In what was likely his final time under center as the team’s starting quarterback at MetLife Stadium, Eli Manning helped lead the Giants to a dominating 36-20 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon.
The veteran quarterback — who threw for 283 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions — had plenty of help to end the Giants’ nine-game losing streak as running back Saquon Barkley reeled off a rare 100-yard performance, racking up 112 on 24 carries with two touchdowns.
But Sunday belonged to the 38-year-old gunslinger, who was given a proper send-off by the home fans who adored him throughout 16 seasons and two Super Bowl titles.
Amongst the festivities, New York’s defense also put together a seldom good performance. The 20 points allowed were the third-fewest given up this season.
Though there were some shaky moments.
Miami’s consistent red-zone issues carried into Week 15 to ensure the Giants stayed in it early.
After making a franchise-record seven field goals last week against the Jets, Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders missed his first attempt on Sunday against the Giants from 49 yards out to ruin Miami’s promising opening drive.
The Giants defense followed with a big stop on the Dolphins’ next drive as Dalvin Tomlinson stuffed Patrick Laird on a 4th-&-1 attempt from New York’s 10-yard-line.
Manning and the Giants offense couldn’t muster a thing, though, while the defense managed to keep things scoreless for a quarter.
Miami finally broke through the Giants’ defense with six minutes gone in the second quarter when Ryan Fitzpatrick hit DeVante Parker with a laser of a 20-yard score in which the receiver was wide-open on the left side.
But out of nothing, the Giants provided a swift answer when Golden Tate managed to pull down a long pass from Manning that was bobbled for a 51-yard touchdown to tie it up just 1:02 after Miami’s opening score.
Manning would be picked off on New York’s following drive by Vince Biegel deep in Giants territory, leading to Sanders’ first field goal of the afternoon, a 24-yard chip shot with 44 seconds left in the half to give the Dolphins a 10-7 lead at the break. Though the Giants’ veteran quarterback would be picked off a second time on the last play of the second as he tried to get the Giants into field goal range.
He shook off the disastrous end to the half quickly and put the Giants back on top with their opening drive of the second half behind a six-play, 70-yard drive that was capped off by a five-yard touchdown pass to rookie Darius Slayton.
It was Slayton’s eighth touchdown of the season, becoming the first rookie selected in the fifth round or later to score that many touchdowns in his first year since Marques Colston in 2006.
The Giants were poised to take a commanding lead moments later when Alec Ogletree forced a Ryan Fitzpatrick fumble on Miami’s 33-yard-line, but Manning was intercepted for the third time by Jerome Baker. The visitors would nab another field goal from Sanders off the turnover to make it a one-point game.
Bettcher’s defense found a way to make a play after Riley Dixon’s punt pinned the Dolphins on the five-yard line. Following a false-start penalty, cornerback Sam Beal took down Laird in the end zone for a safety to put the Giants back up three.
Getting possession back on the free-kick, the Giants further made the Dolphins pay when Barkley scored his first rushing touchdown since Week 7, a one-yard rush, to complete a quick three-play, 40-yard drive.
Six seconds into the fourth quarter, Barkley picked up his second score of the game to put the Giants in control. The 10-yard scoring rush also put him over the 100-yard mark for the first time since Week 2.
While both teams traded touchdowns in the final moments, Manning took center stage when he was lifted from the game with 1:50 left, leaving the field to thunderous applause.
