Giants Beat Packers On Last-second Field Goal To Win Third Straight

Jordan Raanan
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Jordan Raanan
ESPN staff writer
Rob Demovsky
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Rob Demovsky
ESPN staff writer

December 11, 2023, 11:46 p.m. ET

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The New York Giants continued their improbable late-season surge as Randy Bullock capped a game-winning field goal in a 24-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium.

Undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito led a 57-yard game-winning drive after the Packers (6-7) led 22-21 with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Malik Heath with 1:33 left took the lead. But the Giants (5-8) were undeterred and, after their third straight win, are now one game behind the Packers and four other teams for the NFC's final wild-card spot.

New York Giants

At this point, you can't ignore it: The Giants are in the NFC playoff race after their win over the Packers at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants are one game behind five teams, including the Packers, after their third straight victory, which came on a game-winning field goal by Bullock with just time remaining. They do this with DeVito at quarterback and behind a defense that forces turnovers at an incredible rate. New York forced three turnovers again on Monday evening. The Giants have now forced 12 turnovers in their last three games – all wins.

DeVito's magical run led the Giants to a 57-yard drive in seven plays and the game-winning field goal. The undrafted rookie went 4-of-4 passing for 53 yards on the final drive.

Next week's match in New Orleans will now be important for both teams in terms of the final playoff spot in the weak NFC.

QB breakdown: It wasn't a perfect performance, but DeVito made enough big plays (especially in the second half) to win for the third time in four starts. DeVito completed 17 of 21 passes for 158 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also ran for 71 yards.

DeVito has now thrown seven touchdown passes to just one interception in his four starts without losing a fumble. He takes care of the ball, makes enough big plays and allows the Giants to control their defense.

“Tommy Cutlets,” the nickname he recently adopted, even cheered with his trademark pinched fingers when he hit Isaiah Hodgins with a perfect running pass for an 8-yard touchdown late in the third quarter, putting the Giants up 21 Lead brought -13. Let the DeVito madness continue.

Worrying Trend: Poor special teams play. It was a problem early this season, and it reared its ugly head on Monday night. The most costly mistake came on a short kick punt return midway through the third quarter. Returner Gunner Olszewski seemed late to alert his teammates to the short kick, which bounced off Bobby McCain's shoulder pad and was recovered deep in Giants territory. This ultimately led to three free points for the Packers. The Giants need to avoid mistakes like these. They've done them too many times this season.

Stunning next-gen values: 20.25 miles per hour. That's the speed wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson got on the handoff he received from Wildcat running back Saquon Barkley for a 32-yard gain in the second quarter. It was the fastest speed Robinson has reached this season after suffering a torn ACL as a rookie. This run set up Barkley for a 5-yard touchdown run on the very next play, making it 7-7 at the start of the second quarter. – Jordan Raanan

Next game: at Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Green Bay Packers

The last two games have shown that the Packers can beat anyone, even some of the NFL's best teams, the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs.

Monday night showed that they can still be beaten by anyone, even a Giants team that has four wins in this game against the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots and Washington Commanders (twice).

That's why anyone who wanted to get the Packers into the playoffs immediately after Kansas City surprisingly got them back to .500 at 6-6 last week should realize what can happen to a team in the final month of a season like that a lot of young players who have never experienced a playoff push before.

Monday night's loss dropped the Packers into a six-team bracket at 6-7, cutting their playoff chances to 47%, according to ESPN Analytics. A win would have increased their playoff chances to 76%. The schedule is still in their favor as there is only one team left among their final four opponents that currently has a winning record (Minnesota at 7-6).

Describe the game in two words: Unreal ending. The Giants looked like they had won before Barkley fumbled into Packers territory at the end of a 33-yard gain with 3:34 to play. Then it looked like the Packers had won when Love threw a 6-yard touchdown to Heath with 1:33 left. Then the Giants actually won with a field goal as time expired.

Worrying trend: Keisean Nixon's fumble in the third quarter was the Packers' seventh lost fumble on a punt return since Matt LaFleur became the Packers' coach in 2019. That's tied with the Titans, who had the second-most fumbles in that span behind only the Chiefs (with eight). It was the Packers' third turnover of the game. The only previous time they had three giveaways this season was their Week 5 loss at the Raiders, also on “Monday Night Football.”

Worrying Trend II: The Packers still haven't had a 100-yard rusher or 100-yard receiver in a game this season. They're one of only two teams that don't (the Patriots are the other). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first time since 1934 that the Packers did not have an individual 100-yard rusher or receiver in their first 13 games.

Promising trend: Rookie Jayden Reed knows how to find the end zone. It doesn't matter whether you're a ball carrier or a receiver. His 16-yard end-around for a score in the first quarter was his seventh touchdown of the season, tied with Bijan Robinson, Jordan Addison and Tank Dell for second among all rookies, behind only running back De'Von Achane (with nine). Dolphins back. . Reed (with two) and Deebo Samuel (five) are the only receivers in the league with multiple rushing touchdowns this season. – Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. Buccaneers (1 p.m. ET, Sunday)