FOXBOROUGH — The scoreboard said 28–27 Giants. The clock said 0:00.
And Coach Eddie Todd said, “Go for it.”
The Patriots, left for dead at the start of the fourth quarter, were now one play away from either heartbreak or history.
“We didn’t crawl back 22 points to settle for a tie,” Todd said afterward, still half-smiling, half-shaking his head. “We came here to win, period.”
Quarterback Drake Maye took the snap from the two-yard line, rolled right, and found Mack Hollins slipping free in the back corner of the end zone. The throw was sharp, the catch cleaner, and the crowd’s explosion instant.
Two points. Ballgame. Patriots 29, Giants 28.
Gillette Stadium shook. Players sprinted toward Hollins in disbelief, while Maye pumped both fists into the frigid December night. It was the kind of moment Foxborough hasn’t felt in a long time — messy, dramatic, defiant, and unforgettable.
A Nightmare Turned Miracle
For three quarters, Maye was spiraling through one of the worst games of his career. He threw four interceptions, some tipped, some telegraphed, and the offense sputtered to just six points through 45 minutes.
“I was frustrated. Embarrassed, honestly,” Maye said. “But Coach kept saying, ‘Keep throwing. Keep fighting.’ He never blinked, so neither did I.”
By the time the smoke cleared, Maye had turned in 230 yards, three touchdowns, and 17 rushing yards, clawing his way from disaster to redemption.
“It’s one of those games where the stat line lies,” Todd said. “He didn’t play perfect — he played fearless.”
The Fourth-Quarter Spark
Down 28–6 with ten minutes left, the Patriots found a heartbeat.
First came Stefon Diggs, catching a 17-yard cross and breaking it open for a 42-yard touchdown that reignited the sideline.
Then Treveyon Henderson punched in a 14-yard receiving score to cut it to 28–21, fighting through two tacklers at the pylon. The defense forced a stop, and suddenly Gillette had that old electricity again — the kind that hums louder than belief.
Henry’s Redemption Route
With seconds left, Maye led one final drive — methodical, composed. Short passes to Gibson, an out route to Henry, and a screen to Henderson moved the chains to the Giants’ 12-yard line.
Todd called timeout. One play was left in the playbook — a comeback route to Henry, the veteran tight end Maye trusts most.
Maye took the snap, looked left, then fired right. Tyler Nubin, the Giants’ emerging star safety, had perfect coverage — glued to Henry’s hip, one hand in the passing lane. But Henry planted, pivoted, and boxed Nubin out, snagging the ball as contact folded them both to the turf.
Touchdown. 28–27.
“Nubin’s tough as h***,” Henry said later, still rubbing his ribs. “He read it. I just had to fight back to the ball and trust Drake to put it where only I could reach it. That’s exactly what he did.”
The stadium went silent for a moment — the kind of silence that’s louder than noise — before erupting as Henry rolled to his feet and spiked the ball.
But Todd was already signaling: two-point conversion.
“Let’s Finish It”
“I looked at the guys and said, ‘We didn’t come this far for overtime,’” Todd said. “Let’s finish it.”
The play call was quick — a rollout concept designed to flood the right side. Mack Hollins, quiet most of the day, motioned across the formation. Maye rolled right, drew the safety, and rifled a dart toward the back pylon.
Hollins dragged a toe and secured the catch as the clock hit zero.
The sideline exploded.
“I just saw that ball and thought, ‘Catch this, and the whole building goes nuts,’” Hollins said. “That’s the kind of play you dream about as a kid.”
Defensive Backbone
This comeback doesn’t happen without the defense’s resolve.
Early in the first quarter, linebacker Marte Mapu ripped the ball free from quarterback Dart on a goal-line sneak and recovered it himself — a seven-point swing that kept the game from spiraling.
Mapu finished with a forced fumble, recovery, and six tackles. Robert Spillane and Keion White each tallied sacks, while Christian Gonzalez delivered a clinic against Malik Nabers, limiting the Giants’ Pro Bowl wideout to just 17 yards.
“We wanted to make someone else beat us,” Gonzalez said. “Nabers can change a game in one snap — not tonight.”
Henderson’s Grit, Gibson’s Glue
The running game wasn’t flashy, but it was determined.
Treveyon Henderson carried 12 times for 91 yards and a touchdown, bouncing off contact and grinding out yards late.
“It was ugly early,” Henderson said. “But you just keep your pads low and wait for something to break.”
Antonio Gibson added only 12 rushing yards but made his mark through the air — 41 receiving yards on clutch third-down catches that extended drives and shifted momentum.
“Those are the kind of plays people forget,” Gibson said. “But they’re what win games like this.”
Todd’s Message: Heart Over Headlines
The locker room after the game wasn’t loud — it was emotional.
Players sat quietly, helmets in their laps, as Todd stepped to the center.
“We’ve been punched in the mouth all season,” he told them. “But this right here — this is what happens when you refuse to stay down. This is belief.”
At 5–8, the Patriots know they’re not playoff favorites. But after Sunday night, they are something far rarer: a team that still believes.
“This one’s not about the record,” Diggs said. “It’s about the fight. That’s our DNA.”
A Bye Week to Breathe
Next week brings rest — and reflection. The Patriots limp into the bye at 5–8, but the locker room feels lighter than it has in months.
“We’ll get our bodies right,” Todd said. “Then it’s right back to the grind. This isn’t the story of a miracle — it’s the start of a standard.”
Maye lingered on the field long after the final whistle, helmet in hand, eyes fixed on the scoreboard.
“Four picks,” he muttered with a grin. “And still found a way.”
He looked up one last time at the frozen numbers — 29–28 — and jogged off into the tunnel.
For one cold night in Foxborough, the Patriots reminded everyone — including themselves — what heart looks like when the clock hits zero.
