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Play-by-play review of final stop by Giants’ defense

Giants escape after wild, nerve-wracking final defensive stand

Syndication: The Record
The Giants stop Jacksonville’s Christian Kirk on the game’s final play Sunday.
Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

The final 1:04 of the New York Giants’ 23-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday had to be the longest, most nerve-wracking 64 seconds any Giants fan has experienced in a very, very long time.

It was undoubtedly a sweaty-palms experience for the Giants and their fans.

“Good to get a win,” said head coach Brian Daboll. “Shouldn’t have come down to that, though.”

It would not have had Saquon Barkley not been ruled — after review — to have gone out of bounds on the Giants’ final offensive play. That ended up putting :42 back on the clock, moving it from :25 to 1:07, and playing a a huge role in what was about to transpire.

“I’ve gotta be better at situational football there,” Barkley said. “I’ve just gotta be better. I’m expected to understand the situation, I knew the situation. I tried to get down, but gotta do a better job of it.”

Barkley had three chances on the Giants’ final drive to stay in bounds on runs, but ended up out of bounds all three times.

Anyway, here is the play-by-play-that followed Graham Gano’s 34-yard field goal with 1:04 left.

  • Gano’s squib kick nearly went out of bounds, but squirted into the end zone for a touchback.
  • With no timeouts, Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence was incomplete on his first two passes. On third down, he hit Christian Kirk for 10 yards and a first down at the 35-yard line. There were :55 left.
  • Dexter Lawrence then sacked the Jaguars’ QB, but holding on Adoree’ Jackson gave Jacksonville a first down at the 40-yard and stopped the clock with :42 to play.
  • Next, Lawrence threw an errant pass that Fabian Moreau intercepted. A shaky hands to the face penalty on Dane Belton of the Giants negated that. First down Jacksonville, :35 to play.
  • Three incompletions and a Jaguar false start made it fourth-and-15 with :22 to play.
  • Lawrence stunningly found Marvin Jones across the middle for 28 yards. Roughing the passer on Leonard Williams put the ball at the Giants’ 17-yard line with :16 left.
  • Two incompletions set up third down with :07 left.
  • Lawrence hit Kirk at the 1-yard line, but Julian Love, Xavier McKinney and Moreau combined to keep him out of the end zone.

From the official NFL Gamebook:

Here is Bob Papa’s call of the final play on the Giants’ Radio Network: