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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

5 Key Moments-Giants

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1.     The entire first half for the offense.

Eli Manning's masterful 19 play, 91 yard touchdown drive not only ate up nearly 10 minutes of game clock in the first half it also put the pressure squarely on the offense to get something moving. The Jaguars trailed 7-0 early in the second quarter and couldn't afford to put their exhausted defense back out on the field too quickly. But that's exactly what happened and the Giants touchdown on the next drive would fall into the all too predictable column. Down 14-0 it was even more imperative that the offense find a way to give their defense a break, but they didn't, going three plays and out for the 2nd consecutive series. New York could taste the blood in the water with a young team struggling and went right for the kill…scoring a 3rd touchdown in less than 9 minutes and building a lead that would be 21-3 at the half. The Jaguars offense didn't produce a 1st down until the 5:37 mark of the first half.

2.     JT Thomas recovers Eli Manning's fumble in the end zone

The Jaguars opened the 3rd quarter in a 21-3 hole and their offense was still in neutral after the first drive of the 2nd half. The defense came out with a different energy in the 2nd when on 2nd and seven at the Giants 15 yard line they turned the tables. Eli Manning was drilled by Geno Hayes and coughed up the football, it looked as if running back Rashad Jennings would save the day but somehow Jags linebacker JT Thomas wound up with the ball and the Jaguars had their first touchdown since London, trailing 21-10.

3.     Blake Bortles delivers Marqise Lee his first NFL touchdown.

The defense kept the pressure on Manning and Company forcing them to punt on their next two drives and 17 yards. When the Giants 43 yard field goal attempt sailed wide right the Jaguars felt a rush of wind at their backs. Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch pulled the wildcat offense out and Denard Robinson moved the ball 21 yards into New York territory. Bortles called his own number as well running 9 yards on 3rd and 2 which set up 1st and 10 at the Giants 30 yard line. On the very next play the rookie quarterback delivered what might have been his best pass of the season dropping it right into the arms of fellow rookie Marqise Lee just past the defender. It was a perfect strike and put the Jaguars just back of the Giants with plenty of time to catch them.

4.     The defense does it again.

Trailing 21-16 early in the fourth quarter the Jaguars asked their defense to continue to stymie Manning and Company. After putting up 254 yards in the first half the Giants managed only 6 yards in the 3rd quarter and coughed up a fumble the Jags converted into a touchdown. Asking the defense to keep it up seemed a reasonable request, asking them to score again, well it had never been done in Jaguars history. Manning's quick pass on 3rd and 15 seemed well short of a 1st down and it appeared the Jaguars defense would be giving the ball back to the offense, but tight end Larry Donnell lost control of the ball on the way to the ground and rookie cornerback Aaron Colvin picked it off the ground and raced 41 yards for the go-ahead touchdown and the first 2 defensive touchdown game in Jacksonville history.

5.     Bortles delivers in the clutch.

The Giants took a 24-22 lead with 3:30 to play which didn't leave much time for an offense that was still lumbering along. Bortles though embraced the come-from behind situation and got the Jaguars moving. A penalty on back-up offensive tackle Josh Wells made it 2nd and 15 and made it appear as if the offense wasn't up to the challenge. Bortles though cleared the air with a 22 yard slant to Lee who raced between defenders to the 37 yard line. Methodically the rookie quarterback moved the Jags to the New York 35 yard line and into field goal range when disaster appeared to strike. But the holding call on left tackle Luke Joeckel was negated on the very next play when Bortles took the ball himself for 20 yards. A few plays later with time winding down Josh Scobee delivered his first game winning field goal since 2010 and the Jaguars completed the largest come from behind win in their history on a day in which that history was embraced.

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