Kamara is 2nd-half stud for N’awlins

Drew Brees was pedestrian, at least by his lofty standards. Michael Thomas was held without a catch for nearly the entire first half. But the Giants had no answer for Alvin Kamara, the third member of the explosive Saints trio, and he was more than enough to burn them.

Kamara exploded for 102 of his season-high 134 rushing yards after halftime, and scored on runs of 9, 4 and 49 yards, leading the Saints to a 33-18 win at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

The Giants clearly miss outside linebacker and top pass-rusher Olivier Vernon, who has yet to play this season after suffering a high ankle sprain. They have allowed more than 100 yards rushing three times and were gashed for a season-high 170 on the ground on Sunday. Their top runstuffer, defensive tackle, Damon “Snacks” Harrison, declined comment after the game when approached by The Post.

“It was a tired defense, we just got to get him on the ground,” safety Landon Collins said. “He’s just a solid, great, balanced running back. Got great vision, can hit [the hole]. He plays very patient, and I love that about him. When he needs to hit a hole very hard, he hits it very hard.”

Brees was far from sharp, connecting on just 18-of-33 passes for 217 yards and no touchdowns. Thomas, who entered the game with 38 receptions on 40 targets for 398 yards, was held to four catches for 47 yards. It was a major factor in a tight first half in which Giants forced four field goals after the Saints had reached the red zone.

But New Orleans made Kamara more of a focal point in the second half, and he shredded Big Blue. The second-year pro began the opening drive of the second half with an 18-yard run and capped it with a 9-yard score. He iced the game with 2:06 left, breaking off the 49-yard touchdown run.

Kamara didn’t make a huge impact in the passing game, catching five passes for 47 yards. But he had his best performance on the ground by a considerable margin, reaching 100 yards for the first time. The Giants insisted they didn’t overlook his ability out of the backfield in favor of the Saints’ potent passing game.

“The focus was definitely on Kamara,” Collins said. “He just [had] the better game today.”