Giants upset Titans: Winners, losers and those in between
The New York Giants pulled off the unthinkable, upsetting the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Week 1.
The Titans stormed out to a 13-0 lead and looked like they would win going away, but halftime adjustments and high-risk, high-reward calls ultimately led to a thrilling comeback.
For the Giants, it was their first opening weekend win since 2016 and just their second opening weekend win in 13 years.
Here’s a look at the winners, losers and those in between from a thrilling Sunday victory.
Winners
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Saquon Barkley: One of the biggest takeaways for the Giants in Week 1 was the return and resurgence of Saquon. He looked healthy, elusive and explosive for four full quarters. He finished the game with 194 total yards and one touchdown.
Richie James: In a much larger all-around role than expected, James shined on Sunday. He did have a bad fourth quarter drop but outside of that hiccup, he played an impactful role on offense and special teams. He had a 123 total yards.
Sterling Shepard: Speaking of players returning from injury, Shep made his presence felt against the Titans with a 65-yard touchdown and 71 total yards.
Others: Jihad Ward, Dexter Lawrence
Losers
AP Photo/Seth Wenig
Ben Bredeson: After just two series, Bredeson was benched in favor of rookie Joshua Ezeudu. Ironically, he returned to the game shortly thereafter because Ezeudu actually played worse…only to leave again later.
Joshua Ezeudu: See above. Both played so poorly the Giants resorted to a Joe Judge-like rotation. There have legitimate concerns inside.
Darnay Holmes: After a very strong summer, Holmes nearly cost the Giants the game on Sunday. He allowed a big play with under 1:00 remaining and was called for two defensive holds.
Special teams: Once a strength of the Giants, special teams are now a glaring issue. In addition to surrendering a a 46-yard punt return and bobbling a snap costing them a PAT, they also had a couple missed tackles and kick return of just 17 yards. Then they closed out the game with an illegal formation penalty.
Others: Chris Myarick, Mark Glowinski, Jon Feliciano
Mixed reviews
AP Photo/Mark Zaleski
Daniel Jones: It was a rough day for Jones, who thought he was going to play behind an improved offensive line this season. That was not the case on Sunday. He was hit eight times and sacked five times, but held tough. His one big mistake was a fourth quarter interception in the end zone, but he rebounded with a late touchdown to Chris Myarick and a two-point conversion to Barkley to effectively win the game.
Jamie Gillan: Although The Scottish Hammer has a powerful leg and frequently flipped field position, he also has a propensity to out-kick his coverage. That led to a major Titans return and subsequent score on Sunday, but his five punts inside the 20 overshadow that.
Tae Crowder: The linebackers are a serious issue for the Giants and Crowder wasn’t close to perfect. But he still warrants a pat on the back for a crushing hit on Derrick Henry and a decent all-around game. Unfortunately for Crowder, he was also on the negative side of some plays — especially in coverage.
Others: Oshane Ximines, Adoree’ Jackson
