EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New Orleans Saints endured a roller-coaster afternoon at MetLife Stadium, overcoming an early 10-point deficit, building a commanding lead and then surviving a late New York Giants rally to secure a 34-27 victory Sunday.
Quarterback Tyler Shough accounted for four touchdowns, throwing scoring passes to Bryce Lance, Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave while adding a rushing touchdown. New Orleans also received a critical special-teams contribution from Isaiah Stalbird, whose forceful hit on a kickoff return helped turn the game around.
The victory snapped New Orleans’ three-game losing streak and improved its record to 2-4. The Giants fell to 3-2-1 after suffering their first defeat since Week 2.
“Wild game,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said.
Despite the victory, New Orleans had to withstand a tense finish after allowing the Giants to threaten in the closing seconds.
“We will enjoy the win, we earned it, but when we are on a team’s neck, we have to step on it and finish, dominate and be resilient,” cornerback Martin Emerson said. Emerson made two interceptions during the contest. “We can learn from this game. We made some big plays, but there are some where we can get coached up.”
Special teams spark New Orleans’ comeback
The Giants appeared to be in control late in the first half, leading 10-0 with approximately 90 seconds remaining before the break. New Orleans finally got on the scoreboard when Daniel Carlson connected on a 58-yard field goal.
The turning point came on the ensuing kickoff. Stalbird delivered a punishing hit that knocked the ball loose from Charlie Jones, and Oscar Delp recovered the fumble for the Saints.
New Orleans capitalized on the opportunity. Shough connected with rookie receiver Bryce Lance for his first NFL touchdown, and Carlson’s extra point tied the score at 10-10 with one second left in the first half.
Giants coach John Harbaugh acknowledged the importance of the sequence.
“The whole sequence there was big,” Harbaugh said. “We let them back in the game.”
The momentum carried into the second half. Less than three minutes into the third quarter, Kamara escaped a tackle attempt by Jason Pinnock and reached the end zone, giving New Orleans its first lead of the afternoon.
The Saints continued to apply pressure, eventually putting together a 34-point scoring run that transformed a 10-point deficit into a 24-point advantage.
Giants struggle to find offensive rhythm
New York’s offense struggled to respond as turnovers and missed opportunities undermined its chances.
Quarterback Jameis Winston completed 14 of 26 passes for 152 yards but threw two interceptions. The Giants also struggled to establish their ground game, with their running backs combining for only 34 rushing yards.
Running back Cam Skattebo, whose overtime fumble contributed to the Giants’ tie against Washington the previous week, received no carries and played six snaps.
Harbaugh said the decision was not intended to keep Skattebo completely out of the running game.
Skattebo acknowledged that his role had diminished.
“I didn’t expect to have zero, but I was expecting to not play as much, just like I did,” Skattebo said. “It is what it is. I got punished for what I did, and I understand.”
The Giants’ mistakes included turnovers, missed tackles and untimely penalties. Injuries in the secondary also created additional challenges for a defense attempting to contain New Orleans.
McCarthy nearly completes remarkable rally
Although the Giants appeared to be out of contention early in the fourth quarter, they refused to surrender.
After Winston’s second interception of the afternoon, some fans began heading toward the exits. Those who remained witnessed an unexpected comeback attempt led by quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy threw for 243 yards in just over 11 minutes, guiding the Giants on multiple scoring drives and bringing the home team within striking distance.
The rally nearly produced an improbable finish, but New Orleans delivered the decisive defensive play when it mattered most.
On fourth-and-1 in the final seconds, McCarthy attempted to find a receiver in the end zone. The pass fell incomplete, allowing the Saints to escape with the victory.
Winston credited McCarthy for keeping the Giants competitive late in the game.
“I myself, personally, just left a lot of plays out there that I could have executed better on,” Winston said. “(McCarthy) was able to rally us up, and he did a great job. I was proud of him. Proud of what he did.”
Harbaugh said the team had not yet determined who would serve as its starting quarterback moving forward.
Shough delivers despite hand injury
Shough completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and added 32 yards on the ground. He continued to play despite broken bones in his left hand, his nonthrowing hand.
The Saints quarterback said the injury remained manageable and had not significantly affected his performance.
“It’s obviously something I have to manage throughout the weeks,” Shough said. “It hasn’t really affected me. It’s getting better every single day. It doesn’t affect my throwing, just on a couple of handoffs.”
New Orleans will need continued production from Shough as the team looks to build on Sunday’s hard-fought victory.
Injury updates
New Orleans Saints: Right guard Cesar Ruiz left late in the first half with a knee injury. Cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry also exited after experiencing what Moore described as a migraine.
New York Giants: Cornerback Greg Newsome suffered a concussion in the third quarter. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney left with a neck injury, while left tackle Andrew Thomas was evaluated for a possible concussion.
What’s next?
The Saints will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Paris next Sunday, carrying the momentum of a much-needed victory into their international matchup.
The Giants will travel to Houston to take on the Texans next Sunday before heading into their bye week. New York will look to correct its turnover problems, address its injury concerns and determine its quarterback plans after a disappointing defeat.
