In a stunning turn of events on Monday Night Football, unheralded rookie quarterback Tommy “Cutlets” Devito engineered a masterful final drive to set up a game-winning field goal, lifting the Giants to an improbable 24-22 upset victory over the stunned Green Bay Packers.
Back-and-Forth Battle Culminates in Dramatic Finish
The game was a back-and-forth battle all night long between two teams with vastly contrasting seasons but both desperate for a win. The 5-8 Giants, energized by Devito’s emergence in recent weeks, traded blows with the slumping 4-9 Packers, who were still clinging to vanishingly slim playoff hopes.
After the Giants opened the scoring with an early field goal, the Packers responded with a touchdown pass from Jordan Love to Christian Watson. The Giants kept pace with a scoring drive capped by a Devito rushing touchdown, his first of the year. Green Bay took a 13-10 halftime lead thanks to two short Mason Crosby field goals.
The second half saw wild momentum swings, with Saquon Barkley’s electric 64-yard catch-and-run tying the game before Aaron Jones powered in a go-ahead 1-yard score to put the Packers up 22-20.
Then came Devito’s moment in the spotlight. With under two minutes left and starting on his own 36-yard line, the poised rookie calmly led Big Blue down the field, completing three clutch passes to get Graham Gano into range for the game-deciding kick.
| Scoring Summary | | |
|-|-|-|
| Giants FG | Packers Watson TD | Giants Devito Rush TD |
| Packers FG | Packers FG | Barkley 64-yd Rec TD |
| Packers Jones Rush TD | Giants Gano FG |
Who is Tommy Devito?
Undrafted out of Syracuse, Devito surprisingly won the backup job out of training camp. The unheralded rookie was pressed into action in November after injuries felled veteran QBs Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor.
Since taking the reins, the 23-year-old has energized the team with his fiery leadership and developing on-field rapport with offensive weapons like Barkley and Darius Slayton. His reputation took off after engineering comeback wins over the Commanders and Eagles, earning the nickname “Tommy Cutlets” from deliriously appreciative Giants fans.
However, leading a last-gasp winning drive on the road against a division rival in the Packers is his most stunning achievement yet. After two fruitless drives following the Packers go-ahead score, Devito trotted back out with 1:45 left needing a touchdown to win. What followed was a masterclass in cool under pressure.
Devito Engineers Memorable Game-Winning Drive
Devito took the field with three timeouts but knowing he likely needed a touchdown. Unfazed by the bright lights and high stakes, he went systematically to work. After two incompletions brought up 3rd-and-10, he bought time in the pocket and fired a dart to Slayton right at the sticks to move the chains.
Backed up after a run for no gain, Devito faced the deafening crowd noise and delivered strikes to Barkley and tight end Daniel Bellinger to push into Packers territory. Another completion to Slayton got the ball inside the 30-yard line.
After narrowly missing Bellinger in the end zone on 2nd-and-10, Devito calmly hit Barkley on a checkdown. Showing great field awareness, Barkley raced upfield and got out of bounds at the 11-yard line with 13 seconds left.
Head coach Brian Daboll trusted his young quarterback, and Devito rewarded that faith by immediately hitting Slayton right at the goal line. Slayton narrowly missed scoring a touchdown, but got down at the two-yard line with six seconds remaining. Out trotted rookie kicker Graham Gano, and his chip-shot field goal sailed through to trigger jubilant celebrations from Big Blue.
| Key Plays – Game-Winning Drive | |
|---|---|
| 3rd-and-10 conversion to Slayton | Two passes to get into FG range |
| Checkdown pass to Barkley | Completion to Slayton at goal line |
What This Means for the Giants
This incredible comeback victory injects even more excitement into a Giants team that has already far exceeded expectations in Brian Daboll’s first year at the helm. Led by breakouts from Devito and Barkley on offense and defensive difference-maker Kayvon Thibodeaux, the future looks bright for Big Blue. At 6-8, the team remains in the playoff hunt as well heading into the home stretch.
Belief and confidence will be sky-high after taking down a longtime nemesis in the Packers on their home turf. Devito looks like a real find at the quarterback position. His quick development has made Daniel Jones expendable, as Devito has already matched Jones’ career win total in just four starts. With Barkley playing like an All-Pro again behind an improving offensive line, this unit could be explosive for years to come.
Meanwhile, the maligned Giants defense continues ascending behind Thibodeaux’s pass-rushing prowess and the secondary rapidly improving. Led by defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s aggressive schemes, this defense should scare opponents going forward.
While still a long shot to make the postseason in 2022, the future hasn’t looked this promising for the Giants since their last Super Bowl run over a decade ago.
What This Means for the Packers
This devastating home loss could be the final nail in the coffin for the Packers’ rapidly closing championship window. Despite getting top wideout Watson back healthy for the home stretch, Green Bay continues to severely underachieve.
Their playoff hopes now appear dashed, an unthinkable outcome for a team that had high expectations entering the season after three straight 13-win campaigns under Matt LaFleur. Seldom-used backup quarterback Jordan Love did little to impress in place of injured star Aaron Rodgers, leaving serious questions about the post-Rodgers succession plan.
With Rodgers aging, Davante Adams traded last offseason, and a lack of young talent, Green Bay’s roster looks stale and in need of major reconstruction. Their vaunted offensive line and running game has regressed badly. Meanwhile, the defense lacks difference-makers beyond pass-rusher Rashan Gary.
For a small-market franchise without an owner, the salary cap also looms as an issue. With several massive contracts for aging veterans, Green Bay will have difficulty improving the flawed roster as currently constructed.
The Packers face an uncertain future, a shocking development for a team that has been the class of the NFC North under LaFleur and a perennial Super Bowl contender. Now closing in on three decades without a championship, the championship window may be slamming shut on Rodgers and Green Bay.
What Happens Next?
The plucky Giants will look to ride this momentum into the stretch run over their final four games, though the schedule remains challenging. With dates left against three playoff contenders in Minnesota, Indianapolis and Philadelphia, New York must continue playing over its head to have any shot at shocking the world and crashing the postseason party.
But with belief soaring after another Devito-led miracle, anything seems possible. The G-Men are playing with house money as one of the most surprising stories of 2022.
Meanwhile, the reeling Packers face an identity crisis. With Rodgers likely sidelined again next week, Green Bay may start looking to the future by evaluating young players down the stretch. At 4-9, any hopes of saving their season are just about finished.
It figures to be a long final month in Titletown, while the good times keep rolling unexpectedly in the Big Apple. Whatever happens the rest of the way, Devito and the Giants have already made 2022 an unforgettable ride for long-suffering fans.
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