Giants Takeaways from 17-12 upset win over Seahawks, including a stellar performance by the defense

The Giants are for real.

They may not be a Super Bowl contender, and they are still under .500, but they proved on Sunday that their push to win the NFC East and make the playoffs is no fluke. They pulled off their most impressive win of the Joe Judge Era – their most impressive win in years, really – by beating the Seahawks in Seattle, 17-12, despite having to play with backup quarterback Colt McCoy.

And they did that because their defense and running game came up absolutely huge.

That’s exactly what the Giants needed with the 34-year-old McCoy subbing for the injured Daniel Jones. The defense absolutely shut down a Seahawks attack that ranked fifth in the NFL and came in averaging 31 points per game. They gave up just 327 yards and only one touchdown and a field goal. And they never let the dangerous combo of Russell Wilson (27 of 43, 263 yards) and DK Metcalf (5 catches, 80 yards) get loose.

And the Giants’ Saquon Barkley-less running game was spectacular, led by Wayne Gallman’s 135 yards on 16 carries. They totaled 190 yards on the ground, thanks to an offensive line that seems to get better and better every week.

All in all, it was an unexpected and incredibly significant victory as the Giants begin a murderous stretch of December games. They will now be in first place in the NFC East for at least another week, and considering second-place Washington has to play at undefeated Pittsburgh on Monday, the Giants could have a bit of a cushion, too.

However that shakes out, though, one thing is clear: The Giants, winners of four straight games, are playing very good football at exactly the right time. And their first playoff berth since 2016 is definitely within reach.

Here are a few more takeaways from the Giants’ biggest win of the year:

• McCoy did exactly what he was supposed to do. He managed the game, didn’t make any big mistakes, and helped generate just enough offense for the Giants’ defense to pull the game out. He finished just 13 of 22 for 105 yards with a touchdown and an interception – and that lone interception wasn’t even his fault (see below). The Giants had a nice, conservative, run-based game plan and didn’t ask McCoy to do much. There were no real downfield shots, and when he did pass he mostly did a nice job of finding the soft spots in the Seattle zone.

• It’s becoming a weekly thing, with TE Evan Engram (4 catches, 32 yards) alternating bad plays with good ones, but it’s not funny when the bad ones are so costly. McCoy was leading an early drive and had Engram open inside the Seattle 10. His pass went right off Engram’s hands and into those of Seattle CB Quandre Diggs for an interception. Yes, the ball was thrown slightly behind Engram, but he got both hands on it so no excuses – especially when the Giants needed their play-makers to step up for their backup quarterback.

• The Giants offensive line continues to improve and they were absolutely dominant at times, especially during the second half. McCoy had plenty of time to work throughout the game, except for a few pressures on some Seattle blitzes. And the run blocking was outstanding, particularly in the second half. Gallman struggled early, but broke out after halftime, including a career-long, 60-yard run that set up a touchdown run by Alfred Morris, who finished with eight carries for 39 yards of his own. Honestly, Saquon Barkley wasn’t likely to do much more than that.

• Giants CB James Bradberry seemed to spend most of the game guarding Metcalf and he really kept him mostly in check, with the exception of one big play where he missed a tackle. Even when Metcalf seemed to get the better of Bradberry with a stiff-arm to the face on a third quarter catch – a play which had the Fox announcers giddy with excitement – Bradberry still held on and dragged Metcalf down, nearly stripping the ball on the way.

• Leonard Williams had his finest game as a Giant with 2 ½ sacks, including a huge one on the Seahawks’ ill-fated final drive. He now has 8 ½ on the season – a new career high. That trade with the Jets last year suddenly isn’t looking so bad.

• The Giants' young linebackers -- Carter Coughlin, Cam Brown, Tae Crowder -- seem to be all around either the quarterback or the ball when they're on the field. Crowder had a sack in this game. Coughlin was close on a couple and helped Williams on at least one of his sacks. All three of them have good speed and know how to use it, which is a good sign for the future.

• What a start DE Niko Lalos is having to his career. The undrafted free agent out of Dartmouth, playing in just his second NFL game, had his second takeaway. Last week, Lalos had a diving interception, this week he pounced on a first-half fumble after Wilson lost the ball. Making big plays is a great way for him to convince the Giants to keep him around.

• The Giants' special teams had been terrific for most of the season, but the last few weeks … Not so much. This week’s disaster was a blocked punt late in the first half that the Seahawks very nearly recovered for a touchdown. The officials ruled it wasn’t recovered until it was out the back of the end zone, so it was only a safety.