The New York Giants did everything they possibly could in an effort to upend the unbeaten Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The one thing they could not do was keep the ball out of Aaron Rodgers’ hands in the final minute, and that proved to be their undoing.
Rodgers led the Packers 66 yards in five plays after the Giants had tied the score with 58 seconds remaining, putting the Packers in position for Mason Crosby to kick a game-winning 30-yard field goal as time expired at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
The Packers are now 12-0 and have won 18 straight games. The Giants are 6-6 and have lost four in a row since beginning the season 6-2.
The Giants had tied the game 35-35 with a clutch drive of their own, going 69 yards in nine plays. Trailing 35-27 Eli Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks on a two-yard touchdown pass, and the Giants converted the two-point attempt on a run by D.J. Ware to tie the game.
Rodgers, though, still had time and that meant the Giants’ upset bid would come up short.
A 24-yard pass to Jermichael Finley and a 27-yard pass to Jordy Nelson quickly put the Packers at the Giants’ 29-yard line. Three plays later, Crosby kicked the game-winner.
The Giants trailed, 28-17, early in the third quarter but fought back to tie the game. Manning finished the game 23-of-40 for 347 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Unfortunately for the Giants, the interception by Clay Matthews turned in a Pick Six for Green Bay.
Victor Cruz caught seven passes for 119 yards for the Giants, surpassing 1,000 yards receiving for the season. Hakeem Nicks caught seven passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
Rodgers was 28-of-46 for 349 yards with four touchdowns and one interception for Green Bay.
The Giants did catch one break Sunday when the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys lost to the Arizona Cardinals in overtime, 19-13. The 7-5 Cowboys are just one game ahead of the Giants with four games to play.
The two teams meet twice in the final four weeks of the season. The first of those meetings takes place next Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET) in Dallas. The second will be the final game of the season, Jan. 1, at MetLife Stadium.