Plays that mattered as the Giants defeated the Raiders.
The New York Giants defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, 34-10, in Week 17. It was a bounce-back game for Jaxson Dart, who finished with 207 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns. The rookie quarterback didn’t need to do much but looked comfortable and composed against a team that doesn’t seem eager to win. Nevertheless, Dart’s offense had 343 total yards and was 7 of 14 on third and fourth down.
New York played complementary football for, seemingly, the first time this season. Not only did the defense hold Ashton Jeanty to 60 yards on 16 carries, after he ran all over the Houston Texans last week, but they also forced two interceptions that proved costly for the Raiders. The offense moved with ease, and the special teams added a touchdown with a Tae Banks return.
Overall, the Giants played respectably and won the game. They now lose the first overall pick unless the Giants defeat Dallas next week and the Raiders defeat the Chiefs. Nevertheless, here are the five plays, or sequence of plays, that led to the Giants’ victory.
Play(s) 1: Jaxson Dart!
The Giants responded to the Raiders’ field goal with an eight-play, 65-yard drive that featured a lot of Dart’s legs – 21 yards total on the drive, including this 12-yard touchdown run:
Mike Kafka dialed up a fast four to the three receiver side, which lightened the box on the designed QB draw (once Devin White No. 45followed Tyrone Tracy Jr. (28). Dart did the rest and finished the play while taking a big shot. Dart also connected for 21 yards to Darius Slayton on a first-and-10 completion. Dart added a second rushing touchdown on fourth-and-1, which was the dagger that ended the Raiders’ slim chances to compete in the game:
Play 2: Bobby Okereke’s interception
Geno Smith (7) threw an interception right to the veteran linebacker when Okereke (58) passed off the clearout and undercut Michael Mayer (87). Okereke returned this red zone turnover to set up the offense’s first touchdown, which Devin Singletary seized with a 1-yard touchdown rush. This was the Giants’ seventh interception of the season.
Play 3: Dane Belton with an interception
Dane Belton intercepted Geno Smith on third-and-6 at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and that would be Smith’s last snap of the game after he was blindside blocked by Rico Payton. The Raiders, down 17 points when the interception happened, had a feeble pulse; the Giants’ offense was moving the football, Deonte Banks returned a kick for a touchdown, and Geno Smith had little time to throw the football with Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and the defensive tackles easily getting pressure.
Play(s) 4: Wan’Dale Robinson gets 1,000+
Wan’Dale Robinson caught 11 of 14 passes for 113 yards, putting him at 1,014 total yards on the season. It is the first time Robinson has secured the thousand milestone, and I’m sure it will be yet another negotiation chip for Robinson, who The Sports and Entertainment Group represents. Robinson may be in demand and is likely looking at a deal north of Khalil Shakir’s four-year, up to $60.2 million contract, featuring $32 million guaranteed with incentives.
The Giants will have to retain Darius Slayton, who will enter the second year of his three-year, $30-million contract. Releasing Slayton would cost the Giants just over $15 million in dead cap, so expect him on the roster. But will the Giants be in the market for Robinson, or did his impressive 2025 season up his market value out of the Giants’ range? That is a question we’ll be pondering as this season ends.
Still, Robinson was more than just a gadget player against the Raiders. He was the catalyst of the offense, and Mike Kafka designed several first-read plays for Jaxson Dart to the undersized receiver. He was a massive reason for the Giants’ victory.
Play 5: Were Special Teams special?
Giants’ 2023 first-round pick, Tae Banks has carved a valuable role out for New York, but it’s not on the defense. Banks has quietly been a good kick returner for New York this season. Before the Week 17 game, Banks had averaged 29.7 yards on 15 kick returns. He showcased his vision on Sunday, galloping through a crease while also flashing impressive acceleration to eliminate angles. Banks is a great athlete, and I’m happy to see him trusted with a role and to watch him thrive within that responsibility. Still, I hope to see his natural skills manifest on the defensive side of the football.
Category: General Sports
