Giants hold off Titans as Jevon Holland makes interception in end zone in final minute
Giants safety Jevon Holland celebrates his interception with teammates late in the second half of an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger
Rainy skies. Empty seats. Ponchos coloring the crowd. It wasn’t an ideal scene for the Giants’ return to MetLife Stadium without Jaxson Dart.
But safety Jevon Holland raised the spirits with an end-zone interception to snuff the Titans’ final drive and help the Giants escape with a 12-7 win. It was Holland’s third interception in as many games.
On first-and-goal from the 7-yard line, Titans quarterback Cam Ward escaped pressure and had open field ahead of him. Instead, the second-year quarterback threw it and Holland picked him off, setting a wild celebration where he was mobbed on the sidelines.
Rookie kicker Dominic Zvada handled the scoring for the Giants with four field goals. For the first time since 2022, the Giants (2-1) will spend two weeks in a season above .500.
Jameis Winston, in his first start since Dart's season-ending knee injury, was 14-for-22 for 118 yards. The offense struggled at times but the win spoiled the MetLife Stadium return for several Titans (0-3).
Receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who spent the last four seasons with the Giants, scored on a four-yard touchdown with 5:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. He finished with seven catches for 57 yards.
Titans head coach Robert Saleh was back after being fired by the Jets in October 2024. Former Giants coach Brian Daboll, fired last season, also returned as Titans offensive coordinator.
But for one half, Daboll’s offense made a poor case for why he should be missed. The Giants held the Titans to just 54 first-half yards and five consecutive punts to open the game.
The Titans didn’t register a first down until 1:18 remaining in the second quarter and missed a 59-yard field goal attempt with 41 seconds left period. The wide-left attempt gave the Giants a chance to capitalize, and they did.
Winston drove the Giants within field-goal range and Zvada converted from 39 yards as the first half ended. But for the second straight game, Winston struggled to push the ball downfield.
His longest pass was a broken play where he lofted a 30-yard pass to Cam Skattebo, the longest completion of Skattebo’s young career. Winston was also sacked three times. The Giants were just 4-for-13 on third down, and before the Titans’ final drive, Winston’s third-down pass was deflected by lineman John Franklin-Myers.
Linebacker Brian Burns didn’t start with a sprained ankle, his first non-start since the Giants traded for him in 2024. Despite not practicing this week, he played on third-down pass rush packages and was a reason the Titans started 1-for-8 on third downs.
But with 11:02 in the fourth quarter, Burns was knocked down trying to rush Ward. He immediately punched the turf while grabbing his right knee. Burns was helped off the field and didn’t return with a knee injury.
The Giants started the game hot with Zaire Barnes forcing a fumble on returner Chimere Dike that Malik Harrison recovered. But the offense wasted an opening drive starting in Titans territory.
On first down at the Titans’ 27, center John Michael Schmitz’s holding penalty negated a 11-yard run by Skattebo. The Giants’ next three plays went for minus-1 yards, and they were forced to punt.
The Giants opened the second half with a 59-yard scoring drive, but penalties kept them from a likely touchdown. On secnd down from the Titans 2-yard line, an illegal shift penalty pushed them back five yards. Then Jermaine Eluemunor was flagged for holding to make it second-and-17
After a Winston incompletion and short run by Cam Skattebo, Zvada converted his fourth field goal. But red zone issues were a story as much as poor offense.
On their second drive of the second quarter, the Giants ran seven straight run plays for positive yards behind Skattebo, Najee Harris and Tyrone Tracy Jr. But on first-and-goal from the 5-yard line, they called a direct snap to Skattebo, and he ran backwards with the Titans swarming on him.
Skattebo was tackled for a seven-yard loss. Instead of possibly pushing for a touchdown, the Giants settled for a 27-yard field goal that made it 6-0.
The lack of touchdowns for the second straight game nearly cost them. Instead, Holland’s big-time play helped the Giants snatch victory from defeat.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
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