Sam Borden
Simply final weekend, the New York Giants allowed 33 fourth-quarter factors in opposition to the Denver Broncos to lose a sport wherein it appeared not possible for them to do something apart from win. How wild was it? Within the 1,602 earlier cases of an NFL staff main by 18 or extra factors with six minutes left, all 1,602 groups that had been forward completed with a victory. The Giants, who had a 26-8 lead late, in some way did not.
It was beautiful, astounding, confounding. It appeared unprecedented. Sadly, Giants followers knew it wasn't.
“This ranks up there with the '02 [playoff] loss to San Francisco,” Bob Papa, the Giants' longtime radio announcer, mentioned afterward. “And naturally,” he added, “with 2010.”
After all — 2010.
Now, because the Giants try and get well from the Broncos catastrophe and put together to face the rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox), it appears becoming (albeit just a little merciless) to commemorate the 15-year anniversary of what many who dwell for the Giants or work for the Giants or love the Giants take into account to be absolutely the greatest intestine punch in franchise historical past.
Dec. 19, 2010. A sport that meant, and nonetheless means, a lot to so many. That is the oral historical past of a second recognized to some as “The Miracle on the New Meadowlands.” And to others, extra merely, as “The Punt.”
Half 1: The buildup
The 2010 Giants had excessive expectations for his or her first season within the new Meadowlands Stadium: Along with quarterback Eli Manning, the staff had stars reminiscent of Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck anchoring the protection, in addition to Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks on offense. Tom Coughlin was in his seventh season because the coach.
After dropping two of their first three video games, the Giants reeled off eight wins of their subsequent 10. With a victory in Week 15 in opposition to Michael Vick and the Eagles, the Giants can be in a commanding place to say the NFC East and arrange a playoff run.
On a chilly day in New Jersey, they could not have seemed any higher, both. For a lot of the afternoon, the stadium felt like a celebration because the Giants dominated the Eagles.
DeSean Jackson, Eagles huge receiver/kick returner: I might keep in mind that prefer it was yesterday, man. It was a sport the place we had been struggling within the first half. (Laughs.) Nothing might appear to go our manner. I feel it was, you already know, 3-24 once we went into halftime.
Tom Coughlin, Giants coach: They had been excited at halftime. All people was speaking about simply ending the sport — [as if it were] nothing-nothing, half-hour to go.
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers guard/Decrease Merion Excessive Faculty (Pa.) basketball legend (in 2019 to NFL Movies): We might simply completed a sport [against the Toronto Raptors]. I had a staff that was just about filled with Cowboys followers, and so they favored to benefit from the Eagles' distress. And that was trying like one in all them. We're on the bus and we're making an attempt to observe it.
Michael Vick, Eagles quarterback: We bought down … no matter variety of factors we had been down. I misplaced monitor.
Andy Reid, Eagles coach: We weren't excellent that first half. However no one was down. They had been annoyed, however they weren't down.
Bob Papa, Giants radio announcer: Eli Manning throws the brief landing move to Kevin Boss six minutes into the fourth quarter, and it is 31-10. And I bear in mind simply watching folks in inexperienced stand up and begin strolling out of the stadium. I am going to always remember turning to [analyst] Carl Banks — we had been speaking through the business break, and he is like, “That is what Invoice Belichick would at all times preach to us: Simply preserve all the things in entrance of you. Maintain all the things in entrance of you.” And, you already know, that is precisely what they did not do.
The unspooling occurred in a flash. First, Vick hit Brent Celek for a 65-yard landing move to make it 31-17 with 7:28 remaining. Then the Eagles recovered a shock onside kick and scored once more, with Vick scrambling 35 yards to arrange a sneak into the tip zone. Abruptly, it was 31-24 with 5:28 to go.
Coughlin: I feel there was very a lot a priority on my half as to how briskly they went down the sector. That is not what the intent was.
Vick: I feel as soon as we made some performs downfield, I seen the momentum shift.
Jackson: It was only a few performs that clicked our manner.
Papa: The staff that was main felt like they had been trailing.
