Randy Bullock – © USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK GIANTS 24 – GREEN BAY PACKERS 22…
The New York Giants upset the Green Bay Packers 24-22 in dramatic fashion on Monday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. New York won the game with a 37-yard field goal as time expired. The Giants have now won three games in a row to improve their overall record to 5-8. Miraculously, the Giants are only one game out of the final playoff spot in the NFC.
The overall team statistics were as close as the final score. The Packers had one more first down than the Giants (19 to 18), but the Giants had more total net yards (367 to 326). The Giants out-rushed the Packers 209 to 123 but the Packers had more net passing yards, 203 to 158. Both teams lost two fumbles and the the Packers also threw an interception.
Green Bay received the ball to start the game. Their first two drives combined for 24 yards, a first down, and two punts. Meanwhile, the Giants picked up two first downs on their first possession before punting. A 15-yard penalty on the Packers’ punt team set up the Giants at the Green Bay 32-yard line on New York’s second possession. However, the Giants could not advance the ball and kicker Randy Bullock missed his 48-yard field goal attempt.
The Packers broke the scoreless tie at the end of the first quarter with a 7-play, 62-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Green Bay converted on 4th-and-1 with a one-yard pass that barely picked up the first down (it was originally ruled that cornerback Deonte Banks had tackled the receiver short of the marker). The Packers made the Giants pay with a 35-yard pass to running back A.J. Dillon on the next play. Wide receiver Jayden Reed then scored on a 16-yard end around.
The Giants responded with a touchdown drive of their own, moving the ball 75 yards in eight plays. Out of the Wild Cat formation, running back Saquon Barkley handed off to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who picked up 32 yards. Barkley scored around left end on the next play from five yards out to tie the game at 7-7.
Green Bay again moved the ball on their next possession, gaining 48 yards. However, on 3rd-and-2 from the New York 27-yard line, outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux forced quarterback Jordan Love to fumble after he gained a yard on a run. Safety Xavier McKinney recovered at the 27. The Giants gave the ball back to the Packers near midfield a few plays later when Barkley was stuffed for no gain on 4th-and-1. But two snaps after that, safety Jason Pinnock intercepted a deep pass from Love and returned it 21 yards to the New York 44-yard line.
The Giants went three-and-out. The Packers then drove 65 yards in 10 plays to set up a 36-yard field goal that gave them a 10-7 lead right before halftime.
New York’s short-yardage issues continued on their first drive of the second half. Barkley lost a yard on 3rd-and-1 and the Giants were forced to punt. Green Bay’s returner muffed the punt, picked it up, and fumbled when hit by cornerback Darnay Holmes. Linebacker Benton Whitley recovered the fumble at Green Bay’s 31-yard line. On 2nd-and-6, quarterback Tommy DeVito ran for 26 yards down to the one-yard line. Barkley then scored to give the Giants a 14-10 lead.
It was now the Giants who had issues on special teams. After forcing the Packers to kick the ball away, the punt grazed safety Bobby McCain and was recovered by Green Bay at the New York 14-yard line. The defense held and the Packers were forced to settle for a 32-yard field goal.
The Giants responded with an impressive 10-play, 75-yard drive that extended their advantage to 21-13. DeVito completed a nine-yard pass to tight end Daniel Bellinger on 3rd-and-9. A run by DeVito and two by running back Matt Breida gained 29 yards. DeVito then connected with Robinson on for 25 yards off a flea flicker. On 3rd-and-7, DeVito scrambled to his right and threw a perfect pass to wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins in the end zone for an 8-yard score.
The Packers threatened on their next possession, reaching the Giants’ 16-yard line. Banks tackled Reed for a 1-yard loss on a double reverse. On 3rd-and-11, defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari combined for 10-yard sack. The Packers then missed the 45-yard field goal attempt with just under 11 minutes left in the game. Nevertheless, after the Giants went three-and-out, the Packers cut the score to 21-16 with a 48-yard field goal after a 7-play-54 yard drive.
The Giants got the ball back with 5:30 left to play, ahead by five points. New York’s ground game kicked into overdrive. Barkley picked up six yards, then 17. On his third carry in a row, he broke off a 34-yard run. However, he stumbled and fumbled the ball away at the 15-yard line. The Packers recovered the loose ball and returned it 50 yards to the New York 36-yard line.
This dramatic turn of events got worse for New York as the Packers converted on 3rd-and-1, 3rd-and-4, and then 3rd-and-goal from the six-yard line for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:33 left to play. The two-point conversion attempt failed and the Packers now led 22-21.
The final kickoff resulted in a touchback. DeVito’s first three passes resulted in short completions of 5, 7, and 9 yards to the New York 46-yard line. Then came a huge 32-yard completion to Robinson down to the Green Bay 22-yard line. Barkley then ran three times for 4, -3, and 3 yards. With two seconds on the clock, Bullock came out to attempt the game-winning 37-yard field goal. He nailed it and the Giants walked off with the win.
DeVito finished the game 17-of-21 for 158 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. He was not sacked, rushed for 71 yards on ten carries, and finished with a quarterback rating of 113.9. His leading receiver was Robinson, who caught six passes for 79 yards. Barkley carried the ball 20 times for 86 yards and two touchdown.
Defensively, Banks led the defense with 12 tackles and a pass defense. Thibodeaux and defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson each had eight tackles. The Giants had two sacks, and Ojulari was credited with three quarterback hits.
GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS are available on YouTube.
INACTIVES AND INJURY REPORT…
Inactive for the game were WR Parris Campbell (knee), RT Evan Neal (ankle), RB Jashaun Corbin, OLB Boogie Basham, and S Gervarrius Owens.
POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Brian Daboll and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Head Coach Brian Daboll will address the media on Tuesday.
