Giants no strangers to being on wrong end of game-winning kicks

Does it feel like the Giants are often getting beat by last-second and very long field goals? Greg Joseph’s 61-yarder in Minneapolis to give the Vikings a 27-24 victory was the fifth field goal in NFL history of 61 or more yards to win a game as time expired. The Giants have been on the wrong end of two of them. 

In 2017, Jake Elliott of the Eagles nailed a 61-yarder to beat the Giants 27-24. Sound familiar? When the Giants own kicker, Graham Gano, was with the Panthers in 2018 he drilled a 63-yard field goal to put the Panthers ahead 33-31. That kick, though, was not as time expired — there was one second remaining on the clock. 

Joseph’s clutch kick continued a trend working against the Giants. It was the eighth time in the past 10 seasons the Giants lost a game on a field goal as time expired. The last time it happened: Sept. 26, 2021, when the Falcons’ Younghoe Koo hit a 40-yard field goal to beat the Giants 17-14. 

It is not as if it is all bad news for the Giants when it comes to field goals. Gano’s 55-yarder against the Vikings made him 7 of 8 on kicks of 50 more yards this season — his only miss was from 58 yards in the elements and in overtime at FedEx Field to close out a 20-20 tie with the Commanders. Gano in his three seasons with the Giants has 20 field goals of 50 or more yards, 11 more than any other kicker in the entirety of his Giants career. 

The Giants have two chances to clinch a playoff spot, as they get in if they win one of their last two games. They would like to get it over with and celebrate at MetLife Stadium on Sunday against the Colts. If that does not happen, the Giants get in if they beat the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in the regular-season finale. If the Eagles beat the visiting Saints on Sunday, they will have the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and little to play for in the finale against the Giants. 

There are also scenarios in which the Giants can make the playoffs with two losses and some help. 

Vikings CB Patrick Peterson is 32 years old, in his 12th NFL season and is an eight-time Pro Bowler. He was getting beaten repeatedly by WR Isaiah Hodgins, 24, who came to the Giants earlier this season with four career receptions with the Bills. Hodgins had a career-high eight catches for 89 yards, most of the damage with Peterson in coverage. In the fourth quarter, though, Daniel Jones looked Hodgins’ way and the slightly underthrown pass was intercepted by Peterson. 

“Actually, I was on the sideline and was like I’m going to get a pick pretty soon,’’ Peterson said. “Daniel’s tried me enough to where now he’s feeling a little comfortable and I’m going to go out here and get a pick for us, ended up getting an interception. It’s just the belief I have in myself, the belief I have in my teammates. I’ve seen us grind so hard and so much throughout training camp, throughout OTAs, throughout minicamp, and now it’s just all coming to fruition.’’