New York Giants: Winners and Losers from G-Men's Win vs. Eagles

The Giants headed into Philadelphia as underdogs, as they hadn’t managed a victory against their division rival in their previous six meetings. Regardless, they came out with the victory and proved that they have what it takes to contend in the difficult NFC East.

Even though the Giants came out on top, there were definitely both winners and losers for Big Blue in Week 3.

It will be interesting to see how these stories develop as the Giants are heading into the easiest portion of their schedule. They currently sit and 2-1 and could be looking at a 4-1 record following games against the Cardinals and Seahawks of the lowly NFC West.  

5. Winner: Victor Cruz

The noise from the media regarding how badly Eli Manning must miss receivers Steve Smith and tight end Kevin Boss was getting old. With Mario Manningham out with a concussion in Week 3, Giants fans eagerly awaited a breakout performance from someone other than Hakeem Nicks. Victor Cruz delivered in a big way with two huge TD catches including one over All Pro corner Nnamdi Asomugha.

Eli seemed to lose trust in Cruz during Week 1 against the Redskins when he dropped a critical third down reception. However, with Manningham out, he had no other choice but to turn to the undersized receiver.

Moving forward, Cruz should continue to develop into a reliable No. 3 and could give defenses a lot of trouble when he’s lined up against nickelbacks, linebackers and safeties. He also gained much needed respect from the coaching staff and Eli Manning.

4. Loser: Brandon Stokley

This game was supposed to be Brandon Stokley’s big chance to move into the slot for the Giants on the depth chart. Instead, Cruz’s breakout game buries him in the fourth position and will prevent him from gaining any serious rapport with the veteran QB.

Stokley was targeted just twice, in spite of the absences of Mario Manningham and Domenik Hixon. He caught one ball for seven yards, and dropped a would-be first down on the other.

Once Manningham returns, Stokley will still see some action as the Giants receiving corps remains thin. However, Cruz’s breakout performance pushed him down the depth chart before he ever had a legitimate chance at climbing it.

3. Winner: Jason Pierre-Paul

Jason Pierre-Paul has been explosive so far in 2011, with Week 3 being an excellent example. The second-year defensive end chased down the Eagle’s playmakers all day and continuously got involved in plays that were run to the opposite side of the field.

He recorded two sacks, bringing his 2011 total to 4.5. He also recorded nine tackles and kept Michael Vick on his toes before he left with a broken right hand.

Following his second sack of the game, Pierre-Paul was left wincing in pain. It turns out that he was simply cramping up and should be fine moving forward.

JPP is establishing himself as one of the league’s most dynamic pass rushers and seems like a lock for double-digit sacks in 2011. He has also solidified himself as a starting DE in the NFL.

2. Loser: Osi Umenyiora

With Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck performing at such a high level, Osi Umenyiora has lost all leverage in contract talks moving forward. Not only has his value with the Giants taken a serious hit, but he’ll be missing out on key playing time when he returns, thus hurting his 2011 audition for free agency.

When he returns, he will likely be used to spell the Giants’ other pass rushers and also as an additional pass rusher in third and long situations.

While it is not necessarily his fault that he is missing all this time, his value decreases with every missed snap. This lack of value is even further magnified as the Giants are winning big games like they did in Week 3.

1. Winner: Eli Manning

Eli Manning’s critics won’t have much to talk about as the Giants head to Arizona to face the Cardinals in Week 4. He led the Giants to victory in Week 3 and kept excellent composure against an Eagles secondary that is considered one of the best in the league.

He completed 16 of 23 passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns. Perhaps even more impressive than the four scores, he didn’t throw a single interception. He kept excellent composure in the pocket, even under serious pressure.

Eli wasn’t afraid to throw to his check-down receivers as he completed passes to seven different targets. This confidence he acquired on the road against his division rivals should fuel him moving forward.

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