Giants blow another fourth-quarter lead, fall to Lions in OT

DETROIT — In the land of Motown, the Giants’ latest heartbreaking defeat felt like a famous Four Tops hit: It’s the same old song.

A 10-point fourth-quarter lead turned into a 34-27 overtime loss to the Lions on Sunday. It ruined a stellar performance by Jameis Winston in his second start with the Giants.

For the second straight week, the game ended with Winston being sacked on the final play. This time it was Aidan Hutchinson who brought him down.

The Giants never trailed until the first play of overtime, a 69-yard touchdown run by Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Like that play, it was an explosive game for both offenses as they totaled 1,011 scrimmage yards. Winston threw for 366 yards and two touchdowns and also had a highlight-reel 33-yard touchdown catch. Gibbs had 219 rushing yards on 15 carries and three total touchdowns.

But the Giants (2-10) were left dazed again. They’ve lost six straight games — 11 straight on the road dating to last season — and have lost five games this season when leading by at least 10 points. The latter tied an NFL record, according to ESPN.

As has frequently been the case in recent years, they were done in by a long field goal. This time it was Jake Bates hitting a tying 59-yarder with 28 seconds left in regulation.

“We got to find a way to finish those games,” interim coach Mike Kafka said. “We really believe in our players. I believe in our coaches. They’re battling their heart out for us and it’s continuing to have that mentality, that aggressive mentality.”

Kafka was aggressive most of the game. The Giants turned two trick plays into touchdowns, including Gunner Olszewski’s pass to Winston. It was the quarterback’s first career reception.

Kafka’s gutsiest call, however, backfired in the fourth quarter.

The Giants faced fourth-and-goal at the Lions’ 6-yard line with 2:59 left in regulation. They led 27-24 and could have kicked a short field goal to go up by six points. Instead, Kafka went for it and Winston’s pass to Theo Johnson was broken up by Rock Ya-Sin.

Maybe Kafka’s call had something to do with the fact that the Giants entered the day having allowed an NFL-high 123 points in the fourth quarter.

“Just thought it was a good time in that situation,” he said. “Go up two scores and just hit a good flow.”

It was a change from the Giants being safe to end the first quarter. On fourth-and-goal from the 3, Kafka turned to Younghoe Koo for a field goal to go up 10-0 instead of going for a touchdown.

Johnson said he liked that Kafka trusted the players to execute. Winston chalked it up to the coach understanding the game as a former NFL quarterback.

“I’m with it. We are desperate for a win,” Winston said. “That’s one of the things I was echoing in the locker room. Let’s be desperate for a win. This is one of the best teams in the NFL. We came here on a mission and we didn’t complete that mission.”

The Giants have done that far too often. They have at least 10 losses for a third straight season and the eighth time in nine seasons. They also became the first NFL team to be eliminated from playoff contention after they lost and Seattle won. It’s the earliest point in franchise history for that to happen since 1976, when the season was 14 games.

It came despite the Giants putting up 517 yards of offense. Wan’Dale Robinson had nine catches for a career-high 156 yards, 135 in the first half.

Robinson scored on the Giants’ first trick play. On the team’s opening drive, Winston handed off to Devin Singletary, who threw it back across the field to Winston. He then found a wide-open Robinson for a 39-yard touchdown.

Winston threw his second touchdown pass later in the second quarter, a 12-yarder to Isaiah Hodgins. Up to that point, the Giants’ defense had kept the Lions in check, aside from an 11-yard touchdown catch by Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Gibbs then broke free. He ran for a 49-yard gain and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff on the next play.

On the Giants’ second trick play, Winston showed his athleticism. He handed off on a reverse to Olszewski and then became a receiver as Olszewski evaded a sack and found him near the left sideline. Winston shook off Derrick Barnes and sauntered into the end zone.

It was 27-17 at that point with 12:16 left in regulation. Three plays later, Gibbs escaped for a 49-yard touchdown run.

Winston threw an interception on the next play, but the defense held the Lions to a three-and-out. That was the last stop the Giants got as the Lions scored on their final two drives.

When Winston was wrapped up by Hutchinson on the game’s final play, another collapse was complete. It was the same old Giants song that’s been unpleasant for too many weeks.

“Feel like I’m in a movie sometimes with it, that’s exactly how I feel,” Robinson said. “Like it’s just not believable sometimes. A lot of movies are fake, so it just feels like it just can’t be real. But obviously, we’re living in reality.”

By Evan Barnes

evan.barnes@newsday.comevan_b

Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.