Two defensive touchdowns. Three turnovers. Forty-five rushing yards. That’s your New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons match player stats summary right there. The Falcons demolished the Giants 34-7 in Week 16, with Drew Lock throwing two interceptions returned for touchdowns in what might be the worst quarterback performance of the season.
The Damage: Quarter by Quarter
Q1: 0-0 (Both teams feeling out)
Q2: Giants 7, Falcons 17 (Lock melts down)
Q3: Giants 0, Falcons 14 (Game over)
Q4: Giants 0, Falcons 3 (Garbage time)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium | December 22, 2024 | Attendance: 70,404
Injury Report: No significant injuries reported for either team during the game. Both squads entered relatively healthy, making this beatdown even more concerning for New York.
Giants Offense: Complete Statistical Breakdown
Passing Game Collapse
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating | Y/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drew Lock | 22/39 | 210 | 1 | 2 | 56.4 | 5.38 |
Lock’s two pick-sixes killed any chance the Giants had. First one went to Jessie Bates III for 55 yards. Second to Matt Judon for 27. When your QB throws more touchdowns to the other team than his own, you’re done.
Why the picks happened: Lock faced constant pressure (3+ sacks) behind a makeshift offensive line. With no running game to keep Atlanta honest, the Falcons’ secondary sat on routes. Bates jumped an out route perfectly. Judon? He just read Lock’s eyes on a crossing pattern.
Ground Game? What Ground Game?
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrone Tracy Jr. | 7 | 26 | 3.7 | 5 | 0 |
| Devin Singletary | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Darius Slayton | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Drew Lock | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 13 | 45 | 3.5 | 6 | 0 |
Thirteen carries. Forty-five yards. Their longest run came from a wide receiver. The Falcons knew exactly what was coming every play.
Receiving Numbers
| Player | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Nabers | 7 | 68 | 9.7 | 21 | 0 |
| Wan’Dale Robinson | 7 | 62 | 8.9 | 15 | 0 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr. | 4 | 43 | 10.8 | 16 | 1 |
| Darius Slayton | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 21 | 0 |
| Jalin Hyatt | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Daniel Bellinger | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
| Eric Gray | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
Nabers and Robinson combined for 14 catches but just 130 yards. That’s a lot of dump-offs and check-downs. Tracy Jr. caught the Giants’ only TD from 2 yards out. Big whoop.
Falcons Offense: Penix Manages First Start
Rookie QB Stats
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Rating | Y/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Penix Jr. | 18/27 | 202 | 0 | 1 | 66.7 | 7.48 |
Penix didn’t need to be special. Just don’t screw up when your defense is scoring touchdowns. Mission accomplished. His 7.48 yards per attempt shows he at least pushed the ball downfield, unlike Lock.
Robinson Powers Ground Attack
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | 22 | 94 | 4.3 | 14 | 2 |
| Tyler Allgeier | 11 | 22 | 2.0 | 12 | 0 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 |
| Michael Penix Jr. | 4 | 3 | 0.8 | 5 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 38 | 127 | 3.3 | 14 | 2 |
Robinson scored his 9th and 10th rushing TDs of the season. Nothing flashy, just grinding out yards and finding the end zone when it mattered.
Falcons Receiving Stats
| Player | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darnell Mooney | 5 | 82 | 16.4 | 22 | 0 |
| Drake London | 5 | 59 | 11.8 | 19 | 0 |
| Ray-Ray McCloud | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 8 | 0 |
| Charlie Blair | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 17 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 13 | 0 |
| Tyler Allgeier | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 7 | 0 |
Mooney led with 82 yards. Blair caught his first pass of 2024. Seven different guys caught passes. That’s how you support a rookie QB.
Defense Wins Games (Literally)
Atlanta’s Game-Wreckers
Jessie Bates III: 55-yard pick-six at 7:56 in Q2. Changed everything.
Matt Judon: 27-yard pick-six at 14:20 in Q3. First career TD in his 129th game. Talk about picking your moment.
Pass Rush: 3+ sacks on Lock. Constant pressure all game.
Arnold Ebiketie: Fumble recovery because why not?
The Falcons defense outscored the Giants offense 14-7. Read that again.
Special Teams
| Kicker | FG | XP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riley Patterson (ATL) | 2/2 (52 long) | 4/4 | 10 |
| Graham Gano (NYG) | 0/0 | 1/1 | 1 |
Patterson drilled everything, including a 52-yarder. Perfect day when it all counts.
Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | Giants | Falcons |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 234 | 329 |
| Plays Run | 53 | 65 |
| Yards/Play | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| First Downs | 15 | 18 |
| 3rd Down | 4/13 (31%) | 5/12 (42%) |
| Time of Possession | 25:32 | 34:28 |
| Penalties | 10-85 | 3-30 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
Atlanta controlled the clock for nearly 35 minutes. Add in the Giants’ 10 penalties and three turnovers, and you get a blowout.
What Really Happened
Giants actually led 7-0 after Lock found Tracy Jr. for a TD at 14:53 in the second quarter. Then the wheels came off.
Bates picked off Lock and housed it. Suddenly it’s 10-7 Falcons. Robinson punches in a TD before halftime. 17-7.
Get this: Judon starts the second half with another pick-six. That’s 24-7 just like that. Robinson adds another score. Game over.
This Giants team is 2-13 for a reason. Can’t run (45 yards), can’t protect (3+ sacks), can’t hold onto the ball (3 turnovers). They’re already eliminated from playoff contention and playing for draft position. This loss might actually help them land a top-3 pick.
Atlanta? They’re technically alive for a wild card at 8-7, but need help. What matters more is Penix showing he can manage a game. With that defense and Robinson running hard, they’ve got pieces for 2025.
Previous Meetings: This was the only Giants-Falcons matchup in 2024. These NFC teams don’t face each other often (once every three years typically). Their last meeting? Atlanta won that one too. The Giants haven’t beaten the Falcons since 2018.
Key Matchup Context
For more Week 16 action, check ESPN’s complete scoreboard. Want the play-by-play breakdown? Pro Football Reference has you covered.
See how these teams stack up in other matchups: Falcons vs Eagles breakdown.
FAQs
Giants: Tyrone Tracy Jr. (receiving). Falcons: Bijan Robinson (2 rushing), Jessie Bates III (INT return), Matt Judon (INT return).
Lock: 22/39, 210 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT. Penix: 18/27, 202 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. One threw pick-sixes, one didn’t.
Everything. Two pick-sixes. Forty-five rushing yards. Ten penalties. Three turnovers. Pick one.
Mooney (82 yards) for Atlanta. Nabers (68 yards) for New York.
At least three, with constant pressure throughout.
Bottom Line
The New York Giants vs Atlanta Falcons match player stats show exactly why one team is 2-13 and the other just dominated on both sides of the ball. When your defense scores more than their offense, that’s not just winning. That’s embarrassment. Falcons 34, Giants 7, and it wasn’t that close.
