Score. Hold ’em once, then again and then again. Score again, watch Andre Brown run untouched for the two-point conversion and just like that, a 21-6 deficit is a 21-21 tie and that familiar feeling was percolating on a frigid and windy evening.
“It’s almost déjà vu a little bit,’’ Justin Tuck said.
The scent of a huge comeback victory Sunday night was circulating in the chilled air, just as the Giants were on the verge of continuing their comeback from a season gone wrong. Their defense had kept them in the game and now needed one more stop to get the ball back to Eli Manning and a suddenly pounding rushing attack to close out the Cowboys and “keep the dream alive,’’ as Tom Coughlin had urged for weeks.
“Wouldn’t have had it any other way,’’ Tuck said.
When the Giants write the epitaph to this season it will not be one of dreams and comebacks. They allowed Tony Romo to complete six passes — four on Antrel Rolle, forced to play out of position — to set up Dan Bailey’s 35-yard field goal as the clock expired on the game and, most likely, the Giants’ season. The 24-21 loss at MetLife Stadium in a game the Giants were unanimous in stating had to be won was the bitter end of a four-game winning streak, a cold slap of reality that after their nightmarish 0-6 start there isn’t going to be any magical ride.
“We lost a game we were all excited about having a chance to win,’’ Coughlin said, “but it’s gone.’’
And the season is going, going gone. The Giants (4-7) didn’t quite make it to Thanksgiving. The Giants are now two full games behind the Eagles and the Cowboys (both 6-5) in the NFC East and the Cowboys swept the two-game series, giving them any tiebreaker edge, not that they are likely to need it.
“We’ve got five games left and we have to win every one,’’ Manning said. “That’s the only way that will possibly give us a chance.’’
In the week leading up to the game, Jason Pierre-Paul said, “there will be bloodshed’’ and Terrell Thomas stated, “No doubt, we’re going to win this game.’’ And, for added emphasis, Thomas added, “You can tell ’em, put it on the bulletin board.’’ The Cowboys never responded but they were clearly thrilled to shut the Giants up.
“The Giants have a great coach; I have no earthly idea why he let them talk like that all week,’’ Cowboys safety Orlando Scandrick said. “Never in my life have I heard a 4-6 team talk like that. Talk, talk, talk. We had a better record and didn’t talk.’’
The Giants lost this game in a lopsided way. They ran for a season-high 202 yards and ripped off big chunks with Brown (career-high 127 yards) and Brandon Jacobs (75).
Manning said, “it was definitely windy and it wasn’t the ideal day to throw a football,’’ but he did not think it affected too many of his passes. He was not especially sharp, though, and watched in disbelief in the first quarter as Victor Cruz on a 5-yard reception was hit by defensive end Kyle Wilber and as Cruz stayed up and fought for extra yards, Scandrick came over and ripped the ball out. The ball flew right to rookie safety Jeff Heath, who raced 50 yards for a gift touchdown and a 7-0 Cowboys lead, the third defensive touchdown for the Cowboys against the Giants this season.
“I just can’t let those type of things happen. … I have to take better care of the football,’’ said Cruz, who finished with just two catches for 27 yards.
The Giants reached the Cowboys’ 7- and 4-yard-line and twice had to settle for second-quarter field goals. Jason Witten caught two touchdown passes — the second scoring drive helped along by a Mathias Kiwanuka roughing the passer penalty and an unnecessary roughness penalty on Rolle — to put the Cowboys ahead 21-6 in the third quarter.
Manning’s 27-yard strike to tight end Brandon Myers pulled the Giants within 21-13. With 4:45 remaining, Manning bought some time by rolling to his left and then found Louis Murphy Jr. in the end zone . It was Murphy’s second catch all season and his first touchdown. Brown’s conversion run tied the game.
“I was proud of the way we responded late in the game,’’ Manning said.
The defense, though, did not respond.
“It hurts,’’ Rolle said. “There’s no doubt about it, it hurts.’’