National Football League

New York Giants, Jets earn first wins of the season in overtime thrillers

Updated Oct. 3, 2021 9:13 p.m. ET

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Both sides of New York City and the adjacent areas had a rare reason to celebrate Sunday.

The New York Giants and New York Jets both earned their first win of the NFL season, and they did so in epic fashion in overtime of their respective Week 4 contests.

The Giants rattled off 17 unanswered points to close out their 27-21 victory against the New Orleans Saints. 

Down 21-10 midway through the fourth quarter, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones — who threw for more than 400 yards in the Big Easy — found running back Saquon Barkley for a 54-yard beauty up the left sideline.

Barkley caught the ball in stride 25 yards down the field, then bolted the remaining 29 yards, making a man miss en route to the end zone. 

A successful two-point conversion made the score 21-18, setting the stage for the Giants to tie the game with a field goal. Graham Gano did just that, burying a 48-yarder with 31 seconds left in regulation.

All the while, New York's defense kept Jameis Winston and the Saints' offense hemmed in, giving up just 51 yards in the fourth quarter.

On their opening possession of overtime, the Giants called Barkley's number again to cap a nine-play, 77-yard drive with the running back bulldozing his way into the end zone for a walk-off win.

After the game, Barkley — who had 128 yards and two TDs from scrimmage against New Orleans — spoke with Sara Walsh about New York's fight to get its first win of the season.

"We didn't break," he said. "We kept working. We kept fighting, and we were able to get the dub, and that's the only thing that matters."

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'We didn't break' - Saquon Barkley reflects on Giants' 27-21 overtime victory over Saints

Saquon Barkley talks with Sara Walsh after the New York Giants' 27-21 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints.

The Jets, meanwhile, broke out of their offensive hibernation with a 27-24 triumph against the Tennessee Titans.

Prior to running back Michael Carter's second-quarter touchdown, the Jets had an embarrassing dry spell of nine-plus quarters without scoring a touchdown.

That run kickstarted the Jets, and they battled back and forth with the Titans down to the wire. Rookie quarterback Zach Wilson shook off an early interception to pull all the right strings for the Jets, dishing a pair of fourth-quarter TD passes to Jamison Crowder and Corey Davis.

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Despite those heroics, the Titans knotted up proceedings at 24 apiece before regulation came to an end.

In overtime, Wilson kept cruising. The 22-year-old completed four of his seven pass attempts for 57 yards to set up a 22-yard field goal for the Jets, which Matt Ammendola booted through to break the deadlock.

Tennessee had once more chance to tie the affair, but Randy Bullock's 49-yard effort sailed wide left.

Wilson finished 21-for-24 for 297 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 97.3, the best of his young career.

After the game, he spoke with AJ Ross about how much his first professional win meant and the statement it made going forward.

"It's huge," Wilson said. "… I'd say it's another piece to the puzzle. … It really feels good to come away with the win, but we've got to get better. I've got to get better this next week."

The quarterbacks for the New York City teams were all smiles following their respective games Sunday. That isn't something the Big Apple is used to of late.

Here is how some on social media reacted to the Giants and Jets getting their first wins of the season:

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