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Saints score 34 straight points, then survive J.J. McCarthy’s late rally to beat the Giants 34-27

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Tyler Shough accounted for four touchdowns and Martin Emerson Jr. intercepted two passes as New Orleans ended a three-game skid before its trip to Paris.

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Alvin Kamara with the New Orleans Saints in 2021
File photo: Alvin Kamara with the Saints in 2021. Photo by All-Pro Reels, CC-BY-SA-2.0, resized.

The New Orleans Saints turned a 10-0 deficit into a 34-10 lead with 34 unanswered points, then held on when J.J. McCarthy’s fourth-and-1 throw into the end zone fell incomplete in the final minute, beating the New York Giants 34-27 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, October 18.

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for New Orleans, now 2-4, and sends the team to Paris on a high. The Giants fell to 3-2-1 with their first loss since Week 2, undone by four turnovers on a day they outgained the Saints 461 yards to 319.

The swing before halftime

New York controlled the first 28 minutes. Jameis Winston found Tyrone Tracy Jr. for a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and Dominic Zvada’s 34-yard field goal made it 10-0 with 2:27 left in the half.

Everything changed in the next 90 seconds. Daniel Carlson hit from 58 yards, and on the kickoff that followed Isaiah Stalbird jarred the ball loose from returner Charlie Jones. Oscar Delp fell on it, and Tyler Shough found rookie Bryce Lance from 2 yards with one second left in the half. It was Lance’s first NFL touchdown catch, and it tied the game.

The Saints kept going after the break. Alvin Kamara slipped a tackle on a 31-yard catch-and-run on the opening series of the second half, Shough ran one in from a yard out, and Carlson added a 51-yarder. Early in the fourth, Julian Blackmon picked off Winston and returned it 21 yards to the Giants’ 21. Two plays later Shough hit Chris Olave from 18 yards, and New Orleans led 34-10 with 11:31 to play.

The comeback that fell short

After Winston’s second interception, the Giants turned to McCarthy, who nearly pulled off a remarkable rally. Tracy scored from 5 yards and McCarthy found Isaiah Likely for the two-point try, making it 34-18. McCarthy then hit Likely for a 24-yard touchdown; the conversion failed, leaving it 34-24 with 5:06 left.

A 46-yard strike to Malik Nabers set up Zvada’s 41-yard field goal with 2:04 to go, after New York spiked the ball on third down to stop the clock. The Giants got one more chance but could not convert on fourth-and-1.

Every score

  • First quarter, 5:14: Winston 17-yard pass to Tracy, Zvada kick. Giants 7-0.
  • Second quarter, 2:27: Zvada 34-yard field goal. Giants 10-0.
  • Second quarter, 1:18: Carlson 58-yard field goal. Giants 10-3.
  • Second quarter, 0:01: Shough 2-yard pass to Lance, Carlson kick. 10-10.
  • Third quarter, 12:21: Shough 31-yard pass to Kamara, Carlson kick. Saints 17-10.
  • Third quarter, 5:43: Shough 1-yard run, Carlson kick. Saints 24-10.
  • Third quarter, 1:12: Carlson 51-yard field goal. Saints 27-10.
  • Fourth quarter, 11:31: Shough 18-yard pass to Olave, Carlson kick. Saints 34-10.
  • Fourth quarter, 7:00: Tracy 5-yard run, McCarthy pass to Likely for two. Saints 34-18.
  • Fourth quarter, 5:06: McCarthy 24-yard pass to Likely, two-point pass failed. Saints 34-24.
  • Fourth quarter, 2:04: Zvada 41-yard field goal. Saints 34-27.

The performers

Shough, playing through an injury to his non-throwing left hand, went 16 of 30 for 144 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions, and added 32 rushing yards and a score. New Orleans leaned on the run, gaining 175 yards on 38 carries; Kendre Miller had 20 of them for 70 yards.

Martin Emerson Jr. had two of the three interceptions, broke up four passes and made seven tackles. Pete Werner led the defense with 11 tackles and a sack, and Carl Granderson had 1.5 of the five sacks.

For New York, Nabers caught 12 passes for 165 yards. Likely had six for 99. McCarthy threw for 243 yards on 11 completions in a little over a quarter; Winston completed 14 of his 26 attempts for 152 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Cam Skattebo did not get a carry, a week after his overtime fumble at Washington, and the Giants’ running backs finished with 34 rushing yards between them.

Injuries: New Orleans lost right guard Cesar Ruiz to a knee problem before halftime and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry to an illness. New York had cornerback Greg Newsome concussed after the break, Darnell Mooney hurt his neck, and left tackle Andrew Thomas went through a concussion check.

What comes next

The Saints face the Pittsburgh Steelers at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday, October 25, at 9:30 a.m. EDT. The Giants visit the Houston Texans the same day at 1 p.m. EDT before their bye week.

Box score and drive chart: Saints vs. Giants Game Center.

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