Jets win “Bowling Shoe Ugly” Game Over the Giants 13-10 in OT

In one of the more exciting “ugly” games in NFL history the Jets (4-3) pulled off an improbable win overthe hard luck Giants 13-10 in OT at MetLife Stadium. The Battle of New York in New Jersey was not pretty as both teams struggled with the weather, injuries and inability to convert on third down. The Giants (2-6) forced a turnover on Zach Wilson early as Kayvon Thibodeaux recorded the first of his three sacks and Jihad Ward recovered Wilson’s fumble. This led to the early 3-0 lead on Graham Gano’s 31-yard FG.

The Jets answered with a short Zach Wilson pass to Breece Hall that turned into a 50-yard score. Hall only managed 17 yards on 12 carries but showed his explosiveness in the receiving game as he had six teceptions for 76 yards. With the Jets up 7-3 the game went into a defensive struggle. Weather was a
factor, but the defenses of both teams were fired up for this bragging rights game that happens only once every four years.

Big Blue lost QB Tyrod Taylor to a rib injury in the second quarter and third string quarterback Tommy Devito was forced into action. Devito the local product from Cedar Grove, who attended Don Bosco Prep put the Giants up 10-7 with a 6-yard QB draw in the third quarter. Conservatively Devito did not
throw the ball from the time he entered the game till late in the fourth quarter.

 

The Giants overall were 6 for 14 in the air for an eye-opening minus nine yards. The Giants stayed on top 10-7 with a ground game that churned out 203 yards, led by Saquon Barkley who had a career high 36 carries for 128 yards.

It appeared the Giants were heading to victory as they took over on downs at the Jets 26 with 1:26 left. Gang Green with only two timeouts managed to hold the Giants to a FG attempt with 28 seconds left. Graham Gano missed that FG from 35 yards out. The Jets took possession at their own 25 with only 24 ticks left and no timeouts.

Wilson on first down connected with Garrett Wilson for 29 yards (7-100) to the 46-yard line. The clock would have kept ticking but a defensive penalty by the Giants caused the stoppage at 0:17 seconds. The next play was a deep pass in the middle of the field to Allen Lazard for 29 yards to the Giant 17-yard line.

The Jets ran to the line of scrimmage and spiked the ball stopping the clock with 0:01 left. This allowed Greg Zuerlein to kick a game tying 35-yard field goal and force the game into overtime.
 

The Giants were not able to move the ball in OT going three and out and the Jets took over at their own 39 following the punt. In a rare third down conversion Wilson found Wilson for 11 yards on a third and 10 to midfield. Then a 30 yard pass interference call on the Giants set up the Jets at the 20 yard line for a game winning 33 yard field by Zuerlein.

Injury report
Jets DL Al Woods is out for the season with a torn Achilles.
Giants TE Darren Waller left early in the 2 nd quarter with hamstring issues.
QB Tyrod Taylor was taken to the hospital for tests on his rib injury.
Jets C Connor McGovern left the game early with a knee injury and backup Wes Schweitzer did not last
long suffering a calf injury. The Jets used Game Day call up Xavier Newman to fill the Center position.