Giants End Season on High Note with Win over Skins

GIANTS 18 - REDSKINS 10

In what could be the final time Eli Manning suits up for the New York Giants, Big Blue dominated the Redskins 18-10 at the Meadowlands among cheers of "ELI MANNING" from those who braved the bitterly cold conditions.

The numbers didn't jump off the page for Eli. He was 10-of-28 for 132 yards, and was hurt by seven drops by his receivers, but Sunday's win was an affirmation that Manning is still the straw that stirs the drink for the Giants. He kept the team afloat, and managed the game to the best of his ability, considering the lack of talent around him.

The biggest difference in the Giants 18-10 win Sunday was Orleans Darkwa and the ground game. For an entire season, the Giants have struggled to run the football. Sunday was different. On the second play of the game, Darkwa gashed the Redskins with a 75-yard touchdown run that gave the Giants a 6-0 lead and set the tone for the afternoon. Darkwa would carry the ball 20 times for 154 yards against Washington, the best run total against any single opponent this season. Wayne Gallman also proved effective in the run game, running for 89 yards on 15 carries.

Leading 6-0, the Giants wasted no time increasing their lead, when Kelvin Shepherd picked off a Kirk Cousins pass at the Washington 20 yard line. Two plays later the Giants found pay dirt, when Manning zipped a pass over to Hunter Sharp for a touchdown to push the lead to 12-0.

Defensively, the Giants were on point. They had tremendous pressure on Cousins all afternoon, sacking him three times and forcing three interceptions. Cousins, who is expected to make a fine dollar on the free agent market, was held to 158 yards passing on the day.

NOTES: With the win, the Giants finish 1-11 against the NFC this season, and 1-5 in the NFC East. Steve Spagnuolo finished 1-3 as interim head coach; he's not expected to be retained as head coach.

Sunday's win over the Redskins was the Giants 100th victory all time against Washington.

At 3-13, the Giants will finish with the number 2 pick in the NFL draft. It is anyone's guess who they will take. GM Dave Gettleman didn't rule out the idea of going quarterback, but seems like he's in Eli Manning's corner and wants him back. The Giants could draft offensive line, especially after the team cut tackle Bobby Hart and benched Erik Flowers for conduct detrimental to the team.

The moves by Gettleman prove that he is taking a no nonsense approach to fix the Giants, and is poised to do so quickly.

2018 opponents: The Giants 2018 opponents are as follows:
Home: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Jacksonville, Tennessee
Road: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Carolina, San Francisco, Indianapolis, Houston.