The Giants' offense stalled once more, and the Eagles surged as soon as extra. Vick to Jeremy Maclin from 13 yards out tied the sport at 31 with 76 seconds left. The Giants had been reeling, however unhealthy because it had been, they nonetheless had a shot at a profitable discipline purpose or, worst case (they imagined), they'd go to additional time.
Matt Dodge, Giants punter: I believed we had been going to get the ball again, drive down, kick a discipline purpose. If we bought a primary down, we're both going to go to additional time or go kick a discipline purpose. However we had a pair incompletions and we weren't transferring the ball. I am, like, “Oh man, we will must kick. We will must punt.” Which is okay. I imply, that is what you apply for.
Bryant (in 2019): I used to be in shock watching it and simply hoping.
Jackson: I knew in any state of affairs the place we would have liked an enormous return or we had been dropping that I used to be going to get my quantity referred to as. And that is type of what occurred. Coach was like, “The way you feelin'? You prepared?” I am like, “Man, do not ask me that. You recognize I am prepared. I am at all times prepared for the second.”
Half 2: The play
Jeff Feagles, a two-time Professional Bowler, had punted for the Giants for the earlier seven seasons. However after Feagles retired within the spring of 2010, the Giants drafted Dodge within the seventh spherical out of East Carolina.
Dodge's rookie season had been admittedly up-and-down, however as he mentioned, “That is type of how I used to be as a punter. I at all times had fairly excessive averages — I might common 40 [yards] for a sport and which may embody a 60-yarder and 20-yard shank.” As he jogged onto the sector in opposition to the Eagles with 14 seconds left and the sport tied, his activity appeared as simple because it comes.
Coughlin: You are going to punt the ball out of bounds, you are going to get one play, and also you defend the one play, and also you go into additional time.
Jackson: They usually purposely referred to as timeout. It was like, “Man, don't punt this ball to this man.” I believed he was going to, like, punt it out the stadium.
Dodge: They referred to as the play “Kick It Out of Bounds.” (Laughs.) That is most likely the title of the play. And if I forgot, like, the man promoting scorching canines informed me to kick it out of bounds. Everybody knew. So, sure, to reply the query: I used to be making an attempt to kick it out of bounds. However I caught it just a little bit inside. And it simply wasn't shut sufficient to the sideline.
Papa: Sadly for Matt Dodge, he choked in an enormous second. I imply, earlier than [Jackson] even caught it, I used to be anticipating doom.
Vick: When he first kicked it and I seen the low trajectory on the kick, I used to be saying to myself, “Why would he kick it to DeSean?” They usually was on their very own from there. I knew what he might do.
Reid: I feel it went off his foot incorrect. As a result of I noticed it was a line drive, which is double-trouble: If you are going to kick it to [Jackson], you positively need some grasp time. I am pondering, “This can be a stunning factor.”
Jackson: It was actually a type of issues the place I used to be shocked and I used to be like, “Wow, he did kick it to me.” I dropped the ball, which, you already know, I inform folks was on function, proper? (Smiling.) I dropped the ball on function.
Papa: Folks type of bought out of their lanes as a result of now they see the ball is on the bottom. I at all times surprise if he caught it cleanly, like, would all people have type of simply saved their lanes and would he have been tackled?
Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Home of Representatives (153rd District)/”Josh from Juniata” as a caller to Philly sports activities radio: How did he preserve his wits about him? You bought these guys streaking down the sector able to smash you as exhausting as they will, and also you managed to drop the ball, keep calm, choose it up, get your head up after which simply took off. Like, how did he preserve his wits about him by means of all that?
Jackson: Once I go down and get the ball, I simply see, like, an enormous void of their punt staff. And I simply caught my foot within the floor and like a bat out of you-know-what, man, I simply shot proper by means of that gap. There was a number of guys I needed to make miss.
Dodge: I dove and I missed him. I feel there is a image of me, like, with all of the rubber pellets capturing up in my mouth and stuff.
Jason Avant, Eagles receiver/punt return staff (in 2023 podcast): I could not get to the punt block, however I noticed him drop the ball. And as quickly as he dropped the ball, Omar Gaither knocks down three dudes with one block. So, DeSean hits that gap and I see one dude left, and it is me and the snapper.
