http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/19/sports/football/ny-giants-beat-new-orleans-saints-with-a-field-goal.html 2016-09-18 22:46:10 Giants Beat Saints With a Field Goal That Ends a Lackluster Game Josh Brown’s 18-yard chip shot as time expired put the Giants at 2-0 for the first time since 2009. === EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — When the Giants and the Sunday’s rematch, however, was mostly a desultory contest in which neither team scored an offensive touchdown until the early fourth quarter. But it, too, was decided on the final play. A dreary game came down to a humdrum 18-yard field goal by the Giants Josh Brown that broke a tie and gave the Giants a 16-13 victory. Brown’s field goal, executed as time expired, improves the Giants record to 2-0. The Giants have not been undefeated after two games since 2009. The Giants’ final drive began with a nine-yard run by running back Shane Vereen. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. drew a 13-yard pass-interference penalty and Victor Cruz pulled in a 13-yard reception along the sideline to move the Giants to the Saints’ 38-yard line. After Beckham dropped a perfect pass from Giants quarterback The Saints had tied the game on a 45-yard field goal by Wil Lutz with 2 minutes 54 seconds remaining. Leading by 7-3 at the half, the Giants extended their lead to seven points on a 48-yard field goal by Brown late in a boring third quarter. But New Orleans quarterback That appeared to wake up the Giants offense. On the next series, Manning came out throwing, connecting quickly on slant routes to rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard and Beckham. Shepard then made a leaping, 32-yard reception over the middle. An 8-yard pass to running back Vereen and a slashing, 7-yard gallop by Vereen moved the Giants inside the New Orleans’ 1-yard line. But a Giants weakness from a year ago – a lack of explosiveness near an opponent’s goal line – surfaced again. Two runs up the middle by Vereen gained no ground. A third-down pass was deflected at the line and fell incomplete. The Giants settled for a 19-yard Brown field goal and a 13-10 lead. While the Giants and Saints combined to average more than 25 points per game when they met last year, the first quarter of Sunday’s game was scoreless, a tie that was not broken until late in the first half. The Giants moved the football but miscues kept ruining promising drives. A third down pass hit Cruz in the hands but fell incomplete to bring an end to the Giants’ first possession. On the Giants’ next series, Manning completed each of the six passes he threw, and Beckham also drew a 23-yard pass interference penalty as the Giants moved inside the Saints 5-yard line. But on a third-down and two, Giants tight end Larry Donnell dropped a throw from Manning in the left corner of the end zone. On fourth down, Beckham initially caught a pass at the back of the end zone but the ball was batted from Beckham’s hands by the Saints’ Sterling Moore. To start the second quarter, Cruz broke free on a third down reception, deking his way through the New Orleans secondary for a 40-yard gain. But as he was tackled from behind by Saints defensive back Ken Crawley, the football was knocked loose from Cruz’s grasp. Another Giants first-half possession stalled when Manning was sacked on consecutive plays. Manning fumbled on the second of those sacks which gave the football to the Saints at the Giants’ 25-yard line. It was the Giants third turnover of the game and led to a 38-yard field goal attempt by Lutz. But the Giants’ massive defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins penetrated a couple of yards through the Saints protection and blocked the kick with a raised hand. The deflection was scooped up by cornerback Janoris Jenkins who scampered untouched for 65 yards and a 7-0 Giants lead with 2:30 remaining in the second quarter. Seven seconds before the game’s intermission, Lutz converted a 39-yard field goal. For most of the first half, the Giants defense had done a stellar job controlling Brees, who rarely had a wide receiver open more than five yards down the field. The Giants also were harassing Brees with a number of productive blitzes in passing situations. But the Giants turnovers forced the team’s defense to be on the field for long stretches of time and left the pass rush especially winded, weary and ineffective. The game was interrupted for about seven minutes near the midpoint of the first quarter when Saints cornerback P.J. Williams was injured with an apparent head injury. Williams’s head and neck collided violently with the legs of Donnell on a tackle after a pass reception. As the play continued, Williams’s teammate Craig Robertson, leaping to complete the tackle of Donnell, also kneed Williams in the back of the head. Williams crumpled to the turf and several players from both teams immediately began to wave to the sidelines for medical personnel. Cruz jumped up and down as he summoned help for Williams. Williams remained motionless on the turf as players from both teams gathered on the field, with many dropping to one knee. Williams, a second-year player from Florida State, displayed no signs of movement and he was strapped to a board-like stretcher and removed from the field on a cart. His helmet remained on his head and was taped to the board. Game officials later said that Williams was being evaluated for a concussion.