Results tagged “willieponder”

If you only caught the last three minutes of the Giants game you would blame the defense for their 24-21 loss. After all, the Giants marched down the field and scored a touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:21 left in the game only to see the Vikings drive down and kick the winning field goal. However, if you saw the whole game you saw a miserable performance by the offense coupled with a putrid performance by the special teams, five Giants turnovers and nine penalties.

It must have been some kind of halftime speech. Trailing 13-7 at the half, the Giants came out of the locker room and erupted for 35 points to stomp the Cardinals 42-19 for their biggest opening day victory in 34 years.

On the previous drive the Giants allowed Bengal quarterback Jon Kitna to complete a 19-yard pass to receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh on fourth-down and 10 to set up the winning score. Houshmandzadeh, whose name is so long they have to use a smaller font on his jersey, was double covered, but managed to make the play anyway. Two plays later, Kitna found a wide open Chad Johnson in the end zone for the winning margin. It was a mystery that Johnson, who has a mouth full of gold teeth, could be so wide open.

The Giants got off to an early start as Willie Ponder took the opening kickoff for a touchdown and jolt of early momentum. Manning and the Giants offense put up 30 points on a Pittsburgh defense that had allowed 30 only once before this season. Manning looked far better on the day than he has in any other game this season. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 182 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Twice his receivers were stopped short of the goal line or he may have had four touchdowns on the day. His only interception came on the Giants’ final drive on a controversial no-call on Amani Toomer.