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The Giants have shown remarkable grit and determination this season when playing in the United States. They took that fighting spirit overseas and showed an international audience — and the Packers, from Green Bay, Wisc. — that this is a new and quite improved Giants operation.
The Giants trailed 17-3 in the second quarter and 20-10 at halftime against Aaron Rodgers and it looked as if this would not be a fruitful trip across the pond for coach Brian Daboll’s club. What transpired in the second half was stunning. The Giants on defense pitched a shutout. Daniel Jones gutted out yards and points. Saquon Barkley was forced out with a shoulder injury and returned, not wearing a cape but playing like Superman.
Barkley scored the game-winning touchdown with 6:08 remaining and then turned the game over to their largely no-name defense. Rodgers moved the Packers to the Giants’ 7 yard line but on fourth down his pass was deflected up and into the air by blitzing safety Xavier McKinney. The ball fell harmlessly to the grass at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with 1:11 remaining and soon after the Giants secured an improbable 27-22 comeback victory.
The Giants remain undefeated in the United Kingdom. They came over here 2-0 on foreign soil. They beat the Dolphins in 2007 in the first-ever International Series game, played at Wembley Stadium, a famed English soccer pitch and defeated the Rams in 2016 in a game played at Twickenham Stadium, a rugby venue.
Barkley ran 13 times for 70 yards. Jones, playing despite a sprained left ankle, was incredibly resilient. He completed 21 of 27 passes for 217 yards and ran 10 times for 37 yards. The Giants limited the damage and Rodgers was held scoreless in the second half.
The Giants took a safety with punter Jamie Gillan with 10 seconds remaining. The Packers got the ball back with seven seconds to go, Rodgers rolled out for one of his patented Hail Mary heaves and Oshane Ximines was there to deck Rodgers, ending one of the most emotional Giants’ victories in years.
