Giants vs. Dolphins: New York Grades, Notes and Quotes
There's now a three-team tie atop the NFC East once again, as the New York Giants knocked off the Miami Dolphins 31-24 on Monday Night Football.
The Giants badly needed a win after two tough losses since the bye, and they came up with a huge victory at Sun Life Stadium.
It's obvious that the Giants have two stars in Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. Both of them had incredible games on Monday, leading the Giants to victory and inching one step closer to leading them to an improbable playoff berth.
Now isn't the time to think about what New York's record would be without the late fourth-quarter collapses; it's the time to smile at the fact it had a chance to cough it up late to the Dolphins, and it found a way to close it out.
The Giants amassed over 400 yards of offense, and the Manning-Beckham duo proved to be too much for the Fins to handle.
Here's an in-depth breakdown by position as well as important notes and quotes on the following slides.
Position Grades for New York Giants
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| Position | Grade |
| QB | A+ |
| RB | B- |
| WR | A+ |
| TE | A |
| OL | B |
| DL | C- |
| LB | D- |
| DB | C |
| Special Teams | D |
| Coaching | C |
Quarterback
It was a big game on prime time, so of course Manning had to be superb.
The future Hall of Famer proved his clutch gene once again, this time with an incredible stat line. He finished 27-of-31 passing for 337 yards and four touchdowns.
Manning had played subpar in the Giants' last two weeks—both huge games with playoff implications. With a win necessary to stay tied atop the NFC East, however, Manning stepped up in a big way and led the Giants to victory.
Running Back
The Giants actually had a rush for over 20 yards against the Dolphins, which is a victory given their struggles as a team this season.
It was Rashad Jennings who was the most effective running back on Monday night, as he rushed for 81 yards and added 21 more in the passing game.
Still, the unit averaged just 2.9 yards per carry, and the other running backs totaled 13 yards, which is unacceptable. They face a monster Carolina Panthers defense next week.
Wide Receiver
With his 166 yards on Monday night, Beckham now has over 100 yards in six straight games and over 140 in three consecutive.
The Giants also got great production from their other weapons in Miami, as Rueben Randle had five catches and a touchdown, while Dwayne Harris also added five catches.
That's the type of production the Giants require from their other options given their lack of input they receive from their running backs.
Tight End
Will Tye, whom you will read more about on the next slide, caught five passes on the night, including his first career touchdown.
He has proved to be a reliable option in the passing game and has made Larry Donnell a distant memory.
Offensive Line
Miami didn't sack Manning, and he had the time to shred the Dolphins defense. He took some hits, including a few late ones that resulted in penalties, but this beaten-up unit did its job on Monday night.
I can no longer fault the O-line for not being able to generate a consistent running game. We're deep enough into the year to realize it's just a lack of talent at the running back position. Did you know the Giants passed on now-Rams running back Todd Gurley in the draft?
Defensive Line
Jason Pierre-Paul got some pressure, but he still failed to record his first sack of the season. He also missed a huge tackle that allowed Dolphins running back Lamar Miller to scamper into the end zone for a long touchdown.
Robert Ayers had the only sack of the game for Big Blue. Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora aren't going to magically appear on this group to help the Giants make a push for the playoffs.
Linebacker
Miller only rushed 12 times, but he still totaled 89 yards and two touchdowns.
I don't want to beat a dead horse and write about how terrible the Giants linebackers are, but they really allowed Miller to trample on them in his limited touches. They also let the tight ends catch six passes, which would have been even more if not for some horrific drops.
Defensive Back
This unit gets a C because it was a mixed bag from the group on Monday night.
On one hand, safety Landon Collins played a fantastic game. He showed why the Giants traded up to snag him, as he led the team with eight tackles and forced a fumble on a great helmet-to-the-ball hit.
On the other hand, the Giants allowed a 47-yard touchdown to Kenny Stills and 99 total yards to Jarvis Landry. It wasn't the worst they had played this season, but the Dolphins don't necessarily have an incredible passing game, either.
Special Teams
All grades start at a neutral mark of C. Harris didn't do anything remarkable in the return game, and the punting wasn't notable, so there's nothing that could elevate that grade.
It's a D because kicker Josh Brown missed a 48-yard field goal. It was his second miss of the season but also the second in as many weeks. He'll need to get back on track for the Giants.
Coaching
The Giants didn't mismanage the clock late or make any ridiculous calls or judgments late in the fourth quarter.
Still, I had some questions for the coaches in regard to playing time and personnel.
Why wasn't Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (the Giants' best CB) covering Landry (Miami's No. 1 receiver)? Congratulations, DRC shut down a rookie, DeVante Parker. There's no way the Giants should have tasked Trevin Wade with covering Landry.
Also, New York underutilized Shane Vereen on Monday night. In a game where the Giants averaged 2.9 yards per carry, Vereen had one rush. He also saw just two targets in the passing game.
Vereen can be an effective player if given a chance—he has proved that year after year.
I can't be too negative with a Giants win, though.
Important Note No. 1: Will Tye First Career TD
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The breakout season for undrafted rookie tight end Will Tye continued on Monday night, with the former Stony Brook star hauling in his first career touchdown pass.
It was a five-yard pass on a fade to the corner of the end zone that helped tie the game at 17 just before halftime. The drive was crucial, as a Giants fumble on the possession before led to an easy Dolphins field goal.
It took Tye 10 games to secure his first touchdown pass, but he will have more opportunities moving forward thanks to his solid play in recent weeks.
Important Note No. 2: Odell Beckham Jr. with an Amazing TD Catch
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Beckham showed off his ridiculous hands once again, though he needed both hands this time to secure his 11th touchdown catch of the season.
The referee initially ruled Beckham's third-quarter score incomplete, as both of his feet were dangerously close to being out of bounds. His left foot was just inches away from the white paint, but he dragged his right foot and also secured the ball through the ground for the touchdown. After review, the refs overturned the initial call.
Beckham's touchdown helped tie the game at 24 at the time. You can watch the catch here.
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Quote No. 1: Eli's Key Speech
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Manning is a superstar whom people constantly overlook in this league and even in his own city. New York sports may not give Manning the credit he's due, and it's possibly because he's such a quiet assassin.
Apparently he wasn't so quiet in the locker room before the game versus Miami, however. Manning reportedly gave a motivational speech to his team about how the "playoffs start now," possibly whipping his G-Men into shape before a huge game, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
"He definitely said a lot more (than usual), and you could sense a lot more emotion to it," Jennings told Vacchiano.
Manning hasn't won two Super Bowl rings by chance. Though he may not be boisterous in terms of getting in trouble or stealing the spotlight in tabloids, Manning gets the job done in the locker room and on the field.
Quote No. 2: Total Team Effort
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"We all just stepped up tonight," Beckham said, per the Giants' official Twitter account.
Beckham knows the Giants can't rely solely on him to carry the offense, and a one-dimensional attack won't lead them to a Super Bowl.
Perhaps, however, a group effort such as Monday night's against the Dolphins will get some of the other offensive weapons in a good groove moving forward.
Randle, Jennings and Harris all pitched in, which wound up being enough with Manning and Beckham leading the charge.
The Giants should feel good about how they played, showing toughness and hunger for the first time since they played the Patriots before the bye. Will they be peaking at the right time?
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