Giants-Commanders ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’: It’s Tommy DeVito’s world

And, of course, we’re just living in it

It is a ‘Victory Monday’ for your New York Giants, a rarity in what has been a poor 3-8 season. The Giants are enjoying it. We hope you are. Let’s review in our unique ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’ style.

Kudos to …

Tommy DeVito — What was the best part of DeVito’s game Sunday? Coach Brian Daboll answered by simply saying “winning.”

The undrafted rookie free agent quarterback got his first win in his second game as a starter, and he didn’t just ride the coattails of Saquon Barkley and the defense. DeVito had a LOT to do with the Giants winning the game. He went 18 of 26 for 246 yards and 3 touchdowns. He took nine sacks, but never turned the ball over. DeVito had six completions of more than 20 yards.

I have seen him called ‘Touchdown Tommy’, ‘Tommy Toughness’ and ‘The Passing Paisano.’ He’s suddenly become a cult hero. He’s got his own sandwich now at Natoli’s in Secaucus. He’s got more games with multiple touchdown passes than Kenny Pickett of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Daniel Jones doesn’t have a three-touchdown passing game in his last 48 games. His five touchdown passes in his first two starts in the most by a Giant quarterback since 1950.

The DeVito story is becoming the one truly fun thing about this miserable Giants season.

Saquon Barkley — So, how exactly are the Giants going to avoid giving Barkley a long-term contract this offseason?

The Giants couldn’t create any running room for Barkley in the first half as he had -2 yards on six carries, so they hit him three times with passes for 52 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown.

Barkley had eight second-half carries for 85 yards, including runs of 36 and 31 yards. He finished with 14 carries for 83 yards, 5.9 yards per carry. He had four catches for 57 yards. That’s 140 yards of total offense on 18 touches.

Dexter Lawrence — Two summers ago, Lawrence told me that all he wanted to do was wreck games. Well, there aren’t a lot of players who do that better than Sexy Dexy. Lawrence was a monster on Sunday. He had four tackles, one for loss. He had a sack. He was largely responsible for pressuring a panicked Sam Howell into his final two interceptions, including Simmons’ pick-six. He had two passes defensed and a quarterback hit. He basically lived in the Washington backfield.

Kayvon Thibodeaux — If you still think Thibodeaux is a bust, the truth is Thibodeaux isn’t the problem. Two sacks on Sunday gave him 10.5 for the season. He is the first player in a Wink Martindale defense to ever record double-digit sacks.

Thibodeaux also had two tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and a pass defensed. The best thing about Thibodeaux? He seems to show up at important times.

Nick McCloud — In two seasons, McCloud hasn’t been able to earn a full-time defensive role. Still, he seems to make plays whenever the Giants give him the chance. He had an interception and a pass defensed as a cornerback on Sunday, and forced a fumble in punt coverage.

Darius Slayton — Let’s hope Slayton’s arm injury isn’t severe. He had four catches for 82 yards on Sunday, including a 40-yard catch-and-run touchdown.

Isaiah Simmons — When you get a game-clinching pick-six in the closing seconds you get a “Kudos.”

Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden — I am lumping the two praise-worthy linebackers together. Okereke had 14 tackles (6 solo) and forced two fumbles. McFadden had eight tackle (5 solo), a tackle for loss and a pass defensed.

Xavier McKinney — McKinney hasn’t had enough impact for the Giants this season. He was good Sunday, though, with 12 tackles (one for loss) and a fumble recovery.

Wet Willies to …

Thomas McGaughey — The Giants had nine players on the field on a third-quarter field goal by Washington’s Joey Slye. Not 10. Not 12. NINE. How does that happen? The Giants also got a punt partially blocked. They did cause and recover a fumble on special teams, but McGaughey’s units continue to be an adventure.

Offensive line — Washington sacked Devito nine times and hit him 11 times. Even Daboll admitted not all of those were on the offensive line as an indecisive DeVito was often guilty of holding the ball too long. Still, the line was responsible for allowing far too much pressure. Two good runs by Barkley of 36 and 31 yards does not obscure the fact that that the run blocking was generally terrible.

Jason Pinnock — I have to pick on somebody for something. Pinnock dropped an easy interception in the second quarter.

Kwillie to …

Cor’Dale Flott — The second-year cornerback played well … while he was playing. Flott forced an early Logan Thomas fumble with a big hit. He ended up getting himself ejected, though, for throwing punches after a Sam Howell touchdown run.