Saints Rally Past Giants 34-27: Who Gets Credit, Who Takes the Heat, and Why This Team Is Better Than 2-4

The New Orleans Saints walked into MetLife Stadium on Sunday at 1-4, coming off three straight losses and public criticism from owner Gayle Benson. They left with a 34-27 win over the New York Giants. It was not clean. They trailed 10-0 late in the second quarter, scored 34 straight points to build a 34-10 lead, then had to hang on after the Giants scored the game’s final 17 points behind backup J.J. McCarthy. They got the stop they needed on fourth-and-1 from the 14-yard line in the final seconds. A win is a win, especially on the road after a skid.

Who Deserves Credit

Tyler Shough gets the first nod. He finished 16 of 30 for 144 yards with three touchdown passes and a 1-yard rushing score while playing through broken bones in his non-throwing hand. He was not asked to be a volume passer. The Saints ran for a season-high 175 yards and leaned on short, efficient throws. Shough’s 31-yard touchdown to Alvin Kamara early in the third quarter, his own sneak, and the 18-yard strike to Chris Olave that pushed the lead to 34-10 were the difference. He managed the game after the momentum flipped.

Isaiah Stalbird forced the fumble on Charlie Jones’ kickoff return late in the first half that Oscar Delp recovered. That play, paired with Daniel Carlson’s 58-yard field goal, turned a 10-0 deficit into a tie before halftime. Bryce Lance scored his first career touchdown on the short catch that followed. Special teams and the run game created the swing.

The defense did enough early. They sacked Jameis Winston multiple times and picked him off twice, including the interception that set up the Olave score. Martin Emerson Jr. had two of the interceptions. Once Winston was benched, the unit had to hold on against McCarthy’s 243-yard fourth quarter. They did, barely.

Who Takes the Blame

The Giants own most of the self-inflicted damage. Winston threw two interceptions in the second half and was pulled after the second one. Cam Skattebo did not get a carry after ball-security issues the week before. Charlie Jones’ fumble on the kick return flipped the game. The defense that had been solid allowed the Saints to score on multiple consecutive possessions once New Orleans got rolling. McCarthy’s late production was real—he led three scoring drives and put the Giants within a score—but it came after the game was already out of hand.

On the Saints’ side, the defense still has issues that showed up late. They allowed 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter after building the big lead. Giving up big plays and failing to finish cleanly is a recurring problem. The offense also went quiet for stretches once the Giants started pressing. Holding a 24-point lead should not require a final fourth-down stop, even if the other team has a hot backup quarterback.

Where They Rank and What Needs Fixing

Through five games heading into Sunday, the Saints ranked around 16th in points scored (23.6 per game) and 20th in total yards. Their passing numbers were respectable (around 11th in yards per game), but the run game sat near the bottom of the league. They were strong on third downs and in the red zone. The defense ranked near the bottom in points allowed (around 31st) and total yards (25th), with particular problems against the run.

Sunday’s 175 rushing yards were the best mark of the season and showed what happens when the run game is functional. The offense does not need Shough to throw 40 times every week. It needs consistent production on the ground so the short passing game and play-action can work. Defensively, the secondary and front have to limit explosive plays and finish games. Allowing a backup to put up 243 yards in one quarter is not sustainable, even if the result went their way.

Why They’re Better Than the Record

The 2-4 mark looks like a bad team. The underlying pieces are not. Shough has shown he can make the plays that matter when the supporting cast is healthy enough to run the ball. The offense converts third downs and red-zone chances at a high rate. Special teams created the turning point on Sunday. The defense still needs major work against the run and in closing out games, but it generated the turnovers that fueled the 34-point run. A road win after three straight losses, against a Giants team that had been competitive, is not nothing.

The Saints are not a finished product. The defense remains a liability, and the offense still leans too heavily on efficiency rather than consistent explosiveness. But they just showed they can flip a game on the road, protect a lead when it matters most, and get production from the run game that had been missing. At 2-4 in a weak NFC South, that is enough to keep the season alive for now. The next few weeks will show whether this was a one-game rally or the start of something more stable.