DETROIT -- Dan Campbell made it a point earlier this week to point to how the New York Giants have hung in games all season.
The Detroit Lions coach was also aware that this team has held multiple fourth-quarter leads. And even though the Giants blew another in Detroit, and it took everything to escape with a win, Campbell knew New York would find a way to make it competitive.
It turned out to be more than competitive, with the Lions escaping with an overtime win, needing a 59-yard field goal and a 69-yard touchdown from running back Jahmyr Gibbs to get there.
And while it wasn’t pretty and far from perfect, the Lions and their coach will take any win in the NFL.
Jameis Winston became the first 300-yard passer the Lions have surrendered all season. He finished with 366 passing yards and even caught a 33-yard touchdown. The Giants reached into their bag of tricks, hitting two trick-play touchdowns to make the Lions fight from a hole.
“Credit to that team, man. They played hard, threw the kitchen sink at us, but we knew they would,“ Campbell said. ”That’s what the tape said. I’m proud of the guys. We hung in there, we fought. We felt like the next series was going to be the one that we were going to get the upper hand, and we did. It’s not easy to hang in a game like that, when there’s things that aren’t going perfect.
“Anyway, man, it wasn’t perfect; there are things to clean up, certainly. Came down to the wire, had to win in overtime, but I’ll take that win. That’s a good win.”
When the Lions needed it the most, they got big plays from their best players. Aidan Hutchinson came up with the game-clinching sack on fourth down in overtime. He was quiet for most of the game, like the rest of the pass rush, but found a way to make a big play.
Amon-Ra St. Brown moved past two ugly drops, finishing with nine catches for 149 yards and one touchdown. Gibbs was an absolute monster. And Jared Goff was clean and composed on the two-minute drive to set up Jake Bates’ game-tying kick.
“That’s the core of our group here,” Campbell said. “That’s why we have the guys that we have, because they are resilient. Even when we’re off just a little bit, when we need it most, those guys can resort back to their training. Just stay in the moment, and, ‘man, you’re about to get my best rep.’ And it’s competitive, and they believe they can will it to happen, and they make plays.
“It’s no different than what Hutch did at the end of the game, man. That’s a huge fourth down when we needed it. That’s our guys, man. I trust our guys.”
Goff reiterated Campbell throughout the week and after the game. They knew the Giants entered 2-9, had just fired their head coach and were starting a third quarterback in 12 games. But they respected the team’s fight and ability to hang in games.
At the end of the day, the Lions found a way to win and keep pace in an ultra-competitive division and NFC playoff race.
“They played us really tough,” Goff said. “Had a few moments there where it could’ve gone out of hand, and we held strong on defense, made a play on offense. I think they played well. I think you have to tip your cap; they’re not a bad team. I know their record says that. They play hard.”
Campbell said games like this remind teams what they are capable of when backed against the wall. It’s the first time the Lions have won a game like this, erasing a 10-point deficit and finding a way.
“You don’t ever forget how to dig in one more time and find a way to lean on each other and do your job,” the Lions coach said. “And anytime you can get a win like this, it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing. Because that very easily, a number of times could have gone the other way, and we all know it. But it didn’t, it didn’t. We made the plays we had to make.”
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