Dexter Lawrence, Julian Love, Giants protection protect seventh win over Texans

Dexter Lawrence, Julian Love and the Giants’ protection didn’t let Xavier McKinney’s bye week harm set a damaging tone to start out the second half of their 2022 season.

It wasn’t fairly. However Lawrence dominated the road of scrimmage. Love made two touchdown-saving tackles. And Wink Martindale’s protection compelled two straight red-zone turnovers in Sunday’s fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium to defeat the Houston Texans, 24-16.

“It was a problem, truthfully,” Love mentioned of pushing by McKinney’s absence. “Guys are put into totally different roles and positions. It was a grind of per week. We actually needed to get up to the mark. It wasn’t good. However guys stepped up.”

Two Daniel Jones landing passes and a Saquon Barkley speeding TD gave the Giants (7-2) their first season with greater than six wins since 2016, with eight video games to play.

Barkley carried the ball 35 occasions for 152 yards and the rating, hours after nationwide media had reported that the Giants and Barkley’s reps had mentioned a contract extension however tabled talks till after the season. Darius Slayton had 95 yards receiving and a TD.

A playoff berth is on rookie head coach Brian Daboll’s horizon, even when they make none of those victories look straightforward. The Giants offense went quiet late after a 14-point third quarter outburst, placing it on the protection to complete the sport.

Texans QB Davis Mills (319 yards passing) drove the ball simply down the sphere your entire second half, however Martindale’s unit was opportunistic when it mattered most.

“All performs within the pink zone are massive,” Lawrence mentioned. “It’s guys being ready and fearless.”

Leonard Williams punched the ball out from rookie Texans working again Dameon Pierce, and linebacker Jaylon Smith recovered the fumble on the Giants’ 11. Love had made a landing saving sort out on Texans tight finish Jordan Akins’ 44-yard reception simply prior.

“We wish to try for greatness, and we by no means assume that we’re out of a battle,” Smith mentioned.

Then on the following drive, Lawrence drew a holding penalty on Texans guard Kenyon Inexperienced to negate Mills’ TD cross to Brandin Cooks. And rookie security Dane Belton — McKinney’s alternative for the foreseeable future — intercepted Mills ultimately zone for a touchback on the following play.

Lawrence pressured Mills on the interception to Belton. Lawrence was a terror all sport at defensive sort out. He recorded a sack, 5 tackles, 5 QB hits, a sort out for a loss, and a cross defended.

“He’s capable of shine now that we’re profitable,” Love mentioned of Lawrence. “You’ll be able to see his sport taking up. We all know he’s an All-Professional, Professional Bowl degree participant. We’re fortunate to have him.”

The Texans managed two late Kai Fairbairn discipline targets, one after an Oshane Ximines compelled fumble was overturned to an incomplete cross. However Graham Gano made a 49-yarder with 1:55 remaining for the Giants, as properly.

Houston fell to 1-7-1 on the season. The Giants host the Detroit Lions (3-6) subsequent week assured of their skill to choose up McKinney, who’s out long-term with a left hand harm because of a bye week ATV accident in Cabo, Mexico.

“The primary factor for me was, being a vet, yr seven, a pacesetter, understanding how a lot ‘X’ loves this sport and loves this workforce and needs to be there for us, it was instantly being there for him,” Smith mentioned. “Eager to ensure that his psychological was OK.

“It’s not one thing he needed to occur,” Smith added. “But it surely’s a blessing to nonetheless have him right here. He nonetheless leads. For us, that subsequent man up mentality issues. We’ve acquired to have the ability to rally collectively. In order that’s the most important factor about us staying as a unit and doing no matter we gotta do to get a win.”

After a sluggish first half, the Giants’ offense erupted for 14 factors within the third quarter to take a 21-10 lead into the fourth. Daboll benched Kenny Golladay for your entire second half after two drops within the first.

Jones hit Slayton for a 54-yard landing for a 14-3 lead with 12:33 to play within the third. Slayton broke a Jalen Pitre sort out and acquired block from tight finish Tanner Hudson down the left sideline. Jones delivered a well timed ball below stress.

Mills answered with a 12-yard TD cross to Nico Collins. Mills had 61 passing yards on the drive, nearly double his 35 for your entire first half. That slimmed the Giants’ result in 14-10 at 8:06 of the third.

However the Giants responded. Jones hit newcomer Isaiah Hodgins for a 26-yard completion on third down deep into Houston territory. Then Barkley punched in a 2-yard TD run with 2:21 left within the third and a 21-10 lead.

The Giants had led 7-3 at half after a irritating first two quarters of offense that felt rather a lot like final season with a conservative method, pricey errors, and loads of boos.

Daboll used a formation with eight offensive linemen a number of occasions and confirmed little religion within the passing sport. And the followers booed Golladay for his drop and punter Jamie Gillan for touchdown a punt on the Texans’ 26 whereas attempting to pin them deep.

However Jones put the Giants forward early with a 9-yard TD cross to tight finish Lawrence Cager on their first possession, and Houston managed -3 yards of whole offense within the first quarter on 9 performs and three drives.

Solely when the Giants’ Lawrence got here off the sphere for a breather did Pierce break away for a 44-yard run within the second quarter. Love made the landing saving sort out on Pierce to pressure a Fairbairn discipline objective, although, and foreshadow the end.

“Good to get one other win,” Daboll mentioned. “I believed we did quite a lot of issues properly. Some issues clearly to wash up on — like there at all times is.”