Giants’ Tyrod Taylor-led comeback falls short of Christmas miracle against Eagles
PHILADELPHIA — A change was made at quarterback, the hefty deficit was narrowing, the home crowd was booing and the blowout loss the Giants were headed for had suddenly been replaced by something quite unexpected:
A dogfight.
Yes, there were the Giants, down and nearly out, trailing 20-3 at halftime and showing no signs they could keep the Eagles from flying away with yet another lopsided victory in this lopsided rivalry.
Coach Brian Daboll benched Tommy DeVito, inserted veteran Tyrod Taylor, the special teams and defense awakened.
Adoree’ Jackson took a Jalen Hurts misfire back for a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown, Saquon Barkley scored on the two-point conversion and, just like that, the Giants were within 20-18 after three quarters.
“We felt like we had them on the ropes, for sure,’’ linebacker Bobby Okereke said.
Okereke is new here.
This was his first Giants-Eagles game.
Pardon him for not sensing what was going to ultimately go down.
The Giants made a game of it but they were unable to finish the job in a 33-25 loss at Lincoln Financial Field that turned this Christmas Day into another example of which team is the haves and which team continues to be the have-nots.
“It was a competitive game,’’ Daboll said, still steamed and breathing heavily several minutes after the game. “You don’t like to lose.”
What the Giants like has nothing to do with any of this.
Sure, the Giants did not play the role of the dutiful overmatched underdog.
But, in the end, they did what has come to be expected of them in this place, against this opponent.
They lost for the fifth consecutive time to the Eagles.
But wait, there’s more.
This was the 11th consecutive loss at the Linc and the 26th loss in the series’ past 32 games.
“Everyone’s frustrated, no one’s happy,’’ Barkley said. “At the same time, proud of the guys. Came up short again.’’
For accounting purposes, this loss officially eliminates the Giants from the playoffs.
At the half, the Giants were down 20-3 and had only 101 total yards.
DeVito, the undrafted rookie from Cedar Grove, N.J., with the “Tommy Cutlets’’ persona, was 9 of 16 for 55 yards and was told he was being replaced by Taylor.
“Just tried to spark the team,’’ Daboll said. “I don’t really have anything else to add to that. I just did it to try to spark the team.”
Daboll would not say who will start at quarterback Sunday against the Rams at MetLife Stadium.
Taylor was 7 of 16 for 133 yards, including a 69-yard scoring pass to Darius Slayton that pulled the Giants within 30-25 with 5:22 remaining.
“[Daboll] wanted to have a spark or change, anything we could have,’’ DeVito said. “I understand it’s a business. We weren’t scoring enough points so the change was made. That was that.”
Barkley said of DeVito: “I didn’t see him duck his head or tuck his tail. He took it like a man. I’m not going to take anything away from Tyrod, he came in and made plays when we needed it.’’
With Taylor on the field, the Giants pulled within 20-10, taking advantage of a Boston Scott fumble on the kickoff return to open the third quarter.
Barkley scored from 7 yards out to complete a 14-yard “drive.’’
Jackson’s interception and Barkley’s two-point conversion made it 20-18.
The Eagles fans were booing and chanting “run the ball’’ as Hurts misfired twice to set up a third-and-20 from the Philly 26.
A defensive stop would have kept the momentum going for the Giants.
It did not happen.
With cornerback Deonte Banks forced out with a shoulder issue, Hurts hit A.J. Brown for 32 yards.
Order was restored.
D’Andre Swift scored on a 5-yard run and the Eagles expanded their lead to 27-18 with 11:07 left.
Taylor threw wide of Wan’Dale Robinson on fourth down, the Eagles tacked on a field goal.
Taylor hit Slayton to pull the Giants within five points.
The Eagles took 4:12 off the clock and Jake Elliott hit a 43-yard field goal with 1:10 left for a 33-25 lead. Taylor hit Darren Waller for 21 yards to the Philly 26-yard line but Taylor’s final throw was intercepted in the end zone by Kelee Ringo at time expired.
That allowed the previously struggling Eagles (11-4) to end a three-game losing streak.
“Obviously they came out with a very fast start but I thought we showed resilience, we stayed aggressive on defense and offensively we made some big plays at big moments,’’ Okereke said. “I thought it showed our team fight and our team resilience coming out in the second half and making this a game. Just didn’t execute enough to get a win.’’
Again.
