Daniel Jones throws a career-high five touchdown passes as the New York Giants defeat the Washington Redskins, 41-35, in overtime.
Nobody would have thought a game between two 3-11 teams would turn out as the most entertaining game of the day, but that’s exactly what happened when the New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins, 41-35, in an overtime thriller.
Both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley had career days to help Big Blue prevail. The 279 all-purpose yards were the most in Barkley’s two-year career while Jones had a career-high five touchdown passes and set a new rookie franchise record with 23 touchdown passes for the season.
The game had the makings of a shootout from the opening possession. The Giants marched down the field quickly on the opening possession of the game that ultimately culminated in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Sterling Shepard.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1208811807151992832?s=20
Washington would respond on their first possession of the game on a Dwayne Haskins 10-yard touchdown pass to Steve Sims Jr., to tie the game at seven.
What a THROW by @dh_simba7
What a CATCH by @StevenSimsJr #NYGvsWAS@budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/OGF6hOW89u— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2019
It would take the Giants just two plays to go back in front, as Barkley scored on a 67-yard touchdown run to put the Giants up 14-7.
You knew he was going to do it …#GiantsPride | #NYGvsWAS pic.twitter.com/APam4jSTWj
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2019
The Redskins would respond on a 12 play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Haskins six-yard touchdown pass to Hale Hentges, to tie the game at 14.
First career TD for @HaleHentges #NYGvsWAS@budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/jnW9nymoK1
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2019
The Giants offense kept on rolling on the next drive, as they marched down the field 75 yards on 10 plays as Jones connected with Barkley on a 33-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-14.
https://twitter.com/Giants/status/1208823125607157761?s=20
Both defenses finally began to show life as the following three possessions of the game resulted in punts.
Big Blue would extend its lead to 28-14 with just 38 seconds remaining in the first half, courtesy of a Jones 10-yard strike to Cody Latimer to close out the first-half scoring.
DJ just having a day#GiantsPride | #NYGvsWAS pic.twitter.com/Cb6phNQ3sS
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2019
The Giants would knock Haskins out of the game on the Redskins’ first play of the second half due to an ankle injury. He was sacked by Lorenzo Carter and Markus Golden. Case Keenum would come in to relieve Haskins.
Washington would score the first points of the second half on a Keenum seven-yard touchdown to Sims Jr. to cut the deficit to 28-21.
NICE @StevenSimsJr #NYGvsWAS @budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/HEWFTde5RJ
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2019
Big Blue would respond quickly on a five-play, 73-yard drive that ended with Jones throwing his fourth touchdown of the game. This one went to Kaden Smith from nine yards out to make the score 35-21.
Daniel Jones. That's it. That's the tweet#GiantsPride | #NYGvsWAS pic.twitter.com/ZMsCW8B1ld
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2019
The score would remain the same until 14:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Adrian Peterson scored on a one-yard touchdown run to cut the Giants lead to 35-28. The Giants almost extended their lead on their next possession, but an Aldrick Rosas 53-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left with 11:25 remaining in regulation.
1⃣1⃣1⃣ #NYGvsWAS | @budlight| #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/6ofZmiJcfW
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2019
The two teams would trade punts on the next two possession of the game. Then Washington went on a 14-play, 99-yard touchdown drive that culminated in a Keenum one-yard touchdown run, and with Dustin Hopkins’s extra-point attempt good, the game was tied with just 29 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Giants would attempt a Hail Mary on the final play of regulation, but the pass fell incomplete.
‼ TOUCHDOWN ‼#NYGvsWAS | @budlight | #BudLightCelly pic.twitter.com/eDatodMDBv
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 22, 2019
The Giants would win the overtime coin toss and eventually go on an 11-play, 66-yard game-winning drive that culminated in Jones’s second touchdown pass to Kaden Smith from three yards out to seal the win. To make the victory even sweeter for the Giants was the fact that former Giant Landon Collins was covering Smith on the game-winning play.
FOR. THE. WIN.#GiantsPride | #NYGvsWAS pic.twitter.com/b5oPT0LCO8
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 22, 2019
With the win, the Giants swept the season series from the Redskins. The bad news from a fan’s perspective is that they may miss out on drafting Chase Young.
The Giants will close out their 2019 next week against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium.