No defense for sieve-like effort
LANDOVER, Md. — Don’t underestimate the value of winning the coin toss.
If the Giants had lost on Saquon Barkley’s “heads” call, they would have sent onto the field to start overtime a defense that just allowed a game-tying 99-yard touchdown drive. Instead, Barkley, Daniel Jones and the rest of the offense wisely never let the Redskins touch the ball again by not settling for a field goal in a 41-35 victory.
“As a defense, we have to stand up and not let them come back on us like that,” cornerback Corey Ballentine said. “We were up and we let a few cheap shots go. It shouldn’t have even been that close, in my eyes. We have to be a little more stout in the run game, tighter in our coverage. I’m just glad we won the game.”
Ballentine was involved in the most critical play, as he was in one-on-one coverage on an end-zone fade to Steven Sims Jr. on fourthand-goal from the 3-yard line with 41 seconds remaining. He was called for pass interference, and quarterback Case Keenum ran in the tying touchdown one play later.
“They ran the same play twice,” Ballentine told The Post. “They threw the out [route] the first time and missed. Then they threw it again, to the back pylon and we were toward the front pylon. My hands were on him, but I don’t think it was egregious at all. I was looking at the ball. I tilted my hand and took my hands off him.”
Replays showed a tangled Ballentine with his arms outstretched like he was shoving Sims as the ball sailed over their heads. The flag landed late, after the Giants began celebrating a stop.
The Redskins drew a spark from a third-quarter change to Keenum, who replaced injured Dwayne Haskins (ankle). The rookie Haskins was 12-for-15 with two touchdowns but trailed 28-14, and Keenum led three touchdown drives on five possessions.
“We did a good job for three quarters controlling the run game, trying to affect the passer,” said Lorenzo Carter, who had 1.5 of the Giants’ three sacks. “We had a few self-inflicted wounds on that [99-yard] drive, a few things we slipped up on. We had them in third-and-medium or – long a few times.”
One week after their best defensive performance of the season, the Giants allowed 361 yards and didn’t force a turnover as the game evolved into a shootout.
Quincy McKnight scored 25 points, made all nine of his free-throw attempts and had four steals as Seton Hall erupted in the second half for a 75-55 win over Prairie View A&M on Sunday in South Orange, N.J.
Anthony Nelson, Jared Rhoden and Tyrese Samuel each scored 12 for Seton Hall (8-4).
The Pirates shot 7 of 23 in the first half — including all seven missed 3-point attempts — and Prairie View led 27-22 at halftime. Seton Hall then turned it around shooting 57.6 percent (19 of 33) and outscored the Panthers 53-28.
Darius Williams scored 19 for the Panthers (3-9), Gerard Andrus scored 14 and Devonte Patterson 11.
Seton Hall starts Big East Conference action when it travels to DePaul on Dec. 30.