#Leaning on running game helped Giants grind out win

The Giants did not quit on their running game. That made all the difference and showed the growing confidence head coach Joe Judge and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett have in the improving offensive line.

Rushing 11 times for 32 yards in the first half was not going to get it done for the Giants on Sunday in Seattle. Judge said there were “a couple of small adjustments’’ at halftime as far as “some of the things we call and the way we design a run play.’’

Judge then added, “I don’t think it was anything radical.’’

Whatever it was, it was a different product in the second half, as the Giants ran for 158 yards, paving the way for a 17-12 upset victory over the Seahawks.

“The biggest point of emphasis was to stay committed to the game plan we had coming in,’’ Judge said. “And they were going to keep running the ball and that we had to keep wearing them down over time. We had to give our runners opportunities to get in space and finish the runs. Obviously those guys did that and ran well.’’

Once in the first half and once in the second half, the Giants went big with their running game, using rookie guard Shane Lemieux, as a fullback and putting their actual fullback, Eli Penny, in the backfield as the running back.

The catalyst for the running game was a four-play, 80-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, using one pass (3 yards) and three runs (77 yards) to get the first touchdown of the game. Wayne Gallman picked up 60 of the yards on one play, the longest run of his career.

“I was really surprised that we weren’t able to slow them down in the third quarter running the football,’’ Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “They ran some basic stuff, and they got away from us. There was two drives in there where they were able to get enough going where that was the difference in the ball game.’’

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Judge said Daniel Jones (strained right hamstring) “looked better as the week went on.’’ Jones, though, was really not close to playing. Colt McCoy, backup turned starter, said Jones was a great help to him during the week even though Jones “knew he wasn’t going to play.’’

McCoy said he and Jones have a “great relationship’’ and “the Giants are lucky to have him, 100 percent.’’

The hope is Jones will miss only one game and be able to start against the Cardinals.

“This guy is a competitor, he’s a tough dude,’’ Judge said. “I have no doubt that he would’ve gone out there and fought through whatever pain he had. But that wasn’t the decision I was looking to make.’’

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The offensive line rotation was alive and well. Lemieux again started at left guard, with Cam Fleming at right tackle. On the third offensive series, Will Hernandez replaced Lemieux and rookie Matt Peart went in for Fleming.

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Leonard Williams dropped Russell Wilson for a 15-yard sack late in the third quarter, giving him seven sacks this season, matching his career high. Williams later combined with Jabaal Sheard for a half sack and added a final solo sack, giving him 2.5 for the game and a career-high 8.5 sacks this season.