Jones, defense lead Giants over winless Redskins
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) » Daniel Jones worked his magic again, Saquon Barkley’s replacement Wayne Gallman scored two touchdowns, and Jabrill Peppers scored on a 32-yard interception return to lead the suddenly revived New York Giants to 24-3 victory over the winless Washington Redskins on Sunday.
The Redskins’ 0-4 start is their worst since losing their first five in 2001. The start also has seriously put coach Jay Gruden’s job in jeopardy after five-plus season, a 35-49-1 record and one playoff berth (2015).
Jones (23 of 31 for 225 yards) has sparked the Giants (2-2) since replacing two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning as the starting quarterback. He rallied New York from an 18-point deficit in his first start against the Buccaneers last week and was solid early, leading New York to touchdown runs on its first two series.
Gallman, who is going to start for the foreseeable future with Barkley battling a high ankle sprain, caught a 6-yard TD pass and scored on a 1-yard run to stake New York to a 14-0 lead.
Gruden tried to spark the mistake-prone Redskins, who had 12 penalties for 58 yards, by benching Case Keenum (6 of 11 for 37 yards) for first-round draft pick Dwayne Haskins Jr., midway through the second quarter. That move came after Quinton Dunbar picked off Jones on consecutive passes, but the Ohio State product went just 9 of 17 for 107 yards and could produce only a 21-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins on his initial series. He was picked off three times, the last two by Janoris Jenkins.
Washington finished with 176 yards on offense and was 2 of 11 on third downs.
The much-maligned New York defense finished with four interceptions, with Ryan Connelly’s second in as many weeks setting up an opening 32-yard drive that Gallman ended with his reception. Gallman’s short run ended a 13-play, 94-yard march the Redskins kept alive when a third-down holding penalty on cornerback Fabian Moreau nullified a sack.
Jones kept the first drive alive with a 5-yard pass to Sterling Shepard on a gutsy decision by coach Pat Shurmur to go for it on fourth-and-2 at the Redskins 24.
Aldrick Rosas kicked a 30yard field goal on the final play of the first half and Peppers closed out the scoring with his interception return.
BANGED UP
Washington came into the game shorthanded on offense. Center Chase Roullier (knee), left guard Brandon Scherff (ankle), leading receiver Terry McLaurin (hamstring) and tight end and Giants nemesis Jordan Reed (concussion) were inactive. Rookie guard Wes Martin made his NFL debut starting for Scherff.
New York was without starting linebackers Alec Ogletree (hamstring) and Tae Davis (concussion) and, of course,
Barkley.