David Wilson had to prove to New York Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin that he could be trusted in order to see more playing time with the offense. After Sunday’s game, it’s fair to assume the Giants’ rookie running back has done enough to convince his coach that he deserves more opportunities with the ball going forward.
In a record-setting performance, Wilson helped lead the Giants to a much needed 52-27 win over the New Orleans Saints inside MetLife Stadium.
Wilson recorded 327 all-purpose yards — a franchise record — while scoring three touchdowns. His elite speed was on display for all to see in FOX’s Game of the Week, leaving the Saints’ defenders eating his dust nearly every time he touched the football.
The win was a must for the Giants, who believe they will need to win each of their remaining games to ensure their place in the playoffs. They had lost three of their last four coming into this game, but played like the top-flight unit many believe they can be.
Despite being out-gained by the Saints 487 yards to 394, the Giants continued their success as one of the top teams in terms of takeaways. Forcing four turnovers, New York capitalized by scoring 17 points off of those opportunities.
Quarterback Eli Manning performed well in the passing game despite two interceptions, throwing for 259 yards and four touchdowns. Wide out Victor Cruz broke a streak of sub-par performances with 121 receiving yards on eight receptions and a touchdown.
On defense, safety Stevie Brown continued his Cinderella season with seven tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Brown is among the league leaders in takeaways and has been a key player in the Giants’ secondary.
Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees led offensive drives of 81 and 67 yards in the second quarter, but could not get the football into the end zone. The Saints were forced to settle for field goals on each.
New York went into the half leading 21-13 but could not break away from the Saints, who matched them punch-for-punch in the third quarter.
The defending Super Bowl champions finally gained separation in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Saints 17-0. The surge was sparked by another phenomenal kick return, this time a 60-yarder by receiver Jerrel Jernigan, which would eventually lead to a 10-yard touchdown connection between Manning and Cruz. This gave New York a 42-27 lead.
Wilson’s big breakout performance began with a kick returned 97-yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. With Giants’ running back Andre Brown done for the regular season, David Wilson got his first taste of some real playing time on offense. He struggled early, however, against a surprisingly stout Saints’ defense.
Though he continued to cut through the Saints’ special teams unit on kick returns, Wilson’s rushing truly came to life in the fourth quarter. That’s when 84 of his 100 rushing yards on the day came, including a game-sealing 52-yard touchdown with just over five minutes remaining. He also scored on a six-yard run up the middle early in the third quarter.
Along with his aforementioned record, Wilson became the first player in franchise history to score two rushing touchdowns and a touchdown on a kick return in the same game. This Giants’ victory also marked the first time since Week 17 of the 1986 season that Big Blue has scored more than 50 points (that was against the Green Bay Packers).
Yesterday’s win pads a resume of success when considered the underdog and the Giants’ road to the postseason will not get any easier as they prepare to play the 11-2 Atlanta Falcons inside the Georgia Dome. New York pummeled the Falcons during the 2011 NFL playoffs in a Wild-Card round match-up in Atlanta, 24-2.
The Falcons are coming off a disappointing 30-20 loss at the hands of the Carolina Panthers, but should not be taken lightly by the Giants. A victory over Atlanta would give New York a season sweep over the NFC South. More importantly, it would put them one win closer to ensuring their place in the playoffs and the opportunity to defend their Super Bowl title.
Louis Musto is a contributor to the Sports Journey Broadcast Network covering the NFL and NBA. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.