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| ARI at SEA | BAL at MIN | BUF at NYJ | CAR at TB | CHI at ATL | CLE at PIT | DEN at SD | DET at GB |
| HOU at CIN | KC at WAS | NYG at NO | PHI at OAK | STL at JAX | TEN at NE | ||
Week 6 Game Recap: New York Giants 27, New Orleans Saints 48
New York Giants
| QB Eli Manning, Pass: 14 - 31 - 178 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 |
Eli didn't have a terrible game, but he couldn't keep pace with Drew Brees and seemed to get frustrated as the game went on. He faced more pressure than he has in the last few weeks, and often had to throw the ball under duress to well-covered receivers. He missed Steve Smith long on what should have been a TD early, and also underthrew Hakeem Nicks and Domenik Hixon on bombs when they had a step or two on the defensive backs. Manning's interception came when he was hit as he was throwing due to a missed blitz pickup by Ahmad Bradshaw - and Manning demonstrably let Bradshaw know he missed his assignment. Manning also threw his third pick six to Darren Sharper of his career, but the play was blown dead by a penalty. Manning's one TD pass was also almost a Sharper interception, but Mario Manningham out-competed Sharper for the ball. This was the first real "inconsistent Eli" performance of the season, let it serve as a warning if you were considering him as an everyweek start - although some of the credit goes to an ascending Saints defense.
| QB David Carr, Pass: 4 - 5 - 72 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0 |
Carr got in for garbage time for the second consecutive week, but this time, it was the Giants who were in a deep hole. He hooked up with Hakeem Nicks for long TD, and took a hit to do it. If Manning's foot injury gets worse, Carr could be a solid waiver wire pickup.
| RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Rush: 10 - 48 - 1 (1 targets) |
Bradshaw looked as quick, explosive, powerful, and tough as ever, but he never got in a groove as the Giants were behind for the entire game. He was able to score when Brandon Jacobs had to leave the game with a shoulder stinger after a red zone carry for the second straight game. Bradshaw took a carry outside and easily got past the last level of the defense for the 11-yard TD. He did miss a blitz pickup that resulted in an interception, but it shouldn't affect his playing time on passing downs.
| RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 7 - 33 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (2 targets) |
Jacobs game looks like a disappointment on paper, but he ran better than his stat line. He had a few of his powerful up the gut runs that included yards after contact, but the running game never really got out of the garage in a game that the Giants trailed pretty much from wire to wire. Jacobs did have a scintillating high-point TD catch on a late fourth down ball thrown into a crowd by Eli Manning, but it was called back by a penalty. He's still a good buy low target.
| WR Hakeem Nicks, Rec: 5 - 114 - 1 (8 targets) |
Nicks wasn't on the field much early, but as soon as he got a lot of snaps in the second half, his impact was felt. He took a square in downfield for a big gain, got open deep for what could have been a long gain or TD, but was underthrown by Manning, and then scored a garbage time TD on a bomb from David Carr. His strong run after catch and surprising speed were on display, and while he doesn't seem to have a big role in the base offense, that will likely change as the season goes on unless Mario Manningham stays healthy and plays lights out.
| WR Mario Manningham, Rec: 4 - 50 - 1 (9 targets) |
Manningham scored his TD on what was essentially a 50/50 ball from Eli Manning because it was thrown late, and the receiver out-fought Darren Sharper for the ball. He also got three straight end zone targets from Manning when the game was out of hand, but he did also yield to Hakeem Nicks for part of the third quarter, and Manningham was dinged up yet again by the end of the game. He is still looking like a quality WR3/flex as a starter and trusted target, but Hakeem Nicks gains a little on him every week.
| WR Steve Smith, Rec: 4 - 44 - 0 (6 targets) |
Smith had his quietest game of the year. It got off on the wrong foot when Manning overthrew an open Smith on what should have been a TD, and then Smith's short and intermediate routes weren't a big part of the game plan after the Giants fell behind big. He did had a long catch later in the game that he couldn't hold onto after a big hit from a Saints safety. Right now, Smith's owners have to be worried about three other viable targets emerging in a passing game that is not the focal point of the offensive game plan when things go well for the Giants.
| WR Domenik Hixon, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (7 targets) |
Hixon proved he was over his knee injury and still a factor for this team. He had two long kick returns, a long punt return, and a strong fourth down conversion. He was one of the few Giants that played well all day. He got behind the defense for a deep target early that was slightly underthrown and broken up, and also got a later deep target when he was covered better. Hixon showed good speed and tough running on his returns and receptions. Manning threw to Hixon once in the red zone, but the pass was too high. He was involved in the offense early and appears to still be part of the rotation in three-wide sets, and he should be if he continues to play the way he did on Sunday.
| TE Kevin Boss, Rec: 1 - 18 - 0 (2 targets) |
Boss had an early drop, and a good downfield catch inside the 20, but mostly he was not a big part of the passing game, and it's hard to see how he will be with the Giants talented young wide receiver corps rounding into form.
