Eli Manning makes history: With Eli Manning’s first quarter touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard, Manning passed Fran Tarkenton for 7th-most all-time in passing touchdowns with 343.
Chances, chances, chances: With a couple minutes left in the third quarter, the Giants had to ball in the Saints red-zone, looking for a touchdown to cut the deficit to one possession. Following a couple of incompletions, the Giants were forced to kick a field goal, making the score 19-10, still a two-possession game.
What’s next?
The Giants play travel to play the Carolina Panthers next Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.