The New York Giants and Washington Commanders locked up in a Week 13 game that had significant playoff ramifications.
You couldn’t tell by how the Giants left the gate, losing a fumble early and falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter. But then they settled in and went on a 20-3 run to bring the score to 20-13 early in the third quarter.
From there, things hit a wall. Both defenses tightened up and foolish penalties on both sides ruined offensive drives. A 52-yard field from Joey Slye also sailed wide, which left Washington down a touchdown.
The Giants twice had a chance to put them game away in the fourth quarter but couldn’t manage. Conservative play-calling and the aforementioned penalties stunted them. A late Darius Slayton drop was also a killer.
A huge fourth quarter conversion with just over 2:00 remaining kept the Commanders alive and they eventually capped the drive off. Several missed tackles allowed Jahan Dotson to stumble into the endzone to tie the game with 1:45 remaining.
The game went into overtime and played out much like the second half. Both teams had a chance to win the game but sloppy play, poor play-calling and miscommunication crippled each side.
Things ultimately ended with a dud and a 20-20 tie as a 58-yard Graham Gano field goal fell short as time expired.