Jackson: [Long-snapper Zak DeOssie] was, like, the final line of protection, after which Jason Avant simply got here and de-cleated the man.
Zak DeOssie, Giants long-snapper: I believed I had an important angle, thought I used to be going to cease him, however I haven't got eyes at the back of my head. I bought there and bought blindsided, bought me within the facet of the helmet fairly good. I could not transfer after that.
Avant: I attempted to go in with good method, however I used to be so excited I went in excessive and knocked each of us out. Worst method ever, however it was the game-winning block. I am going to take it.
After bursting into the clear, Jackson broke off and ran parallel to the purpose line for a number of steps — as if to increase the play a bit longer — earlier than finishing his 65-yard game-winning return and firing the ball up into the stands.
Bryant (in 2019): Holy s—! Ridiculous.
Jackson: I used to be simply holding the ball up and type of showboating on the finish, simply ensuring the time ran out.
Papa: I did say one thing [on the broadcast] about rubbing it in as he was working alongside the 1-yard line. Older DeSean Jackson could let you know that he was doing it to complete out the clock, however when you return in time to that DeSean Jackson, my guess is he was additionally making each Giants fan really feel the knife twist much more.
Jackson: I remorse throwing that soccer within the stands. I at all times ask folks, man, if someone bought that ball, I'd like to get it again.
Dodge: I'd say it was extra shock. Not concern or something, however it's type of like if somebody's been in a automotive accident and so they stroll out of it and so they're like, “What the hell simply occurred?” That is the way it felt. I instantly bought up, ran straight to Coach Coughlin. You recognize, if you are going to get your ass chewed, you may as nicely get it out of the best way early.
Jackson: I seen [Coughlin] throw his playcall sheet down. He threw his headset down. Got here on the sector and possibly stubborn out Matt Dodge. He was scary. He was pissed off.
Dodge: There's not a lot he can say at that time. It is not, like, “All proper, subsequent time be sure to get it out of bounds.” I imply, there was no subsequent time.
Reid: My coronary heart's just a little weaker after this one.
Jackson: I bear in mind [hearing that] Kobe Bryant was watching it, I feel, on his cellphone and he was, like, mesmerized about that punt return. I could not consider Kobe Bryant was speaking about DeSean Jackson.
Bryant (in 2019): Greatest. Bus journey. Ever.
Half 3: The aftermath
To his credit score, Dodge confronted as much as all of the exhausting questions after the sport, blaming no one however himself. The New York media was cruel, however with Christmas solely every week away, Dodge had household and associates on the town to see the sport, that means that he did not return to an empty residence as soon as he completed on the stadium.
Dodge: I used to be in a nasty place, you already know? Simply type of pissed on the world. However I bear in mind they jumped within the automotive with me. And in order that night time was truly among the best nights ever. We opened presents. I used to be in a bizarre head area ‘trigger a part of me wished to go flip emo actual fast in my room, you already know? However the different half was like, I bought those who have traveled right here which are excited. They have not even talked in regards to the sport. They're like, “Man, pizza's right here, let's get some pizza.” So, it was a bizarre type of dichotomy, I assume you can say.
Dodge spent that night along with his visitors, not on his cellphone, which was very a lot factor. Loss of life threats, insults and all types of vitriol had been directed at him on Twitter and different social platforms, although not all of the hate truly reached its supposed goal.
Matt Dodge, author, Portland (Maine) Solar: I used to be fairly freshly out of faculty. I used to be going to a whole lot of exhibits, writing about a whole lot of native tradition, arts and stuff like that. [A friend] just about pressured me to get on Twitter. Everybody was into FourSquare and I by no means bought into that, however Twitter, he was like, “Hear, you have to do it,” and I used to be very lively on it. And since I used to be adopting it so early, I used to be in a position to land that deal with: @MattDodge.
Matt Dodge, punter: That was a troublesome night time to have that title.
Matt Dodge, author: I feel I had the BlackBerry nonetheless. I simply bear in mind I am, like, sitting in my room and my cellphone begins buzzing with notifications, similar to a flurry of notifications coming in. And, you already know, I believed there had been some emergency, like a bunch of associates had been texting me about one thing, and I am going to drag it up and it is simply, you already know, extra mentions on Twitter in the midst of 4 minutes than I might had within the 18 months I had been on Twitter earlier than that, mainly. So I knew one thing was up and fairly shortly managed to determine what was happening.
