TAMPA, Fla. — The Giants led by one. Four seconds remained. Tampa Bay kicker Matt Gay stepped onto the field, prepared to drill a game-winning 34-yard field goal.
Janoris Jenkins had one thought.
“I was just like, ‘F—,’ to be honest,” the cornerback said. “I was just like, ‘F—.’ ”
Just one week after Jenkins criticized the defense’s front-seven for its inability to pressure the quarterback, the Giants’ top cornerback almost single-handedly became responsible for a third straight loss after allowing Mike Evans to go off for 190 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
But, when Gay pushed his kick wide right, the Giants escaped Raymond James Stadium, with a 32-31 win. And Jenkins escaped without blame.
“I feel relief,” Jenkins said. “It’s OK. [Evans] made a couple plays. He made a lot of plays, but we still came out with the victory.”
If not for Daniel Jones’ brilliance, and Gay’s incompetence — including two missed extra points — Jenkins would’ve been torched by fans as badly as he had been burned by Evans.
Despite his teammates fulfilling Jenkins’ wishes, and registering four sacks, the cornerback couldn’t keep up with Evans, who entered with six catches, 89 yards and no touchdowns through the first two weeks.
Jenkins put the Giants in an early hole, giving up a 21-yard touchdown catch to Evans on the first drive of the game. Later in the quarter, Tampa Bay’s top target converted a 3-yard screen pass for a touchdown. In the second quarter, Jenkins let Evans break free for a 55-yard catch — which set up a field goal — and was burned again for Evans’ 20-yard touchdown with 1:26 left in the first half, stretching Tampa Bay’s lead to 25-10.
“It’s on me. Jackrabbit take full responsibility,” Jenkins said. “I was trying to get some s–t. He made a nice couple of plays. He fought. I fought. Just move forward. I was just trying to make a play. He wasn’t that fast, but I was trying to get a quick jump on him. He scored a few touchdowns.”
In the second half, Evans was held without a catch, until beating Jenkins down the field for the 44-yard reception in the final seconds, convincing everyone the cornerback had just cost the Giants the game.
“He beat me off the line or whatever. I don’t know what I was thinking,” Jenkins said of the final catch. “Great receiver, good guy. He won today. It be like that sometimes.”