New Orleans Saints
| QB Drew Brees, Pass: 23 - 30 - 369 - 4 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0 |
Brees had a masterful performance, that was only marred by a deep pass that Brees missed to a wide open Devery Henderson. Everything Brees did worked, he was barely under pressure all day, and his receivers kept making plays for him. His field vision, decision-making, timing, and accuracy were magnificent, and Brees kept successfully throwing the ball in the general vicinity of receivers to give them chances to make individual plays. With Lance Moore and the running game all completely healthy now, this offense looks like the early season juggernaut we saw before weeks 3 and 4 slowed down this attack.
| QB Mark Brunell |
Brunell got in for some mop-up duty, but didn't throw a pass.
| RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 15 - 72 - 0 |
Thomas didn't really yield half of the work to Mike Bell in this game, Thomas got most of the early carries, and Bell got more work as the game went on. Thomas ran strong and efficiently inside, with a sense of urgency and a good amount of yards after contact. He ran the ball down to the two, only to have Bell finish an early drive. Thomas did get some goal-to-go touches, but couldn't convert any into TDs, including a fourth-and-goal at the one. He has a lot more value than his somewhat meager stat line in a 48-point offensive game indicates.
| RB Mike Bell, Rush: 15 - 34 - 1 |
Bell got in mostly as a short yardage specialist early, and he was able to convert a fourth and inches at the two-yard line into a TD with his patented over-the-top plunge. As the game went on, he got more work in the base offense, and Bell ran as hard between the tackles as he did before his knee injury. He wasn't the strict goal line back, but got his share of opportunities, and he is clearly in a committee with Pierre Thomas, as opposed to being a back-up/role playing back.
| RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 6 - 17 - 1, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (3 targets) |
Bush was really not needed in this rout. He had one short catch and another short target that was poorly thrown, and he also had a few decent gains on outside carries. Bush also converted a short yardage carry and took a red zone carry to the pylon to salvage his fantasy day. He is clearly just a luxury item in this offense, not an integral part of the game plan.
| RB Heath Evans, Rush: 1 - 2 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) |
Evans kept up his TD scoring ways with a short fullback carry, and he also got a red zone target that could have been a TD if Evans had broken a tackle. He's a terrific fit in this offense.
| WR Marques Colston, Rec: 8 - 166 - 1 (8 targets) |
Like Brees, just about everything Colston did worked today. He took some big hits to make catches in the middle of the field, and Colston showed off his unique ability to pogo-stick jump and spin to create a massive catch radius. Brees was just throwing it around Colston, and Colston was doing the rest all day. Colston had one TD called back to the one on replay, but he easily caught another later on a play action pass. Colston ran hard after the catch, often breaking the first tackle, and he also competed for the ball in the air very well. He also had a long gain called back because he went out of bounds before catching the ball. It could have been an even bigger day, but it was still big enough to remind everyone that Colston is a true #1 receiver in a rocket fuel powered passing offense.
| WR Lance Moore, Rec: 6 - 78 - 1 (7 targets) |
Moore announced he was back in a big way early in this game, getting a good share of Brees targets on the first drive of the game. Moore's first catch showed great concentration, a tipped ball that Moore had to turn to catch behind him. He sat down in dead spots near the line of scrimmage and moved the chains, and also caught a few downfield passes in the middle of the field. Moore's TD came on a play action pass that was too easy. He was a top 15 WR last year, and while he won't approach that this year, Moore is in WR3/flex form with his talent and the robust passing game surrounding him.
| WR Robert Meachem, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 2 - 70 - 1 (3 targets) |
Meachem got a deep target early, and the Saints kept him involved for the most of the game. He caught a TD with a slight push-off, but nice adjustment to the ball in flight - a 50/50 ball that shows that Brees trusts Meachem to make the play. Meachem could have had another TD, but he didn't have a good nose for the goal line on an end around inside the five. He also caught another ball inside the five to set up the Saints last TD. His production will continue to be explosive, but somewhat sporadic.
| WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (3 targets) |
Henderson did his part, getting wide open deep in the second half, but Brees had his poorest throw of the day, and the long TD was not to be. Otherwise, Henderson took a backseat to the many other Saints passcatchers on this Sunday.
| TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 4 - 37 - 1 (5 targets) |
Shockey was showcased early against his old mates. He caught a TD in the back of the end zone on a play action fake at the one-yard line, and he also made a very nice back shoulder catch when he was lined up as a wide receiver, using his size and physicality advantage to make the play. Shockey sat down in the zone coverage gaps for a few other catches, but he wasn't needed as the game went on, so his numbers leveled off at a modest total.