SEATTLE (AP) — Isaiah Simmons was added to the field goal block team for the New York Giants this week.
The move paid off on Sunday as the clinching moment for an unlikely Giants victory.
Bryce Ford-Wheaton returned the kick Simmons blocked 60 yards for a touchdown with 55 seconds left as the clinching score in the Giants’ 29-20 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
With Seattle lining up for a potential tying score, Simmons cleanly jumped over the gap between the guard and long snapper in the offensive line and swatted the kick, which bounced into the arms of Ford-Wheaton for a TD that sent the home fans to the exits.
“I’m normally not on field goal block. So that was my first time, today,” Simmons said. “I said I was going to block a punt or a field goal today.”
The blocked kick was the capper to nearly perfect day for the Giants. Playing without two of its best offensive players, New York (2-3) put together a masterful game plan that built a 23-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants then came up with one big special teams play with Seattle on the verge of potentially forcing overtime.
The block was installed by special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial earlier in the week. Guard Laken Tomlinson was pushed down by New York’s Dexter Lawrence II, allowing a lane for the athletic Simmons to leap through and make the block.
Ford-Wheaton then did his part, corralling the loose ball with nothing but open field ahead.
“It just happened exactly how we installed it. We just knew (Simmons) is a freak athlete. He has the ability to do something like that and we trust him,” Ford-Wheaton said.
The conclusion was stunning after Seattle seemed on the verge of an unlikely rally and possibly handing the Giants another one-score defeat. Geno Smith threw a 5-yard TD to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 2:09 remaining to cap a 95-yard touchdown drive. New York was unable to pick up a first down and punted back to Seattle, only to see Smith dart 32 yards on the first play to get the Seahawks (3-2) into field goal range.
But the drive stalled and Simmons came through with the blocked kick.
“We talked about who would be a good candidate to do the jump and Isaiah came to mind, and he executed it perfectly,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said.
Daniel Jones directed the whole production with a strong performance. Despite playing without rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Devin Singletary, the Giants created a plan of short passes and gashing runs that allowed New York to control possession and keep Seattle’s offense on the sideline.
Jones finished 23 of 34 and threw touchdowns of 7 yards to Wan’Dale Robinson and his 30-yard strike to Darius Slayton early in the third quarter gave the Giants a 17-10 lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
Rookie fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy rushed for 129 yards filling in for Singletary’s absence, while Slayton had eight catches for 122 yards with Nabers out.
The Giants rolled up 420 total yards and had more than 37 minutes of possession.
“We’ve said since training camp how much we like our skill guys and how deep we think those positions are. And you saw a lot of guys step up today and make a lot of plays,” Jones said.
The win could have been even more comfortable for New York if not for a goal line fumble from Eric Gray that Rayshawn Jenkins returned 102 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. But that also proved to be the only highlight on a frustrating day for the Seahawks.
Smith was 28 of 40 for 284 yards, and rushed for another 72 yards, but Seattle’s run game was mostly ineffective. Smith was sacked seven times – three of them coming from Lawrence.
Playing on a short week after losing in Detroit on Monday night, the Seahawks were outcoached and looked a step slow throughout. There were sloppy penalties, bad tackling and poor protection of Smith.
And there’s not much time for correction with a Thursday night divisional matchup against San Francisco looming.
“We played bad. That’s the reality,” Smith said. “I don’t think we executed well. I thought we came out slow. Talked about starting fast, that’s not how we want to start, and then turned the ball over, not finishing drives. All of the above get you beat in the NFL.”
Injuries
Seattle outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu injured his thigh in the first half and was ruled out at halftime. Nwosu was making his season debut after missing the first four weeks with a knee sprain sustained in the preseason. He also missed most of last season with a torn pectoral muscle.
Seattle cornerback Riq Woolen was in and out of the lineup with an ankle injury suffered in the first half and Derick Hall injured his foot in the fourth quarter.
Up Next
Giants: host Cincinnati next Sunday night.
Seahawks: host San Francisco on Thursday night.
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