Le’Veon Bell scored a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter after a 33-yard pass interference penalty on DeAndre Baker, and the New York Jets rallied and then held on to beat the Giants 34-27 on Sunday for Big Apple bragging rights.
Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass to Jamison Crowder and ran for another score, and Jamal Adams scored on a 25-yard fumble return on a strip-sack as the Jets (2-7) bounced back from an embarrassing 28-16 loss last week at previously winless Miami.
Daniel Jones threw a career-high four touchdown passes, two each to Darius Slayton and Golden Tate, but couldn’t prevent the Giants (2-8) from losing their sixth straight game. It’s their first six-game skid since 2014.
Saquon Barkley had the worst game of his young career, finishing with just 1 yard on 13 carries. He also had five catches for 30 yards.
With the Giants trailing 21-19 in the third quarter, Jones marched them down the field on nine plays over 69 yards, capped by a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tate.
Pat Shurmur opted to go for a 2-point conversion and Jones found Bennie Fowler III in the back left corner of the end zone to put the Giants ahead for the first time, 27-21 with 5:21 left in the third quarter.
Sam Ficken’s 53-yard field goal late in the third cut the Jets’ deficit to three points. The drive was kept alive by Darnold’s 24-yard run — the longest rush for the Jets this season — on third-and-7 from their 39.
The Jets retook the lead on Bell’s short touchdown run 8 seconds into the final quarter. After a 25-yard catch by Crowder, Darnold threw a deep pass to Robby Anderson and Baker was called for pass interference in the end zone — a 33-yard penalty that put the ball at the 1.
Ficken’s 35-yard field goal made it 34-27 with 7:36 remaining, and the defense held firm from there for the Jets.
Darnold was 19 of 30 for 230 yards, while Jones was 26 of 40 for 308 yards.
Darnold gave the Jets an early lead by running it in from 2 yards out, capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive. Darnold was 7 of 7 for 63 yards, including an 18-yard completion to Crowder on third-and-11 to help keep the possession alive.
On New York’s next drive, Adam Gase opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the 41 — and rookie tight end Trevon Wesco ran for a 2-yard gain. Four plays later, Darnold — under heavy pressure — fired a strike to Crowder, who made a terrific move outside to avoid a tackle and moved inside before zipping into the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown to make it 14-0.
Jones got the Giants moving on their next drive, helped by a defensive pass interference call on Nate Hairston and two penalties on Steve McLendon. On first-and-goal from the 5, Jones scanned the field before zipping a pass to Slayton to cut the Giants’ deficit to 14-7 early in the second quarter.
Jones and Slayton connected again later in the quarter when Shurmur opted to go for it on fourth-and-4 from the Jets 39. Hairston slipped while trying to cover Slayton, who got wide open in the middle of the field and caught Jones’ throw on the run and had a clear path to the end zone.
Holder Riley Dixon picked up Zak DeOssie’s wayward snap on the extra point, but his throw to Kaden Smith for the 2-point conversion attempt fell incomplete to make it 14-13 with 5:24 left in the half.
The Jets had a chance to add to their lead with 1:25 remaining in the second quarter, but Ficken was wide left on a 54-yard field goal attempt.
Adams gave the Jets a 21-13 lead just three plays into the second half, when he ripped the ball out of Jones’ hands and ran it into the end zone 25 yards for a touchdown. It was Adams’ second defensive TD of the season.
It was the third straight game Jones had a fumble returned for a touchdown.
On third-and-9 from the Giants 39, Jones threw a screen to Tate for a 61-yard touchdown.
The Giants went for the 2-point conversion, but Tate was called for offensive pass interference. Shurmur opted to go for the extra point, but Aldrick Rosas was wide right — and the Jets still led, 21-19.
On the injury front, the Giants’ LT Nate Solder left in the second quarter with a concussion. He was replaced by Eric Smith, who made his NFL debut. CB Janoris Jenkins was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth quarter.
For the Jets, RG Brian Winters injured a shoulder in the third quarter and didn’t return. Tom Compton replaced him.
The Jets look to make it two in a row next Sunday when they hit the road to take on Washington. The Giants get a much-needed bye week; their next game is against the Bears on Nov. 24 in Chicago.
— Dennis Waszak Jr.
