The long wait is over

Giants hold off Washington to get Judge first victory

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Joe Judge won’t have a lot of time to enjoy his first win as New York Giants coach.

In fact, the 38year-old Judge barely had time to celebrate as the Giants rode a wild final four minutes, a decisive play by Mr. Irrelevant and a game-saving late stop by the defense on a 2-point conversion to a 20-19 victory over Washington on Sunday.

After the final whistle, Judge hugged people on the sideline and then immediately starting thinking about playing the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

“The emotional sideline was just joy for players,” Judge said. “To see them smile and see them rewarded for hard work, that’s really why you play.”

The Giants, who blew a 10point lead, gave Judge a game ball and doused him with liquid from bottles in the locker room after the game, which was decided on two big plays in the final 3:28.

Rookie linebacker Tae Crowder, the last player taken in the NFL draft — Mr. Irrelevant — scooped up a fumble and ran 43 yards for a touchdown to give New York a 20-13 lead.

Washington (1-5) came right back and got within a point on a 22-yard touchdown pass from

Kyle Allen to Cam Sims with :36 left in regulation to cap a 10-play, 75-yard march.

Washington coach Ron Rivera rolled the dice and went for the win with a 2-point conversion. Allen found no one open, scrambled to his left and had his pass under pressure fall incomplete, giving New York (1-5) a W.

“I told them in the locker room I play to win,” Rivera said to reporters. “I told you guys that’s part of my philosophy. The only way to learn to win is to play to win. That’s what I want those guys to understand.”

The stop allowed the Giants to avoid a second 0-6 start since 2013.

“It was win or lose at that point,” said cornerback James

Bradberry, whose interception set up a 23-yard touchdown pass by Daniel Jones to Darius Slayton in the first half.

Allen said he looked around after the snap and didn’t see much open.

“You want to give our guys a chance to make a play,” said Allen, who finished 31 of 42 for 280 yards. “Glad we went for 2. Wish we would have gotten it.”

Washington rallied from a 10-point deficit to tie the game before a rare Giants quarterback pressure turned the game around.

On a third-and-9 from the Giants 45, linebacker Kyler Fackrell strip-sacked Allen for an 8-yard loss. Crowder chased

Mike Stobe / Getty Images James Bradberry (24) of the Giants celebrates after intercepting a pass from Washington’s Kyle Allen at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.