Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck threw the football with grace, dropping it right into the hands of receiver T.Y. Hilton, who carefully slid both toes across the turf in the corner of the end zone while cradling the football for the touchdown.
The 18-yard touchdown connection reminded all of why the Colts took Luck with the first-overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, and just how dangerous the Indianapolis offense can be in its 20-12 victory over the New York Giants inside MetLife Stadium.
“We didn’t make any plays. Maybe one or two, but certainly nowhere near enough,” Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said. “We had many opportunities but didn’t come away with anything.”
For the Colts, the win was a strong response to owner Jim Irsay’s tweets following a 44-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills last week. Irsay was critical of his team, apologizing to fans for his team’s poor performance.
Luck and Hilton connected on two impressive pass plays near the sideline during that first-quarter scoring drive, while embarrassing second-year Giants cornerback Jayron Hosley.
Hosley, who started in place of the injured Corey Webster, did rebound with a nice interception and return in the second quarter.
“He’s definitely a playmaker,” Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara said of Hosley. “He makes a lot of plays in practice and we’re all just hoping it carries on into the games like it did today.”
The Giants’ offense, meanwhile, struggled mightily through the air.
Quarterback Eli Manning completed 8-of-17 passes for 91 yards and an interception picked off by Colts cornerback Greg Toler. Toler made the play on a badly thrown pass to an open Hakeem Nicks in the first quarter.
Manning’s struggles helped contribute to a dismal performance inside the red zone. A continuous issue that the Giants gave much attention to this week during practice, the G-Men failed to put the ball in the end zone on four red-zone trips.
They were not much better on third down, failing to convert on 11-of-14 attempts.
“It’s something we’ve got to get better at,” Manning said. “We had a couple opportunities to score touchdowns and we didn’t. … We just have to be more consistent.”
It likely didn’t help that two of the Giants’ starters—center David Baas and receiver Victor Cruz—were out with injuries before the team ever took the field for their second offensive series. Fortunately, both players’ x-rays were negative and they returned to the sideline in street clothes shortly thereafter.
The Giants got on the scoreboard first with a 25-yard field goal by kicker Josh Brown. But the Colts replied quickly with 17 unanswered points.
Luck passed for 107 yards on 9-of-13 passing with two touchdowns. He also had a 14-yard carry on a scramble out of the pocket.
Down 20-9, the Giants attempted to make a late surge, led by the running prowess of seventh-round rookie Michael Cox. Cox infused some much-needed energy into the Giants’ offense when he entered the game in the fourth quarter, racking up 48 receiving yards on two screen plays.
Unfortunately, the Giants’ offense stalled and they were forced to once again settle for a field goal.
“Let’s go prove who we are and what we have,” Coughlin said in reference to his players believing the positive media hype. “Instead of having everyone telling us how good we are, let’s go prove something.”
The Giants had several regulars out with injuries, including starting cornerback Corey Webster and safety Antrel Rolle. Defensive end and captain Justin Tuck made his preseason debut and performed well while on the field, including making a key play on third down, batting away a Luck pass at the line of scrimmage. Star receiver Hakeem Nicks and rookie offensive tackle Justin Pugh also made their debuts.
Other Notes
- Giants TE Larry Donnell was listed as inactive with a knee injury but was cleared by team doctors before the game and suited up. He played a few snaps and Coach Coughlin was very impressed with his attitude.
- Victor Cruz’s injury was reported as a bruised heel and did not sound like anything too serious. David Baas suffered a sprained knee.
- Giants rookie QB Ryan Nassib looked better this week. He was much more poised in the pocket and stood tall against oncoming pass rushers. He finished the night two-of-six passing for 48 yards.
- Giants WR Hakeem Nicks had two receptions for 40 yards in his preseason debut.
- Colts TE Coby Fleener, who had two embarrassing plays in the first half, left the game with a mild sprain in his right knee.
- RB David Wilson rushed for 34 yards on eight carries, but 21 yards came on one carry.
Louis Musto is a reporter and sports talk host for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.