The Student of the GameGoing Beyond the Stats

The chefs for the feast of retribution would be the players who set up their team to use this Thanksgiving Thursday night game to get their respective teams back in the race for the lead in their particular divisions. The New York Giants having bounced a struggling Atlanta Falcons team in overtime last week after losing 4 straight and the Denver Broncos losing their last four with the latest being a beat down by their AFC West rival San Diego Chargers; both teams were desperate for a springboard to get back into the playoff battle. As the final seconds ticked to zero, the Broncos emerged the thankful party dominating the anemic Giants, 26-6.
The cornucopia center piece for the table of offensive production was rookie RB Knowshon Moreno who delivered a hard fought 19 carries for 88 yards (4.6 per carry) and a TD. While the ground game did its damage, the air attack was plenty to witness. QB Kyle Orton (18/28 (64%) for 245 yards a TD and an INT) relied on the night’s top receiving performers WR Brandon Marshall (6 catches, 86 yards), TE Tony Scheffler (4 catches, 53 yards), and WR Jabar Gaffney (3 catches, 48 yards) for 5 long drives on the night which were capped off by K Matt Praeter 4 times and WR Brandon Stokley (1 catch, 17 yards) for the only Bronco passing TD.
The ‘D’ in ‘Broncos Defense’ certainly didn’t refer to dinner as the Giants offense was left starving for success moving the ball. Bruiser back RB Brandon Jacobs was reduced to 11 carries for 27 yards (2.4 a carry) and RB Danny Ware (4 carries for 27 yards at 4.75 per carry)was the best ground performance for the G-men who managed only 57 yards running in the contest.
New York QB Eli Manning struggled as well throwing 24/40 (60%) for 230 yards with an INT and a lost fumble. While receiving efforts from WRs Steve Smith (7 catches, 71 yards), Hakim Nicks (4 catches, 66 yards) and Mario Manningham (5 catches, 48 yards) enabled 2 FGs, it was little help in what seemed like a marathon on a radio station. . . ‘All Broncos; All the time’.
With this win, Denver can force a tie atop the AFC West with a Charger loss while the Giants are likely going to rely on a Wild Card spot if they hope to make the post season.