Giants Beat Cardinals 36-24 on Deonte Banks' 98-Yard Pick-Six as Time Expires
Jameis Winston threw three touchdown passes and two interceptions; the Giants are 3-1 and 3-0 at home.
Deonte Banks intercepted Jacoby Brissett on fourth-and-goal and returned it 98 yards for a touchdown as time expired, and the Giants beat the Arizona Cardinals 36-24 on Sunday, Oct. 4, at MetLife Stadium.
The Giants led 30-24 when Banks was called for an 18-yard pass interference penalty that gave Arizona first-and-goal at the 4-yard line with 22 seconds left. Brissett threw three straight incompletions before Banks' interception. Coach John Harbaugh called the penalty "crazy" and said after the game that Banks "came through with a huge play" (transcript).
Jameis Winston, in his second straight start in place of Jaxson Dart, completed 18 of 29 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Both interceptions led to Arizona points. The first set up Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland's 60-yard field goal on the last play of the first half. The second, on the Giants' first possession of the second half, set up Brissett's 2-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Higgins, which put Arizona ahead 24-19.
Arizona (1-3) scored touchdowns on its first two drives and led 14-3 after one quarter. Giants kicker Dominic Zvada made field goals of 39 and 50 yards. Rookie Malachi Fields caught a 12-yard touchdown pass with 4:30 left in the half, the first touchdown of his career and the Giants' first touchdown since Week 1. Malik Nabers caught a 25-yard touchdown two plays after an Arvell Reese interception for a 19-14 lead.
Theo Johnson's 11-yard touchdown catch and Najee Harris' two-point run put the Giants ahead 27-24 late in the third quarter. Zvada's 52-yard field goal with 2:11 left made it 30-24. He is 9 for 9 this season.
Nabers had six catches for 112 yards. Reese had nine tackles, three passes defensed and an interception. Brissett was 21 of 35 for 166 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Each team committed three turnovers, and the Giants outgained Arizona 319-270.
Bryan Hudson made his first career start at center in place of John Michael Schmitz, who had missed practice Oct. 2 for a personal reason. The Giants dressed three quarterbacks: Winston, Jake Haener and J.J. McCarthy. Haener and McCarthy did not play.
The Giants ruled out wide receiver Braxton Berrios (foot), safety Jason Pinnock (concussion) and defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (neck) during the game.
Update, Oct. 9: The Giants placed Berrios on injured reserve Oct. 7. Pinnock and Golston did not practice Wednesday or Thursday (injury report). The NFL named Banks the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The Giants (3-1) play the Washington Commanders at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11.