In a matchup between two struggling teams, the New Orleans Saints (5-8) eked out a 14-11 victory over the New York Giants (2-11) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. The Giants nearly stole the victory with a late rally, but couldn’t pull it off.
The Giants had a chance to tie, but Bryan Bresee blocked a 35-yard game-tying field goal attempt by Graham Gano with 11 seconds remaining.
The Saints are 5-8.
First half: Saints strike first
The Saints’ offense opened sluggishly, with missed opportunities and poor field position hampering early drives. However, Kendre Miller found the end zone late in the first quarter on a hard-fought 8-yard touchdown run to cap off a 98-yard drive.
The Giants responded in the second quarter with a 43-yard field goal from Graham Gano, but their offense struggled to sustain momentum. A blocked field goal attempt by the Saints before halftime left the score at 7-3.
Third quarter: Saints extend lead
New Orleans came out strong in the third quarter, highlighted by Derek Carr’s connection with Juwan Johnson for an 11-yard touchdown. The Saints’ defense, led by Bryan Bresee and Chase Young, pressured Giants quarterback Drew Lock and kept the Giants off balance.
Carr’s lone mistake came on an underthrown deep ball intercepted by Tre Hawkins III, but the Saints’ defense bailed him out by forcing a punt.
Fourth quarter: Giants rally falls short
The Giants mounted a late-game surge, orchestrating a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s 1-yard touchdown run. Lock’s successful 2-point conversion to Malik Nabers cut the Saints’ lead to three with just over four minutes remaining.
The blocked field goal by Bresee ended a desperation drive by the Giants that nearly saw them tie the game. They moved from their own 27-yard with 1:21 remaining and no timeouts to the Saints’ 12-yard line before ending up with the 35-yard field goal attempt.
Key performances
Kendre Miller: 10 carries, 32 yards, 1 touchdown. Miller’s physical running style carried the offense in critical moments.
Derek Carr: 20/31 219 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Despite a few mistakes, Carr delivered when it mattered most.
Saints Defense: (Bresee, Chase Young, Khalen Saunders), consistent pressure on Lock, and strong red zone stops.
Giants’ Malik Nabers: 4 catches, 56 yards, and a 2-point conversion. He was a bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent offense.
What’s next?
The Giants host the Baltimore Ravens next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.