Giants Muscle Their Way Past Raiders, Head into Bye with Victory

GIANTS 23 - RAIDERS 16 

It was certainly ugly, but for the New York Giants, in a year that has been anything but beautiful, they'll settle for ugly -- especially in the win column. 

In what was basically a field goal fest, as both teams combined for a grand total of six field goals, the Giants outlasted the Las Vegas Raiders 23-16 at MetLife Stadium to send themselves into the Bye Week at 3-6. 

Major credit is to due to the Giants defense, which came up big Sunday forcing three turnovers, none bigger than the pick-six by Xavier McKinney to open the second half that gave the Giants a 17-13 lead. 

The pick was one of two by McKinney, who picked off another Derek Carr pass at midfield with 5:12 to go with the Giants already leading 20-16. The turnover helped set up Graham Gano's third field goal of the day to make it 23-16.

Still the game came down to one final stand by the Giants defense. Las Vegas moved the football into Giants territory thanks a 19-yard pass to Darren Waller and a 17-yard completion to Kenyan Drake. Soon Vegas had a 1st and 10 at the Giants' 13-yard line. 

The game looked destined for overtime until Quincy Roche worked his way around left tackle, and stripped Carr of the football. Ex-Jet Leonard Williams fell on the football, icing it for Big Blue. 

The Giants lone offensive touchdown came on their first series of the game, when Daniel Jones hit Evan Engram from 30-yards out for a touchdown to cap off a 75-yard drive to make it 7-0. 

The Raiders quickly answered that score on a 10-play, 73-yard drive, capped off by a Carr touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow. 

Jones finished with a quiet day, 15-of-20 for 110 yards and a touchdown for the Giants. 

Devontae Booker had a nice day on the ground for the Giants, rushing for 99-yards on 21-carries as Saquon Barkley missed his fourth consecutive game. Barkley has been dealing with an ankle injury and a false COVID-19 positive test.