The 0-3 New York Giants entered this week’s game against the New Orleans Saints desperate for a win. They were up against a formidable defense in the Saints’ 6th-ranked unit and the large, raucous New Orleans crowd, who were witnessing their team live for the first time this season.
Both defenses ruled the early going until the Giants drove 67 yards on 10 plays on their third possession to the Saints’ 16. They sputtered again the red zone and lined up for what appeared to be an easy three points, but kicker Graham Gano hooked the kicked left.
New Orleans came back with a drive of their own, going 35 yards on eight plays to the Giants’ 40. The defense held again on third down. Ex-Giant Aldrick Rosas’ 58-yard attempt sailed wide right to keep the game scoreless with just under nine minutes remaining in the second quarter.
The Giants took possession on their own 48. On first down, quarterback Daniel Jones fired a perfect pass down the middle of the field to wide receiver John Ross, who was making his Giants’ debut. Ross reeled it in and dove into the end zone with with two Saints defenders all over him. The ball came loose but Ross recovered it in the end zone. The replay upheld the TD catch and the Giants had a surprising 7-0 lead.
New Orleans drove into Giants territory for the fourth time in four possessions late in the second quarter. They drove 90 yards on 13 plays and tied the game at seven on a Jameis Winston-to-Juwan Johnson 15-yard TD connection on a third and six. It was the fourth straight game the Giants’ defense allowed a touchdown in the final two minutes of the first half.
New Orleans received the ball to open the second half and drove 75 yards on three plays to take a 14-7 lead when backup quarterback/everyman Taysom Hill rumbled through a slew of lax Giants defenders for an eight-yard score. The Giants’ defense was a sieve on the drive. James Bradberry was beaten by Marquez Callaway for a 58-yard reception down the middle.
But the Giants’ offense behind Jones was not about to fold up the tent. Jones continued to utilize his new weapons. Completions to rookie Kadarius Toney and expensive free agents Kenny Golladay and Kyle Rudolph got Big Blue down to the Saints’ three yard-line. However, the red zone offense fell apart again with some dubious play calling (a sweep to Evan Engram on second down loss two yards) and shoddy execution. They had to settle for 23-yard field goal from Gano.
The Giants lucked out on the Saints’ next drive when a 46-yard TD strike from Winston to Kenny Stills was nullified by a holding penalty by tight end Adam Trautman. Hill received Winston on the next play and his pass intended for Deonte Harris was intercepted by Bradberry on the Giants’ 12.
The third quarter ended with New Orleans leading, 14-10. In the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Saints drove 63 yards in 11 plays to take a 21-10 lead on Hill’s second touchdown run of the afternoon.
The Giants weren’t done by a long stretch. After they forced a Saints’ punt that C.J. Board returned 15 yards to his own 46. Jones hit running back Saquon Barkley down the left sideline for q 54-yard touchdown on first down. Jones ran in the two-point conversion to narrow the lead to 21-18.
On the Saints’ next possession, the Giants’ defense forced another punt and took possession on their own 11 with 3:01 remaining. The drive stalled on the New Orleans 30 after an 11-play drive. Graham Gano tied the game at 21 with a 48-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining.
In overtime, the Giants won the toss and elected to receive. They didn’t give the Saints a shot a the ball, driving 80 yards on nine plays, winning the game on Barkley’s six-yard TD run with 4:54 left in overtime.
The Giants are now 1-3 and could possibly have been 3-1 or 2-2 on the year, losing their last two games in the final seconds.
Notes
- As expected, wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton were inactive with hamstring strains.
- Reggie Ragland started at inside linebacker next to Tae Crowder in place of the injured Blake Martinez, who is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. Crowder wore the headset and called the defensive signals again.
- Jabrill Peppers left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.
- Graham Gano had made 37 consecutive field goals when he hooked a 35-yarder early in the second quarter. That was the fourth-longest streak in NFL history. He didn’t allow the miss to shake him as he made his other kicks.
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