Tynes FG in OT stops 4-game slide
EAST RUTHERFORD - At the rate the Giants were going for nearly six weeks, any win is a good win.
How they got it done would not matter. They got it done.
It took a game-winning walk off field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes to get it done along with the fortunate bounce of the coin, but the Giants (6-4) ended their drought of 42 days and four games without a win by beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-31 at Giants Stadium.
The game would not have needed the extra session if the Giants defense, originally the team’s backbone, now playing the role of "liability", did not allow the Falcons to score two fourth quarter touchdowns in the game's final seven minutes to erase a 31-17 deficit forcing overtime.
By winning the coin toss, the Giants offense, not meeting much resistance from the porous Falcons pass defense all day, quickly marched down the field into field goal range for the winning kick.
In the first half, the Giants as a whole resembled the team that was 5-0 to begin the season. After an initial bad decision by Eli Manning on the offenses' first possession to throw an interception on third-and-29 play instead of playing field position, the groans from the crowd in The Meadowlands had the feeling of "Here we go again".
The Falcons did not take advantage and Tynes connected a 39-yard field goal to give the Giants an early lead. Atlanta responded by driving 65 yards in nine plays as fill in Jason Snelling scored untouched on a 7-yard touchdown run up the middle to make it 7-3.
In the second quarter, Tunes missed a 31-yard attempt. However, after a gaining great field position at their own 48 after a Falcons punt, quarterback Eli Manning drove the offense down, connecting with Hakeem Nicks (5 catches – 65 yards) for a completion of 30 yards. On the next play, Manning found tight end Kevin Boss open on the right sideline, stiff-armed cornerback Eric Coleman to the ground on his way to a 28 yard touchdown catch to take a 10-7 advantage.
Late in the half, a sack by Justin Tuck forced a fumble that Osi Umenyiora recovered at the Falcons 34. Six plays later, Manning once again found Boss (5 catches, 76 yards, 2 TD’s) in the end zone for their second touchdown connection and 17-7 halftime lead.
The Falcons cut the lead to three at the start of the third quarter when Snelling scored his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard run. The Giants came right back, driving 74 yards. Steve Smith (four catches – 79 yards) beat cornerback Chris Houston on a 51-yard catch to get down to the Atlanta 23. With the ball at the two, Jacobs found open space after running through a leg tackle and walked into the end zone standing up to increase the margin back to 10.
After Jason Elam’s 25-yard field goal cut the Giants lead to 24-17, the offense drove down the field again, this time 79 yards as Manning found fullback Madison Hedgecock for a 3-yard touchdown with 12:08 remaining to give the Giants a 31-17 cushion.
Quarterback Matt Ryan calmly moved the Falcons offense to within a touchdown when on a 12-play drive, he found open receiver Eric Weems on a four-yard touchdown pass and put the game in the hands of the Giants offense to run out the clock if they could pick up several first downs.
After picking up only one first down on their next possession, the Giants punted the ball back to Atlanta with 3:42 left up by 7 points and the ball resting at their own 24.
On a third-and-4 at the Falcons 40, Ryan found Roddy White for 22 yards to the Giants 38. Two plays later, tight end Tony Gonzalez hauled in a 14-yard reception to the Giants 24. With 0:35 remaining, Ryan found Gonzalez in the back of the end zone covered by two defenders for the game-tying touchdown to send the game into overtime.
The Giants won the coin toss and with the way their offense consistently moved the ball the entire game, it was difficult seeing them losing the game. After Manning (25-of-39, 384 yards, 3 TD’s) found Nicks for a first down to the 48, Manning found Mario Manningham (six catches – 126 yards) for 29 yards down to the Falcons 23.
On fourth-and-5, Tynes came on and after an Atlanta timeout; he drilled his second game winning field goal of the season, this one from 36 yards to allow the Giants to emerge victorious.
The win keeps the Giants breathing in the playoff hunt. At 6-4, they remain one game behind Dallas, who beat the Redskins 7-6. Currently, there is a three-way tie with Philadelphia and Green Bay.
