The Giants shocked the NFL world by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 on Thursday night in their best all-around performance of the season.
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Skattebo looked poised in primetime, wide receivers down the depth chart made plays all night, and the defense delivered by stopping Saquon Barkley, getting to Jalen Hurts, and creating turnovers that the offense capitalized on.
The G-Men not only won the game, but they dominated on both sides of the football and embarrassed the defending Super Bowl champions on the same day that Barkley’s documentary was released.
Now comes the real test: can they build on it? Last time the Giants had a breakout win, they stumbled against the currently 1-5 New Orleans Saints. This time, Big Blue will hope to sustain its positive momentum on the road.
The Giants now head west to face the 4–2 Denver Broncos in a matchup that could either spark a midseason surge or stall their momentum in its tracks. Empower Field’s altitude and Denver’s fierce defense pose new challenges, but New York has a blueprint after last week’s upset. Here are things to watch on each side of the ball in this late-afternoon tilt.
Giants Need Balanced Attack To Counter Denver’s Top Defense
The Broncos have one of the top defenses in the NFL, which was showcased in Denver’s 13-11 win against the Jets in London this past Sunday, in which they allowed just 82 yards and zero touchdowns to Gang Green.
Justin Fields finished just 9 for 17 with 45 passing yards, but was sacked by the Broncos nine times for 55 yards, causing Fields to finish with -10 passing yards on the day. Eight different Broncos players recorded a sack, while outside linebacker Nik Bonitto recorded his eighth sack of the season.
The suddenly anemic Denver offense, coupled with poor special teams, resulted in the game still being very close, but the Broncos’ defense is very much legit, and should be even better in front of their home crowd on Sunday.
With the pass rush firing on all cylinders, the back end is led by All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who is once again blanketing the opponents’ best receiver and shutting down his side of the field.
For the Giants, this means Dart will need to process quickly, the offensive line must maintain its improved cohesion, and receivers will have to win contested battles against one of the league’s most disciplined coverage units.
Cam Skattebo and the running backs will have to keep the Denver defense guessing by picking up chunks of yards on the ground, while Skattebo will look to continue to break through contact like a battering ram.
Sustaining drives won’t be easy against a unit that thrives on pressure and tight windows, but the Giants showed last week that they’re capable of executing cleanly when the game plan clicks.
Giants’ Defense Needs An Encore Of Its Eagles Performance
For all the rightful talk about Dart, Skattebo, and the offense’s performance, the Giants’ defense was equally impressive against the Eagles, if not even more so.
From Kayvon Thibodeaux leading the charge to stop Saquon Barkley in his tracks to Brian Burns sacking Jalen Hurts twice to the Cor’Dale Flott interception and the forced fumble, not one part of the defense played poorly.
That type of performance will be needed once again to stop a Broncos offense that features dynamic quarterback Bo Nix, running back JK Dobbins, and downfield threat Courtland Sutton.
Last week’s leading pass-catcher was none other than former Giants tight end Evan Engram, who spent three years with the Jaguars following his stay in New York.
Although Denver has slowed down the last couple of weeks, they boast a variety of weapons that will be sure to find their rhythm again, and returning home will certainly help with that.
Especially considering that Denver boasts one of the league’s top defensive units, the Giants’ own defense may need to bail out the offense in a hostile environment a mile high above the ground.
The trio of Burns, Carter, and Thibodeaux will lead the pass rush, while Lawrence should anchor the run defense. Behind them, the back seven will need to close running lanes and seal off passing windows downfield.
Taking down the Broncos and then the Eagles in Philadelphia for the second time in three weeks might still sound improbable, but it is certainly not out of the question after how the Giants played on Thursday.
As evidenced by the Cowboys and Commanders joining the Eagles in the loss column this week, the NFC East is wide open for anyone to take. If the Giants can consistently replicate their last performance, it could very well be theirs.