Game story
In Week 18 of the 2011 NFL season on 2012-01-08, the New York Giants took care of business against the Atlanta Falcons, pulling away with a 24–2 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 10 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
M. Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) paced the passing game, with -4.07 total EPA, and +1.6% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, E. Manning (New York Giants) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +15.25 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-12.1% win probability) landed in the second quarter when New York Giants changed the game: (13:50) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right [36-J.Sanders]. PENALTY on NYG-10-E.Manning, Intentional Grounding, 13 yards, enforced in End Zone, SAFETY.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| New York Giants | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 E. Manning · New York Giants · Passing · +15.25 total EPA · 36 snaps · +0.42 EPA/play
- 2 H. Nicks · New York Giants · Receiving · +7.78 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.86 EPA/play
- 3 M. Manningham · New York Giants · Receiving · +6.92 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.38 EPA/play
- 4 B. Jacobs · New York Giants · Rushing · +3.65 total EPA · 14 snaps · +0.26 EPA/play
- 5 J. Jones · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +2.71 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.34 EPA/play
- 6 T. Gonzalez · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +1.13 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
- 7 J. Jones · Atlanta Falcons · Rushing · +1.05 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.05 EPA/play
- 8 V. Cruz · New York Giants · Receiving · +1.01 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.20 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
E. Manning — NYG · Passing
E. Manning posted the highest total EPA (+15.25) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on New York Giants's efficiency. Across 36 counted snaps, they averaged +0.42 EPA per play.
The signature play (+6.40 EPA) came from New York Giants: (2:58) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 72 yards, TOUCHDOWN [56-S.Weatherspoon].
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- New York Giants — H. Nicks (E. Manning pass)
- New York Giants — H. Nicks (E. Manning pass)
- New York Giants — M. Manningham (E. Manning pass)
Field goals
- New York Giants — L. Tynes
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: New York Giants won the period 7–2. Atlanta Falcons registered a safety from the ATL 87 (Q2 43:50); New York Giants found the end zone from the ATL 4 (Q2 32:55) — (2:55) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New York Giants added 1 points from the ATL 2 (Q2 32:47) — 9-L.Tynes extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford..
The third quarter: New York Giants won the period 10–0. New York Giants connected on a field goal from the ATL 4 (Q3 22:55) — (7:55) 9-L.Tynes 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford.; New York Giants found the end zone from the ATL 72 (Q3 17:58) — (2:58) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 72 yards, TOUCHDOWN [56-S.Weatherspoon].; New York Giants added 1 points from the ATL 2 (Q3 17:44) — 9-L.Tynes extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford..
The fourth quarter: New York Giants won the period 7–0. New York Giants found the end zone from the ATL 27 (Q4 10:04) — (10:04) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass deep middle to 82-M.Manningham for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; New York Giants added 1 points from the ATL 2 (Q4 9:55) — 9-L.Tynes extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- New York Giants (Q2 43:50) — (13:50) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right [36-J.Sanders]. PENALTY on NYG-10-E.Manning, Intentional Grounding, 13 yards, enforced in End Zone, SAFETY.
- New York Giants (Q2 35:58) — (5:58) 27-B.Jacobs right end to ATL 15 for 34 yards (36-J.Sanders, 23-D.Robinson).
- Atlanta Falcons (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) 2-M.Ryan up the middle to NYG 24 for no gain (59-M.Boley, 97-L.Joseph).
- New York Giants (Q3 25:16) — (10:16) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass deep middle to 80-V.Cruz to ATL 35 for 22 yards (24-D.Franks) [56-S.Weatherspoon].
- Atlanta Falcons (Q2 40:31) — (10:31) 5-M.Bosher punts 27 yards to NYG 15, Center-82-J.Zelenka, fair catch by 36-W.Blackmon.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- New York Giants (Q3 17:58) — (2:58) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 72 yards, TOUCHDOWN [56-S.Weatherspoon].
- Atlanta Falcons (Q3 19:21) — (4:21) 2-M.Ryan up the middle to NYG 21 for no gain (90-J.Pierre-Paul, 93-C.Blackburn).