EAST RUTHERFORD - At the rate the Giants were going for nearly six weeks, any win is a good win.
How they got it done would not matter. They got it done.
It took a game-winning walk off field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes to get it done along with the fortunate bounce of the coin, but the Giants (6-4) ended their drought of 42 days and four games without a win by beating the Atlanta Falcons 34-31 at Giants Stadium.
The game would not have needed the extra session if the Giants defense, originally the team’s backbone, now playing the role of "liability", did not allow the Falcons to score two fourth quarter touchdowns in the game's final seven minutes to erase a 31-17 deficit forcing overtime.
By winning the coin toss, the Giants offense, not meeting much resistance from the porous Falcons pass defense all day, quickly marched down the field into field goal range for the winning kick.
In the first half, the Giants as a whole resembled the team that was 5-0 to begin the season. After an initial bad decision by Eli Manning on the offenses' first possession to throw an interception on third-and-29 play instead of playing field position, the groans from the crowd in The Meadowlands had the feeling of "Here we go again".
The Falcons did not take advantage and Tynes connected a 39-yard field goal to give the Giants an early lead. Atlanta responded by driving 65 yards in nine plays as fill in Jason Snelling scored untouched on a 7-yard touchdown run up the middle to make it 7-3.
In the second quarter, Tunes missed a 31-yard attempt. However, after a gaining great field position at their own 48 after a Falcons punt, quarterback Eli Manning drove the offense down, connecting with Hakeem Nicks (5 catches – 65 yards) for a completion of 30 yards. On the next play, Manning found tight end Kevin Boss open on the right sideline, stiff-armed cornerback Eric Coleman to the ground on his way to a 28 yard touchdown catch to take a 10-7 advantage.
Late in the half, a sack by Justin Tuck forced a fumble that Osi Umenyiora recovered at the Falcons 34. Six plays later, Manning once again found Boss (5 catches, 76 yards, 2 TD’s) in the end zone for their second touchdown connection and 17-7 halftime lead.
The Falcons cut the lead to three at the start of the third quarter when Snelling scored his second touchdown of the game on a one-yard run. The Giants came right back, driving 74 yards. Steve Smith (four catches – 79 yards) beat cornerback Chris Houston on a 51-yard catch to get down to the Atlanta 23. With the ball at the two, Jacobs found open space after running through a leg tackle and walked into the end zone standing up to increase the margin back to 10.
After Jason Elam’s 25-yard field goal cut the Giants lead to 24-17, the offense drove down the field again, this time 79 yards as Manning found fullback Madison Hedgecock for a 3-yard touchdown with 12:08 remaining to give the Giants a 31-17 cushion.
Quarterback Matt Ryan calmly moved the Falcons offense to within a touchdown when on a 12-play drive, he found open receiver Eric Weems on a four-yard touchdown pass and put the game in the hands of the Giants offense to run out the clock if they could pick up several first downs.
After picking up only one first down on their next possession, the Giants punted the ball back to Atlanta with 3:42 left up by 7 points and the ball resting at their own 24.
On a third-and-4 at the Falcons 40, Ryan found Roddy White for 22 yards to the Giants 38. Two plays later, tight end Tony Gonzalez hauled in a 14-yard reception to the Giants 24. With 0:35 remaining, Ryan found Gonzalez in the back of the end zone covered by two defenders for the game-tying touchdown to send the game into overtime.
The Giants won the coin toss and with the way their offense consistently moved the ball the entire game, it was difficult seeing them losing the game. After Manning (25-of-39, 384 yards, 3 TD’s) found Nicks for a first down to the 48, Manning found Mario Manningham (six catches – 126 yards) for 29 yards down to the Falcons 23.
On fourth-and-5, Tynes came on and after an Atlanta timeout; he drilled his second game winning field goal of the season, this one from 36 yards to allow the Giants to emerge victorious.
The win keeps the Giants breathing in the playoff hunt. At 6-4, they remain one game behind Dallas, who beat the Redskins 7-6. Currently, there is a three-way tie with Philadelphia and Green Bay.
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