Skip to main content
New York Giants homepage
Advertising

Giants News | New York Giants – Giants.com

Presented by

The Recap: Looking at the (many) game-changing plays

RUSSELL-WILSON

Where to begin?

To answer that question, it is best to start at the end of the third game in NFL history to go to overtime after each team scored at least 20 points in the fourth quarter.

THE GAME WAS OVER WHEN…

Brandon Aubrey kicked a 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired, giving the Cowboys a 40-37 win in the first overtime game in the series since Oct. 16, 2005 at Texas Stadium. Coincidentally, it was also the last time the Giants played a noon local time game at Dallas.

Both teams were in a next-score-wins scenario after trading punts to start overtime, following the wake of a fourth quarter that produced 41 combined points. That's when the Giants turned the ball over for the first time this season. Russell Wilson, looking to add to his 450-yard, three-touchdown game with another moonball to Malik Nabers, dropped back to the Giants' 20 and launched it 50 yards downfield to a waiting safety, Donovan Wilson.

George Pickens started off the ensuing – and decisive – possession with a 27-yard gain off a pass from Dak Prescott. Two plays later, the quarterback scrambled up the middle for 14 yards to the Giants' 28 and set up the game-winner for Aubrey, who also forced overtime with a 64-yard field goal at the end of regulation.

According to NFL Research, the six lead changes in the fourth quarter and overtime are tied for the most in a game in NFL history (Vikings vs. Ravens in Week 14, 2013).

"Every game's different," coach Brian Daboll said in his postgame press conference. "Last week, it's 14-6 in the fourth quarter with seven minutes left. This game is back-and-forth with 24 seconds left. Kick off. We knew Aubrey had a long leg. Got to play tight coverage. Got to do some things rush-wise. Made some good plays. They just made one more play than we did.

YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS…AND THIS…AND THIS

You had to see all of it to believe it, but the chain of events in the fourth quarter also included Jaxson Dart's NFL debut. The 25th overall pick entered with 12:51 left in a game that had the Cowboys leading 20-16.

From the Dallas 25, Dart handed the ball off to Cam Skattebo, another rookie, who burst straight up the middle for 24 yards down to the goal line. Skattebo then punched it in on the next play as the Giants regained a three-point lead.

Daboll wasn't done with the wrinkle.

After the Cowboys regained the lead, Dart returned for two more plays on the Giants' next drive. He handed the ball off to Tyrone Tracy Jr. for a first down, converting a second-and-short. Dart then lost three yards on a run. Wilson re-entered, and Nabers couldn't hold onto a third-and-four pass that would have provided a fresh set of downs with 2:50 left in the game. Nevertheless, on fourth-and-four, Wilson then threw a 32-yard touchdown to Wan'Dale Robinson on the very next play to put the Giants back up by three points.

"Well, the one that we hit with Skat, we were just talking about our sideline," Daboll said of playing Dart in that moment. "We didn't have much going in the running game. A couple of plays here or there. That particular one is kind of 11-on-11 football with a read. Kind of sprung Skat. It was good blocking, so, they did a couple of good jobs with the handoff and then he kept one and then slipped on one. I think that was right before the fourth down if I'm not mistaken but that was the reason why."

STAT OF THE GAME

The Giants more than doubled their offensive output from Week 1 (231 yards at Washington, 506 at Dallas) despite being penalized 14 times for 160 yards. The 37 points were the third-highest total of the Daboll era (since 2022) and could have been more. The Giants were 1-for-5 in the red zone after going 0-for-2 in Week 1. The Cowboys, meanwhile, found the end zone on all three of their trips inside the 20.

"Far too many," Daboll said of the penalties. "I wanted the guys to play physical this game, be aggressive. Roughing the passer, DPI. There were a lot of penalties called this game. Almost 260 yards worth between two teams. We certainly don't want to have that many penalties."

The penalties became a storyline early in the game when James Hudson III, who has been filling in for Andrew Thomas, was called for four penalties on the opening drive. Rookie Marcus Mbow, a fifth-round pick out of Purdue who had an impressive preseason, took over from there.

NOTABLE

Wilson completed 30 of 41 passes (73.2 percent) for 450 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and a quarterback rating of 123.0. The 450 passing yards are the second-most in his career and tied for the fourth-highest total in franchise history. Eli Manning also threw for that total at Dallas in the 2013 season opener.

Robinson finished with eight catches and a career-high 142 yards and one touchdown. On the opening possession of the game, Robinson caught a 50-yard pass, the longest reception of his career.

Nabers totaled nine catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns, the fourth 100-yard receiving game and third multi-touchdown game of his career. His second touchdown – which went for 48 yards – was part of sequence that included a combined two touchdowns and one field goal in the final 52 seconds of regulation.

QUOTABLE

"I love watching people be relentless. I love watching boxing, for example…you know, we're in a 17-round fight. We battled in the first round and second round. We've got more to do. So, I was just proud of how we needed to be able to answer the way we did. I've been a part of a lot of crazy games. I don't know if I've ever been part of one that crazy with that much grit." – Russell Wilson after his 201st career regular-season start (second with Giants)

View photos of the Giants 2025 Week 2 road matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.

INJURY REPORT

NYG: LB Darius Muasau (concussion), LB Chris Board (chest)

DAL: C Cooper Beebe (ankle)

INACTIVES

NYG: OT Andrew Thomas (foot), WR Xavier Gipson, LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf), OL Evan Neal, TE Thomas Fidone II, DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (foot), QB Jameis Winston (3rd QB)

DAL: RB Jaydon Blue, CB DaRon Bland (foot), OLB Shemar James, DT Mazi Smith, OT Ajani Cornelius, OT Hakeem Adeniji, G Trevor Keegan

WHAT THE LOSS MEANS FOR THE GIANTS

After starting the season with back-to-back road games in the NFC East, the Giants (0-2) will open their 2025 home schedule with consecutive games against interconference opponents. First up is Kansas City (0-2) on Sunday Night Football. The Chiefs lost their season opener to the Los Angeles Chargers, who will travel to MetLife Stadium in Week 4, and then to the Eagles on Sunday in another one-possession game.

WHAT THE WIN MEANS FOR THE COWBOYS

The Cowboys are back to .500 after losing the first game of the 2025 NFL season to the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles. They head to Chicago in Week 3 to face the 0-2 Bears.

e363bccb-e5c4-4b68-9423-1601f6e07892

Tickets available for the Giants Women's Tailgate

Join us Sunday, Sept 28 -10am to 12:30 pm at the Ultimate New York Giants Women's Tailgate, an event designed to celebrate and unite the team's loyal fan base.

Enjoy a curated custom merchandise shop, exclusive Kendra Scott activation, tailgate games, giveaways, photo opportunities, live DJ entertainment, and more!

Advertising