- Atlanta Falcons (Q2 45:00) — (15:00) 2-M.Ryan up the middle to NYG 24 for no gain (59-M.Boley, 97-L.Joseph).
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 1:07) — (1:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan sacked at NYG 25 for -8 yards (72-O.Umenyiora).
Quarterback report card
M.Ryan led all passers in efficiency for Atlanta Falcons, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- M.Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) · 44 dropbacks · 54.5% completion · +1.6% CPOE · -0.09 EPA/play · -4.07 total EPA
- E.Manning (New York Giants) · 36 dropbacks · 63.9% completion · +11.0% CPOE · +0.42 EPA/play · +15.25 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Atlanta Falcons | New York Giants |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.145 | +0.138 |
| Offensive success rate | 41.2% | 45.6% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.092 | +0.424 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.477 | -0.043 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.138 | +0.145 |
| Defensive success rate | 54.4% | 58.8% |
By the numbers
New York Giants held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.14 vs -0.14), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Atlanta Falcons: 11 drives, -11.59 total EPA, 0 scoring drives
- New York Giants: 11 drives, +10.92 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- New York Giants leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- E. Manning (New York Giants) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- E. Manning (NYG) beat expectation through the air — positive CPOE game for stack builds.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Atlanta Falcons Safety (+2) — Q2 43:50 · ATL 87 · Score 2-0
(13:50) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right [36-J.Sanders]. PENALTY on NYG-10-E.Manning, Intentional Grounding, 13 yards, enforced in End Zone, S - New York Giants TD (+6) — Q2 32:55 · ATL 4 · Score 2-6
(2:55) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New York Giants XP (+1) — Q2 32:47 · ATL 2 · Score 2-7
9-L.Tynes extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford. - New York Giants FG (+3) — Q3 22:55 · ATL 4 · Score 2-10
(7:55) 9-L.Tynes 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford. - New York Giants TD (+6) — Q3 17:58 · ATL 72 · Score 2-16
(2:58) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 72 yards, TOUCHDOWN [56-S.Weatherspoon]. - New York Giants XP (+1) — Q3 17:44 · ATL 2 · Score 2-17
9-L.Tynes extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford. - New York Giants TD (+6) — Q4 10:04 · ATL 27 · Score 2-23
(10:04) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass deep middle to 82-M.Manningham for 27 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - New York Giants XP (+1) — Q4 9:55 · ATL 2 · Score 2-24
9-L.Tynes extra point is GOOD, Center-51-Z.DeOssie, Holder-5-S.Weatherford.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants?
The New York Giants beat the Atlanta Falcons 24-2 in Week 18, 2011 on 2012-01-08.
What was the final score of Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants?
The final score was Atlanta Falcons 2, New York Giants 24 (ATL 2-24 NYG) in Week 18, 2011 on 2012-01-08.
What was the score by quarter in Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants?
Q2: Atlanta Falcons 2, New York Giants 7; Q3: Atlanta Falcons 0, New York Giants 10; Q4: Atlanta Falcons 0, New York Giants 7; Final: Atlanta Falcons 2, New York Giants 24.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants?
New York Giants touchdown — H. Nicks (E. Manning pass) (Q2 32:55) New York Giants touchdown — H. Nicks (E. Manning pass) (Q3 17:58) New York Giants touchdown — M. Manningham (E. Manning pass) (Q4 10:04) New York Giants field goal — L. Tynes (Q3 22:55, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants?
M. Ryan (Atlanta Falcons), 54.5% completion, +1.6% CPOE, -0.09 EPA per dropback, -4.07 total passing EPA. E. Manning (New York Giants), 63.9% completion, +11.0% CPOE, +0.42 EPA per dropback, +15.25 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Atlanta Falcons vs New York Giants?
E. Manning (New York Giants) led the game in total EPA with +15.25 on passing plays. across 36 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+6.40 EPA): (2:58) (Shotgun) 10-E.Manning pass short middle to 88-H.Nicks for 72 yards, TOUCHDOWN [56-S.Weatherspoon].. The biggest win-probability swing was -12.1%.
Season records after this game
Atlanta Falcons
Entered 10-6 Now 10-7 L
New York Giants
Entered 9-7 Now 10-7 W
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