DETROIT — It was an act of faith, notable in a season of wavering trust, that Giants quarterback Eli Manning lobbied Coach Tom Coughlin to go for a first down during overtime Sunday.
The Detroit Lions and Giants were tied at 20-20, and Manning, despite his team's offense being stuck in neutral, wanted to gamble.
Manning, never leaving the field, wanted Coughlin's blessing on a fourth-and-7 situation at the Lions 42-yard line. Coughlin was already on Manning's wavelength, and quickly agreed.
Manning found receiver Jerrel Jernigan for a 15-yard gain. That set up a 45-yard field goal by Josh Brown that allowed the Giants to escape Ford Field with a 23-20 win.
"I didn't want to punt it there, I wanted to win this thing, go for it, and win it there," said Manning, who was 23-for-42 passing, for 256 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The win ended a two-game losing streak for the Giants (6-9). They close out the season next Sunday, at home, against the Washington Redskins.
"We've taken a lot shots this year, quite frankly have earned the criticism. I don't think where is any doubt about that, "Coughlin said. "But we have been able to stay focused, and been able to touch on some real deep values that get overlooked when people tell you you've got nothing to play for.
"We have everything in the world to play for," he added, saying Sunday was "a good demonstration of that."
The Lions had something more tangible to play for: a slender, fraying thread of playoff hope to salvage a tailspin.
The Lions (7-8) needed to beat the Giants, along with having the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears lose, to remain in playoff contention. The Lions failed to complete their part of the equation and instead suffered their fifth defeat in six games.
The Giants revealed some offensive tweaks, rolling out more throw-back screens and quick-hitting plays to change the pace. The Lions secondary was ripe to exploit, as injuries forced them to start reserves Jonte Green and Bill Bentley at corner.
Jernigan proved to be a key factor, with 80 yards receiving on six catches and the Giants lone offensive touchdown. With Victor Cruz lost for the season with a knee injury, the Giants needed another reliable receiver.
"It meant a lot," Jernigan said, about having a role in the win. "I was at practice every day, watching Victor, and taking tips from him and learning from him. That's the best thing you can do."
It did not need to be this challenging for the Giants to win, as they built a 13-3 by halftime. But the offense went silent for the rest of the game, with only the defense clicking.
With the Giants down 20-13 with less than five minutes left in regulation, safety Will Hill intercepted a tipped pass from Matthew Stafford. Hill ran 38 yards for a touchdown, pushing the game into overtime tied at 20-20.
Hill, who was arrested Friday for a warrant related to unpaid child support, would not talk about his off-field problems. He said he was glad to play Sunday, and to help the Giants earn a win.
"I just saw the ball tip up in the air, and took advantage of the situation," Hill said, adding of the defense: "It was a cover-4, and I was overseeing three people. Once the ball tipped from his hand, all I saw was daylight."
Both teams struggled with wasted opportunities, turnovers, poor passing and offensive inconsistencies. The Lions were intercepted twice and lost a fumble, while the Giants also lost a fumble and threw one interception.
The Lions defense became more effective as the game wore on, poking more and more holes in the Giants offensive line.
Nick Fairley single-handedly revived the Lions in the third quarter. The Giants were pinned deep in their zone on their final drive of the quarter, and Manning went into the shotgun formation on a third-and-13 at the 9.
Elevated pressure forced Manning to the goal line as he tried to buy time to spot an open receiver. None appeared, and Fairley bolted through the line to sack Manning in the end zone for a safety.
The Lions slashed the Giants lead to 13-12.
The Giants had built their halftime edge by forcing turnovers. Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka triggered the Lions 32nd turnover of the season in the second quarter, stripping running back Reggie Bush. Safety Antrel Rolle scooped up the ball, officially marking Bush's fourth fumble of the season.
The Giants turned the takeaway into a touchdown, when Manning connected with a wide-open Jernigan for his first career touchdown catch. The Giants forced another turnover near the end of the quarter, when defensive end Justin Tuck intercepted Stafford at close range.
Brown kicked his second field goal of the half to put the Giants up by 10.
The Lions went to the ground, since receiver Calvin Johnson was limited by a knee injury and Stafford's timing was still off. Running back Joique Bell scored the Lions first touchdown of the game with 9 minutes 10 seconds left in the third, cutting the Giants lead to 13-10.
Back Theo Riddick gave the Lions their first lead of the game, at 11:50 in the fourth, with a 2-yard charge into the end zone. The Lions gambled, making a 2-point conversion to go up 20-13.
It was a strategic move meant to extend their playoff hopes. But it was the Giants, already out of the playoff mix, who had the gamble that ultimately paid off, at least for a game.
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