By Darin When the New York Giants took a commanding 31-10 lead over the Philadelphia Eagles with just over seven minutes remaining on December 19, 2010, the crowd at the New Meadowlands Stadium assumed the game was over. What happened next wasn’t just a comeback; it was a football apocalypse for the Giants and a miracle for the Eagles—a moment of sheer, unforgettable chaos that reshaped the NFC East race and created a defining moment in NFL history.
Article from Dec 20, 2010 Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey)
Led by a red-hot Michael Vick, the Eagles launched an improbable, breakneck rally. They scored four consecutive touchdowns in an astonishing six minutes and fifty-two seconds. The Giants’ once-insurmountable 21-point cushion vanished under a flurry of quick strikes and flawless execution. The pressure was suffocating, and the tied score, 31-31, seemed impossible just moments earlier.
With only 14 seconds left, the Giants punted, hoping the ball would roll dead for overtime. Instead, DeSean Jackson fielded the ball. After initially muffing the catch and recovering it at the 35-yard line, the speedster took off. Weaving through the fatigued, stunned Giants coverage unit, Jackson sprinted the length of the field. As he crossed the goal line for a 65-yard touchdown, the clock hit 0:00. The game was over. Final score: Eagles 38, Giants 31.
This game is unique not only for the magnitude of the 21-point collapse in the fourth quarter but because it remains the only game in NFL history to end on a punt return for a touchdown with no time left on the clock. It wasn’t just a win; it was a legendary heist that solidified the rivalry and became the gold standard for late-game heroics.
