SEATTLE — Brian Daboll’s temper was boiling at times on the sidelines Sunday as his Giants struggled to close out a strong performance, the looming specter of a collapse creeping closer to reality as the Seahawks fought back.
But then Isaiah Simmons finished.
Simmons, a hybrid linebacker who didn’t play a defensive play all day, made a spectacular block on a 47-yard field goal try by Jason Myers that tied the game. And wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned the ball 60 yards for a touchdown and a 29-20 victory for the Giants at Lumen Field.
Daniel Jones threw two touchdown passes, and rookie fullback Tyrone Tracy Jr. and veteran receiver Darius Slayton each rushed for more than 100 yards, to overcome the absences of top offensive weapons Malik Nabers (concussion) and Devin Singletary ( elder).
A 102-yard Seahawks fumble return by Rayshawn Jenkins for a touchdown put the Giants on their heels in the first quarter after Eric Gray coughed up the ball at the goal line.
But Dexter Lawrence (three sacks), Brian Burns and the Giants defensive line took their toll on Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, and Seattle’s offense didn’t score its first touchdown of the game until a score of 5-yarder from Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 2:09. remaining in the fourth quarter.
The touchdown cut the Giants’ lead to 23-20. And Daboll’s offense failed to run out the clock, turning the ball over to Seattle with 1:40 left. Simmons was there to save the day, however.
The Giants (2-3) now return to New Jersey for back-to-back home games at MetLife Stadium: a Week 6 Sunday night visit of the Cincinnati Bengals (1-4) and a storyline-filled Week 7 test against Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2).
They return home after scoring a season-high 29 points on Sunday.
They ended a seven-quarter touchdown drought with a 7-yard Jones TD pass to Wan’Dale Robinson with 9:09 left in the first half. And Jones had the Giants’ first 40-plus yard pass play of the season: a 41-yard bomb down the right sideline to Slayton, who had eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
It was Slayton’s sixth career 100-yard receiving game.
Jones then finished that drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Slayton, and the teams traded field goals until the end of the fourth quarter.
One of Greg Joseph’s field goals was set up by a fourth-down Smith sack by Brian Burns at the Seahawks’ 27-yard line with 14:09 left in the final quarter.
Corner Deonte Banks has had a nice rebound after also being called out by position coach Jerome Henderson for a lack of effort in last week’s loss to Dallas.
Banks forced a DK Metcalf fumble recovered by Tyler Nubin and suffered several pass breakups.
Bowen’s defense held Seattle’s offense scoreless for most of the first half. The Giants looked poised to take a 10-7 halftime lead.
But when the Seahawks got the ball back with 22 seconds left, Smith quickly completed two passes for 45 yards to Kenneth Walker III and Tyler Lockett.
Daboll was hot on the helmet on the sideline as Jason Myers kicked a 43-yard field goal to tie the game at 10 apiece going into the break.
It was a discouraging score considering the Giants had outgained Seattle 225 yards to 90 and converted 15 first downs to the Seahawks’ five, but they had no lead to show for it.
Daboll’s team trailed 7-0 after the first quarter due to a Gray goal-line fumble, for example, despite two Seahawks forced punts and a 92-yard gain to 25 on their hosts.
The offense overcame a Jones fumble on their first play that Thomas recovered at the New York 5-yard line.
Gray caught screen passes of 18 and 19 yards on consecutive plays to dig them out, and they fell behind 10 minutes on the drive. But then Gray coughed up the killer turnover.
Bowen’s defense still managed to keep the game steady, forcing three punts on Seattle’s first three possessions. Then the offense went on an eight-play, 81-yard tying drive capped by a 7-yard Jones touchdown pass to Robinson with 9:09 left in the half.
A 27-yard run by Tracy Jr. got the drive going again. Rookie tight end Theo Johnson then caught a 22-yard pass, the longest of his young career. And Jones had an 11-yard gain to set up Robinson’s TD.
The Giants quarterback even lowered his shoulder during a few runs to confront defenders.
Jones and the offense then kicked a 38-yard field goal from Greg Joseph for a 10-7 lead with 22 seconds left in the half, but the defense took its foot off the gas and Seattle tied the game with that. last minute push. .
Otherwise, it was an inauspicious conclusion to a rather promising first half. Daboll’s temper began to flare, and she nearly collapsed at the end.
But this time, the Giants held firm. This time, they made the plays to win.
