‘Things I think’ after Giants’ 20-19 victory over Washington Football Team

Here are a few things I think after Sunday’s 20-19 victory by the New York Giants over the Washington Football Team.

I think I loved the outpouring of emotion on the Giants’ sideline

There were hugs for coach Joe Judge from both players and coaches. It’s obviously no big deal that the Giants were happy to finally earn a victory — that was to be expected. If you question how this team feels about its head coach, though, I think the sideline scene was your answer.

The Giants also gave Judge the game ball following his first victory as an NFL head coach, with cornerback James Bradberry saying the player “mighta poured a little water on him” in the locker room. Jones said it was actually Gatorade.

Judge must have change clothes before his Zoom called. He looked remarkably dry.

I think Daniel Jones didn’t dissuade anyone who wants Trevor Lawrence to be a Giant

The end zone interception — and, yes, I’m flabbergasted that it wasn’t overturned on replay because Kendall Fuller was out of bounds — was the same mistake Jones made Week 1 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Under pressure from Chase Young — really the only time Young showed up all day — Jones tried to throw the ball away but couldn’t get enough on it to get it out the back of the end zone. Against Pittsburgh, he waited too long to try and do the same thing.

The play killed a 14-play, 64-yard drive that reached the Washington 7-yard line. Jones did a lot of good things with his feet and his arm Sunday, but he’s fortunate that play didn’t cost the Giants a victory.

Jones, as he has in many games this season, did a lot of good things. He showed uncommon speed for a quarterback on a 49-yard zone read. He threw a touchdown pass. He made another critical mistake, though, and discouragingly it’s one he also made just a few weeks ago.

Anyway, I still think Fuller was out of bounds.

I think the Giants will need Sterling Shepard Thursday night

That’s pretty obvious after the scary-looking injury suffered by C.J. Board on Sunday. Board appears to have escaped with just a concussion, but the Giants are now down to three healthy wide receivers. And, to be honest, watch Darius Slayton run and you know there is something going on with his left foot. He’s not exactly healthy.

Shepard can’t get back fast enough.

I think he’s not irrelevant any longer

Yes, Tae Crowder is never going to live down the ‘Mr Irrelevant’ moniker from being the final player selected in the 2020 NFL Draft. He isn’t irrelevant to the Giants, though. Crowder started his second straight game Sunday, showed off the skills that had him recruited to Georgia as a running back on his 46-yard scoop and score, and was second on the team with 10 tackles.

Crowder said being called Mr. Irrelevant motivates him. He added that he was “in the right place at the right time” Sunday and that he really wanted to dive on the ball to be safe but opted to go for the big play.

I think Ron Rivera going for two was absolutely the right move

Why not? His team isn’t good. He knows that. He’s trying to establish something in terms of toughness and in terms of not settling. He went for the win instead of playing for overtime. I expected him to, and I think he was correct. He is going to get roundly criticized because the move failed, but you won’t win if you don’t try. I will never fault the coach of a bad team for going for a win when it’s within his grasp.

Fortunately for the Giants, the defense made a play when they had to. Finally.

I think this would have stunk for Logan Ryan had the Giants lost

Ryan has quickly become the heart and soul of the Giants’ defense since he was signed right before the season started. As hard as he works and as well as he played over all on Sunday it would have stunk if the Giants had ended up losing. It was Ryan victimized by the 22-yard pass to Cam Rice with :36 to play that made it 20-19.

I actually also thought it was fitting that Ryan ended up recovering the onside kick that sealed the victory.

I think the Giants’ defensive play call on the two-point conversion took guts

Why is that? Because it was something that defensive coordinator Patrick Graham dreamed up and installed on Friday. Kind of crazy that the Giants were asked to, and did, execute a defensive play call with Sunday’s game on the line that didn’t even exist until Friday’s practice.

I also think it was pretty amazing to see Dexter Lawrence keep Kyle Allen from getting outside the pocket on that play and having a chance to run for the two points.

I think the Giants may have found an offensive tackle

I do not want to over react to the play of Matt Peart on Sunday, but at first blush the rookie third-round pick from UConn looked really good.

Peart started at left tackle, not his natural position, in place of Andrew Thomas, who was being disciplined for missing a meeting. I thought Peart played well.

Now, I know there will be calls for Peart to take over the left tackle job. Not from me. To be honest, I think Peart has shown enough to take over the right tackle spot from Cameron Fleming and give the Giants the chance to let their young bookend tackles play and develop.

I think the NFC East is amazing

Awful. But amazing. If the Dallas Cowboys don’t defeat the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night, the 1-5 Giants will enter Week 7 one victory out of first place in the division.

Amazing. Embarrassing, yes, but also amazing.

“Everything is right in front of us still,” said Giants defensive end Leonard Williams.

I think that’s a 10.0 for Jabrill Peppers

I’m talking about this, of course:

I still wish he hadn’t done it, coming off an ankle injury and having gone down early in the game when it looked like he had a leg injury. Still, props for the execution.

I think I’ve been waiting for this

Evan Engram on an aggressive throw down the field? Yes, please. More of this.

I thought Devonta Freeman was really good

The veteran running back’s numbers (18 carries, 61 yards, 3.4 yards per carry) aren’t fantastic. This guy runs hard, though, and the Giants have figured out how to have some success with him between the tackles. Can’t ask for a lot more than that.