Jahmyr Gibbs' OT touchdown run caps career day as Lions pull off wild rally to beat Giants

(Getty Images)

Detroit — The New York Giants played like they had nothing to lose.

The strategy served them well most of Sunday afternoon’s game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. But when the visitors reached for the dagger in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, having led since the game’s opening possession, a missed connection in the end zone left the door open for the Lions to orchestrate a dramatic comeback.

First, Jake Bates made a 59-yard field goal in the final minute to send the contest to overtime. When the kick left Bates’ foot at the end of the fourth quarter, the home crowd groaned as it started wide right, before knuckling back left just inside the right upright.

Then, on the first play of overtime, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs capped a career day with a 69-yard touchdown run, giving him 219 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the day.

The Giants worked into Lions territory with their allotted response in OT, but Aidan Hutchinson sacked quarterback Jameis Winston on fourth down to end the contest.

The result reflected the continuation of two trends. First, the Giants' propensity for collapsing late in games this season. Second, the Lions maintained a three-year streak of winning a game immediately following a loss.

New York made Detroit (7-4) work for every bit of the victory, allowing the team to keep pace in the NFC North following wins by Green Bay and Chicago during the 1 p.m. slate.

The Giants (2-10), in their second game under interim coach Mike Kafka, and playing with a backup quarterback, found the end zone twice on trick plays, including a 39-yard double-pass to open the scoring.

Impressively, they held that lead until late in the fourth quarter, extending it to double-digits three times, including a fourth-quarter touchdown pass from wide receiver Gunner Olszewski to Winston.

New York went for the throat in the game’s closing minutes, but failed to convert on fourth-and-goal when cornerback Rock Ya-Sin deflected a pass into the end zone, leaving the door open for Detroit.

Pinned deep in their own territory, the Lions worked into range for Bates’ long kick that sent the game into overtime, where Gibbs put the finishing touches on the rally.

Scoring summary

First quarter

● 12:56 — On third-and-2 on the game’s opening drive, the Giants executed a double-pass, with running back Devin Singletary taking a pitch going right before throwing it back to Winston, who uncorked a deep ball to Wan’Dale Robinson, who was wide open for the 39-yard score. GIANTS 7, LIONS 0

● 0:03 — With a handful of big gains through the air, and aided by yet another penalty against Lions safety Brian Branch for unnecessary roughness after a helmet-to-helmet hit on a defenseless receiver, the Giants drove 87 yards on 10 plays before stalling inside the 5-yard line and settling for a chip shot field goal from Younghoe Koo. GIANTS 10, LIONS 0

Second quarter

● 11:41 — Detroit cruised down the field and earned a first-and-goal at the 1-yard line after Amon-Ra St. Brown drew a pass interference penalty. But things got clunky when David Montgomery got dropped for no gain on first down and Jared Goff was flagged for intentional grounding on second. Regardless, the Lions salvaged the series with a receiver screen to St. Brown that went for an 11-yard score. GIANTS 10, LIONS 7

● 8:21 — Sparked by a 42-yard outlet throw to running back Tyrone Tracy that beat Detroit’s all-out blitz, the Giants countered with a touchdown when Winston found Isaiah Hodgins in the back of the end zone for a 12-yard score on a third-and-8 snap. GIANTS 17, LIONS 7

● 2:16 — After Detroit’s defense forced a three-and-out, Gibbs got all three touches on a quick-strike touchdown drive. Following a 43-yard run up the gut that the speedster bounced toward the right sideline, he capped the series with a 3-yard scoring grab, extending the ball across the goal line before going out of bounds. GIANTS 17, LIONS 14

● 0:38 — The Lions defense continued to get gouged by chunk plays. Rock-Ya Sin was hit with a 24-yard pass interference infraction before Winston connected with Robinson for a 26-yard gain. That set up a 44-yard Koo field goal with less than a minute remaining in the half. GIANTS 20, LIONS 14

● 0:00 — A 44-yard kickoff return and 30-yard reception by Kalif Raymond allowed the Lions to respond with a 37-yard Bates field goal heading into the half. GIANTS 20, LIONS 17

Third quarter

● None

Fourth quarter

● 12:16 — Pulling out all the stops, the Giants flipped the ball to Gunner Olszewski on an end-around, only for the receiver to step up and deliver a pass to Winston, who broke a tackle attempt by linebacker Derrick Barnes and danced into the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown. GIANTS 27, LIONS 17

● 10:50 — Leaning into their star power, Detroit opened its counter with a 27-yard pass to St. Brown. Two snaps later, running between left tackle Taylor Decker and guard Kayode Awosika, Gibbs pinballed off multiple Giants defenders and hit the afterburners down the right sideline for a 49-yard touchdown run. GIANTS 27, LIONS 24

● 0:28 — Backed up at their own 5-yard line, the Lions managed to work to the outer edge of Bates’ range for a 59-yard, game-tying field goal. LIONS 27, GIANTS 27

Overtime

● 9:53 — Much like his fourth-quarter romp, Gibbs went up the gut and angled right, going untouched on the 69-yard, go-ahead touchdown. LIONS 34, GIANTS 27

Turnovers

● Late in the third quarter, with the Lions driving, Goff’s pass ricocheted off the hands of St. Brown and was intercepted by Giants safety Javon Holland.

● One play after Gibbs’ long touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Winston rolled out and was pressured by Hutchinson. The QB’s throw to Robinson was undercut by Lions safety Thomas Harper for his first interception of the season.

Injuries

● Raymond left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury.

Key stats

● Goff completed 28-of-42 for 279 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

● St. Brown finished with nine grabs on 13 targets for 149 yards and a touchdown.

● Gibbs had 219 rushing yards on 15 carries and added 11 receptions for 45 yards, finding the end zone three times.

● Jack Campbell paced the Lions with 11 tackles. Hutchinson had six stops, two tackles for a loss, six QB hits, and the game-ending sack.

Notable

● In his first game in 360 days, linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez made the tackle on the game’s opening kickoff.

● Jameson Williams had a 36-yard catch wiped out by an ineligible receiver downfield penalty committed by center Graham Glasgow.

● St. Brown became the second-fastest player in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions. He needed 77 games to hit the mark. Michael Thomas did it in 69 games.

Inactives

The Lions made the following players inactive for the contest: Safety Kerby Joseph, cornerback Terrion Arnold, running back Craig Reynolds, defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson, cornerback Nick Whiteside and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo.

It was the fifth straight game that a lingering knee injury has sidelined Joseph, while Arnold has been in concussion protocol the past two weeks. The other four were healthy scratches.

Next game

Detroit welcomes Green Bay to town for a critical NFC North matchup on Thanksgiving.