Giants dominate Panthers for much-needed victory

There was talk of a one-on-one hoops challenge laid down from a starting safety to the starting quarterback. There was a cheerful breakdown of a pass thrown by a seldom-used wide receiver whose father is preparing to coach in the World Series.

There was a smile — a big, broad, toothy one — unveiled by Daniel Jones. A smile, after a game played by the Giants. Yes, indeed, it was a different sort of experience Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

A dreadfully slow start on offense did not sink the Giants. Not this time. They rode a relentless game by Jones — who threw it, ran it and even caught it — and a throwback game for a defense that probably wants to invite Sam Darnold to the party every week.

“It was kind of an identity game for us,’’ safety Logan Ryan said. “We talk about pride. When people say you’re not playing with pride, that’s just, it’s inexcusable. You shouldn’t even allow it to be questioned.’’

The Giants will take this identity, the one they put on display in a 25-3 victory over the Panthers that was not as easy as it looks. The end of a two-game losing streak came only after a first-half slog that produced a 5-3 Giants lead and those familiar jeers by the less-than-capacity crowd. A one-handed reception by Jones on a pass from Dante Pettis on a trick play late in the third quarter energized a team in need of a spark, led the way for the Giants’ first touchdown of the day and prompted chants of “Let’s go Giants’’ — a sound not often heard this season.

“QB1, RB1 and wide receiver one today,’’ Ryan said of Jones.

“It was an important win for us,’’ Jones said. “We believe in who we are as a team, what we’re doing as a team and where we’re going.’’

Where the Giants (2-5) are going next is to Kansas City for a Monday night meeting with the Chiefs, who after seven weeks own one more victory than the Giants.

There was no hint this would become a rout when the Giants and their shaky two-point halftime lead took over on offense at their 25-yard line. Jones, playing without targets Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Kadarius Toney and Saquon Barkley, was moving the ball around as best and carefully as he could but not getting much done.

What followed was an 11-play, 75-yard virtuoso display by Jones. He started it off with a rollout to his right and a crisp throw to Darius Slayton for a 15-yard gain. He continued it with a third-and-12 escape-job, buying time with his legs before dumping the ball off to Devontae Booker for a 14-yard pickup.

What happened next was special.

On first down from the Carolina 48, Jones pitched the ball to Booker, who pitched it to Pettis, coming around from left to right and gearing up to launch the ball to Jones, angling free on the right sideline. Pettis uncorked a floater that looked too strong and seemed destined to land beyond the reach of Jones.

“I thought it was a dime if he would have kept running,’’ said Pettis, whose father, Gary, was a former major league baseball outfielder and is the Astros’ third-base coach.

“Dante comes from a baseball family, so I’m sure he’s not going for Thanksgiving in the future if he doesn’t make that throw,’’ coach Joe Judge said.

Jones said he ran “a pretty unathletic route’’ and that nearly ruined the play.

“I don’t think I was moving very fast,’’ Jones said. “And I’ve been on the other end of that, I get mad at guys, I did the same thing there.’’

Jones reached out and with every inch of his long arms on his 6-foot-5 frame brought the ball in, a one-handed grab that every one of his wide receivers would be proud to call his own. The play went for 16 yards and energized the crowd. Ryan was so impressed he said he wants to get Jones on the basketball court.

Jones returned the favor when he found Pettis for a 5-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left in the third quarter, putting the Giants ahead 12-3.

It was more than enough for the Giants, as the Panthers were dismal. After a 3-0 start and rave reviews for Darnold with his new team, the Panthers dropped their fourth consecutive game and an ineffective Darnold (16 of 25, 111 yards, one interception) was benched early in the fourth quarter.

Panthers coach Matt Rhule vowed his team would run the ball in excess of 30 times and establish a physical presence in this game, but it proved to be just talk. The Panthers had 56 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Darnold was called for intentional grounding in the end zone as he was pressured by Leonard Williams and Lorenzo Carter, resulting in a safety early in the second quarter for the Giants’ first points.

“[Rhule] talked about them establishing their identity and running the ball 33 times and figuring out who they are,’’ Ryan said. “They just got to do it next week. They couldn’t establish it against us.’’