Matt Dodge, punter: I used to be telling folks, “No, that really is him! He is mendacity! He is scared!” (Laughs.)
Dodge the author wrote a humorous essay for The Axe titled, “An Open Letter to Matt Dodge (From Matt Dodge)” wherein he referred to as out a number of the extra printable feedback he acquired, together with one from a consumer who mentioned he was organizing a “lynching mob” and one other who mentioned Dodge higher “go into witness safety” instantly. Dodge the author additionally provided to promote Dodge the punter his Twitter deal with for “a good worth.”
Matt Dodge, punter: I learn the piece — it was good. You find out how widespread a reputation Matt Dodge is, apparently.
Matt Dodge, author: On a severe notice, I do understand there's, like, an actual individual on the opposite finish of this. And my coronary heart goes out to the person. I can't think about having such a career-imploding second on such a public stage like that.
Dodge the punter wasn't minimize instantly; he kicked within the remaining two video games because the Giants missed the playoffs, then was waived throughout coaching camp forward of the 2011 season. Dodge remembers then-GM Jerry Reese telling him, “We're most likely going to be taking part in [against] you for years to come back” within the technique of releasing him, and whereas Dodge did go on to have quite a few tryouts with different groups, none signed him. Dodge's rookie season was his just one within the NFL.
Dodge: It is such as you dated a supermodel, like, the most well liked chick ever for a summer season, after which she broke up with you. After which everybody you discuss to is like, “Man, what was she like? She's stunning.” And she or he's solely getting hotter and warmer, however now she's not with you anymore, however that is nonetheless what you are recognized for.
Jackson: It was the tip of his soccer profession, man. It is simply unlucky that one play might, you already know, decide your profession.
Papa: I assume that complete factor most likely scarred him, and it most likely made groups nervous. This man was informed to kick the ball out of bounds, and as an alternative he shanks it down the center. Like, “Can we ever actually belief this man?”
Dodge: I do know to the surface trying in, that is how I am remembered. That is not going away. And as I've gotten older, you already know, I used to curse it, I might be pissed. However I've made peace with it.
Dodge moved again dwelling to japanese North Carolina and has labored for years as a monetary planner — most not too long ago, in an odd twist, for an organization named Market Avenue Wealth Administration, which relies exterior Philadelphia. Jackson performed 12 extra years within the NFL, retiring in 2022. He's now the coach of Delaware State, an FCS program crammed with gamers from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — a lot of whom bear in mind watching him pull off a sure play on tv.
Jackson: They at all times speak about it. They ask, “Coach, why did you run alongside the purpose line?” One in all my gamers truly did it this previous week when he scored a landing. He was like, “Coach, I studied!”
Dodge: We even have an workplace up West Chester, Pa., which is Philly territory. It is simply Eagles in all places. And you already know, I type of discovered myself rooting for the Eagles just a little bit. I am assembly with purchasers which are all Eagles followers, and so they're normally extra prone to make investments after they're completely happy.
Jackson: There's nowhere I am going the place folks do not say, “Oh, the punt return in opposition to the New York Giants!” I get essentially the most suggestions from that punt return.
Shapiro: Six months in the past or so, I noticed DeSean on the NFC Championship Recreation and we had been chatting in regards to the Miracle on the Meadowlands. It goes down in Eagles lore. Anytime you are beating the Cowboys or the Giants, there's one thing particular about it.
Dodge: A punter that they bear in mind? It is not normally for factor. But it surely taught me one thing: That was, basically, a very unhealthy day at work. It simply occurred to have 80,000 folks watching, untold hundreds of thousands watching on TV, to not point out the clip getting hundreds of thousands and hundreds of thousands of views. So, if I could make it by means of that and I did not spontaneously combust or get shot and killed, I imply, I am most likely going to be tremendous, proper? Yeah, I am most likely going to be tremendous.
Some interviews have been frivolously edited for readability. Titles and descriptors are primarily based on an individual's place on the time of the sport in 2010.
