The New York Giants had a once-in-a-generation collapse. Here’s how it happened.
Entering Sunday, NFL teams had won 1,602 consecutive games when they were leading by 18 points in the final six minutes of a game.
On Sunday, that streak was broken.
The New York Giants had a historic collapse against the Denver Broncos, losing 33-32 in what was the wildest game of the NFL season so far.
With rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart under center, the Giants appeared to be turning their season around, taking a 19-0 lead into the fourth quarter against the Broncos and their stingy defense.
New York was stuck on 19 because of a missed extra point and a failed 2-point conversion, both of were factors in the roller-coaster final frame.
The Broncos’ comeback began early in the fourth, when a tipped pass in the end zone fell into the hands of Troy Franklin for a touchdown. Denver completed a 2-point conversion to cut the lead to 19-8.
Not to be outdone, the Giants followed up with a tip-drill touchdown of their own, as Theo Johnson caught a deflected pass on third-and-17 and ran with it for a 41-yard score on the ensuing possession.
Johnson’s score spiked New York’s win probability. On the Broncos’ next drive, they faced third-and-12 from their own 47 with 7 minutes and 12 seconds to go. At that moment, the Giants’ win probability was 99.8%, according to ESPN.
But a 9-yard pass and a defensive pass interference penalty on the next two plays gave Denver new life. Quarterback Bo Nix would lead the team down the field for another score, running for a touchdown with 5 minutes and 13 seconds to go. Denver converted another 2-pointer to make the score 26-16.
On the Giants’ next drive, Dart made a backbreaking mistake.
On third-and-5, he was picked off by Justin Strnad, who ran the ball back 21 yards to set up Denver’s offense inside the red zone.
Four plays later, Nix threw another touchdown pass to cut the lead to 26-23.
New York couldn’t answer the score, punting after only three plays and taking only a minute and 9 seconds off the clock in the process.
Six plays. Sixty-eight yards and 51 seconds later, the Broncos had their first lead of the game. Nix completed a 31-yard pass on third-and-11 to keep the scoring drive alive, then ran for a touchdown three plays later to put Denver ahead.
But the drama was far from finished.
With 1 minute and 8 seconds to go, the Giants were staring down a fourth-and-19 from their own 26-yard line and the game on the line. Dart scrambled and found Wan’Dale Robinson for first down, with a roughing-the-passer penalty giving New York another 15 yards.
After a pass interference penalty moved the Giants all the way to the 1-yard line, Dart called his own number for a score. Crucially, however, New York kicker Jude McAtamney missed his second extra point of the game, which meant the Giants led by only 2, 32-30, with 37 seconds to go.
Still, with no timeouts left, the Broncos faced an uphill climb to get in position for another score.
But their next drive started fortuitously, when Nix seemingly overthrew a receiver only for the ball to fall into the hands of an awaiting Marvin Mims for a 29-yard gain. As Denver lined up to spike the ball after the completion, a New York defender couldn’t get onside in time, giving the Broncos 5 more yards.
After the penalty, Nix found Courtland Sutton for 22 yards, putting Denver firmly in field-goal range. The Broncos spiked the ball with 3 seconds left, bringing on Will Lutz for a 39-yard kick.
The field goal easily sailed through the uprights, and Denver’s shocking comeback was complete.
The Broncos’ 33 points in the fourth quarter were the most in NFL history by a team that had been shut out during the first three quarters, per ESPN. Denver went from having a 0.2% chance of winning to improving to 5-2, remaining in first place in the AFC West.
The Giants, meanwhile, were robbed of winning two straight games for the first time this season. And instead of being 3-4 and potentially in the playoff hunt, New York exited Sunday tied for the second fewest wins in the NFC.
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