Game Story: Giants 27, Saints 48

Here are some Stats, Quotes, Notes as well as what went right and wrong in the Giants' Loss.

Fast facts

Stat worth noting: The 48 points the Giants allowed were the most since the Redskins hung 50 on them on Sept. 9, 1999.

Stat worth noting II: Drew Brees’ QB rating was 156.8; Eli Manning’s was only 61.0.

Turning point: Despite being totally outclassed in this one, the Giants were trailing by only 27-17 when they made a goal-line stand and kept the Saints out of the end zone late in the first half. However, that momentum was quickly snuffed out two plays later when Eli Manning was sacked and fumbled with Saints LB Scott Shanle recovering the free ball. Two plays after that the Saints were in the end zone with a 34-17 halftime cushion.

Play to remember: Rookie Hakeem Nicks turned in New York’s top offensive play when he took an underneath square-in pass from Eli Manning and turned it into a 58-yard gain down the right sideline. Even though the game had long since been decided early in the fourth quarter, it sure was nice getting to see Nicks use his speed to post a big play.

Play to forget: Jeremy Shockey got fast revenge on his former club – before the first quarter had even ended. You just had to know Sean Payton was looking to get Shockey a TD and the Saints were able to do just that midway through the first quarter. On a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Drew Brees ran play-action and Shockey easily eluded Giants LB Danny Clark for the TD. Not surprisingly, Shockey put a little extra on his post-TD celebration.

What went right

As bad as things were for New York Sunday in the Superdome they could have been even worse if not for a roughing-the-passer penalty on Saints LB Jonathan Vilma. Had Vilma not been flagged 15 yards, Darren Sharper would have had his third career interception return for a TD against Manning.

Domenik Hixon’s return – both literally and figuratively. Hixon injected some life into the previously dormant kickoff return game when he almost busted one for a TD, gaining 45 yards and setting the Giants up at midfield. Two returns later, he tore through the Saints coverage unit for a 68-yard runback. With Hixon out of action the previous three games, Sinorice Moss had basically run the Giants kick return game into the ground.

While it might not have made a whole bunch of difference in the final score, it must have felt good for Fred Robbins to be able to bust through the middle of the Saints line and swat away John Carney’s extra-point try in the second quarter.

What went wrong

If anyone saw anyone on the Giants defense get anywhere near Saints QB Drew Brees please feel free to point it out to us. No pass rush against a dangerous QB means a ton of points surrendered.

We all should’ve known it was going to be this type of game. On the game-opening drive, during which the Saints scored a TD after a 15-play march, Corey Webster missed a chance to make a big play. Instead of picking off the Drew Brees pass that was in his hands, he tipped it right to Lance Moore. Moore later broke the Giants’ back by catching a pass to convert a third-and-17 play in the third quarter.

The offense also failed to produce in a key spot early on. Eli Manning just barely overthrew Steve Smith, who got his fingertips on the ball late in the first quarter. Instead of a 31-yard TD that would have cut the Saints’ 14-0 lead in half, New York was forced to settle for a field goal.

Right tackle Kareem McKenzie was carted off the field shortly before halftime with a groin injury.

Numbers

7 – Number of different Saints to score a touchdown against New York.

34 – Number of points scored by New Orleans in the first half. New York had only given up 71 total points during its first five victories.

100 – Consecutive games that former Giants TE Jeremy Shockey has recorded a catch, trailing only Tony Gonzalez.

Quotebook

“They executed extremely well, really, on both sides of the ball. Obviously we could not stop them. No excuses. We played poorly.” – Giants Coach Tom Coughlin

“Our guys played great, offensively, defensively. It all started up front, the offensive line did an incredible job. We just made the plays.” – Saints QB Drew Brees