The New York Giants scored two touchdowns in the final 5:20 to overcome a 10-point deficit and defeat the Arizona Cardinals Sunday at University of Phoenix Stadium, 31-27. The game-winning score was a 29-yard pass from Giants quarterback Eli Manning to Hakeem Nicks with 2:46 remaining.
One play earlier the Giants had gotten a break when Victor Cruz had been ruled to have given himself up on a play where he caught a pass, went to the ground and appeared to simply put the ball down without being touched. That ruling is not reviewable, though the Cardinals certainly appeared to have a legitimate beef. One play later, Manning found Nicks alone down the left sideline for the eventual game-winner.
The Giants improved to 3-1, while Arizona fell to 1-3.
Arizona took a 27-17 lead with 5:20 remaining in the game when Beanie Wells ran for a two-yard touchdown, completing a six-play, 77-yard drive.
The Giants responded by going 80 yards in seven plays, with Manning hitting Jake Ballard for a two-yard touchdown pass with 3:44 remaining.
The Giants then forced a punt, and took over at Arizona's 48-yard line after an 18-yard return by Aaron Ross. The controversial Cruz catch/fumble/give himself up play was the first of the drive. The Manning-to-Nicks touchdown was the second.
Arizona drove the ball to the Giants' 30-yard line, but on fourth-and-two Giants' cornerback Corey Webster batted away a Kevin Kolb pass intended for Larry Fitzgerald with 51 seconds left, securing the win for New York.
The Giants led, 10-6, at the half and trailed, 20-10, after three quarters.
Manning completed 27-of-40 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns. Nicks caught 10 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown for New York. Cruz caught six passes for 98 yards. Defensively, Osi Umenyiora had two sacks and a forced fumble in his return from preseason knee surgery.
For Arizona, Kolb was 20-of-34 for 237 yards and one interception. Fitzgerald caught eight passes for 102 yards, and Wells ran 27 times for 138 yards and three touchdowns.
The Giants face the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday at MetLife Stadium at 1 p.m. ET.