Takeaways from Sunday’s 19-11 Giants win over the Eagles.
1. How about Jameis Winston? The Giants do not win this game without him. When J.J. McCarthy got crushed early in the third quarter and had to leave the field with a hip issue, Winston rushed onto the field, handed off to Devin Singletary for a loss of 1 yard and then threw wide of Malik Nabers. The Giants were down 8-6, and they needed more points. On the next series, Winston was 6-for-7 passing for 71 yards, completing a clutch 76-yard drive with a 5-yard TD strike to diving Isaiah Likely. That was it for Winston, as McCarthy returned for the next offensive possession. That is the definition of a quality backup quarterback, and that is a big reason why Winston is so valued in the building.
2. It takes everyone, and on this Sunday it took Darnell Mooney to step up and make some plays in the passing game. That has not been a common occurrence this season, as Mooney was one of the free agent signings that did not pan out in the pre-bye action. He came in with only nine receptions for 113 yards, making little impact. Mooney made an impact in this one. He hauled in a 17-yard reception on the opening series, and the Giants got a field goal out of it. In the third quarter, he ran a great route, and Winston hit him for a 28-yard pickup, leading to the Giants’ lone touchdown. In the fourth quarter, Mooney got free, and McCarthy found him for 10 yards, setting up another field goal. Mooney finished with three receptions for 54 yards, and he contributed in a big way to this victory.
3. Did Greg Desrosiers show some juice in the backfield? Making his NFL debut, the 25-year-old rookie running back carried the ball three times and gained 20 yards. That average of 6.7 yards per attempt was much higher than Devin Singletary, who was a workhorse as far as rushes (21) but managed to squeeze out only 31 yards. With Tyrone Tracy Jr. out at least another three games and Cam Skattebo’s hamstring injury leaving his status uncertain for Thursday night, perhaps Desrosiers deserves a few more chances to show what he’s got.
