Giants Country

NY Giants at New England Patriots — Scoring Updates, Highlight Reels & Reactions

The Giants hope to get their first road win in over a year.
Patricia Traina|
The Giants visit the New England Patriots for a prime time date.
The Giants visit the New England Patriots for a prime time date. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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New York Giants

On the surface, the New York Giants’ Week 13 tilt against the red-hot New England Patriots isn’t that much of a draw.

Oh, sure, it’s an opportunity for the nation to watch two young and ascending quarterbacks in Jaxson Dart (Giants) and Drake Maye (Patriots) do their thing. But other than that, there’s not a whole lot at stake for the Giants, right?

Wrong.

For interim head coach Mike Kafka, who has had a whirlwind three weeks since being put in charge of the flailing franchise following the dismissal of Brian Daboll, it’s been about convincing the Giants and the rest of the league that he’s indeed head coaching material.

He’s already made some tough calls, starting with the one-series benching of rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter for not being on top of a schedule change and hence missing a team walkthrough, to the firing of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. 

Kafka has also rolled the dice on naming Charlie Bullen, who has never been a coordinator at any level during his 18-year coaching career, to salvage what’s left of a bruised and battered defensive unit that has top-15 talent but which has been playing like a bunch of chumps.

Tonight against the Patriots, a team that’s seeking its tenth win in a row, Kafka and the Giants can make a statement with an upset victory before they cruise into their long-awaited bye week. 

It’s clearly too late for this season, but for a team that can’t sink much longer, if it’s able to provide just the slightest glimmer of hope that better days are on the horizon, that’s really all that one can ask for at this juncture.

Follow along with our live blog as we bring you play highlights, injury and statistical notes, and more from the Giants’ Week 13 game against the New England Patriots.

Jump to a Section

  1. Fourth Quarter
  2. Third Quarter
  3. Halftime
  4. Second Quarter
  5. First Quarter
  6. Pregame
  7. More New York Giants Coverage

Fourth Quarter

1:12: And that will do it. Dart's pass for Johnson on fourth down is incomplete. Bring on the bye.

TWO MINUTE WARNING

2:17: Andy Borregales hits his fourth field goal of the night, a 23-yarder. NEP 33, NYG 15

6:17: Offsetting penalties wipe out a 30-yard Patriots touchdown.  

⏹ GIANTS INJURY UPDATE:  RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (hip) is questionable to return.

⏹ GIANTS INJURY ALERT: RB Tyrone Tracy, Jr. is slow to get up after his last carry. Tracy was carted off to the locker room. 

10:52: Giants have Jevon Holland back to return the punts now with Gunner Olszewski (concussion) having been ruled out.

15:00: Devin Singletary has been running well these past few weeks. He takes in a 22-yard touchdown run behind an Andrew Thomas run. And the 2-point conversion is good. NEP 30, NYG 15.

Third Quarter

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson
Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) runs the ball against New York Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke (58) during the third quarter at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

END OF QUARTER

4:13: Andy Borregales misses a 45-yard field goal. Yay?

⏹ GIANTS INJURY UPDATE:  WR Gunner Olszewski has been ruled out with a concussion.

10:50: And the Giants go for it on 4th-and-6, the pass is incomplete. I just don't understand this team anymore.

Halftime

A despondent Brian Burns remained on the Giants' bench by himself as the rest of the team went to the locker room at halftime. Burns has been playing his heart out this year and deserves better.

Second Quarter

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye
Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass during the second quarter against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

END OF THE HALF

Thanks to the Giants’ not-so-special teams play tonight, the Patriots came up with 10 points off turnovers. The Giants also left three points on the field with that Younghoe Koo field goal kick that wasn’t. Not a good night for Giants special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial's unit.

0:02: Patriots hit the 28-yard field goal to make it 30-7. That decision not to go for it on fourth down was a doozy, given how the Giants have been running the ball. NEP 30, NYG 7

⏹ GIANTS INJURY UPDATE: Gunner Olszewski is being evaluated for a concussion.

1:13: The Giants had 4th-and-1, and after failing to draw the Patriots offside, they punted. So much for being aggressive.

Another look at the Younghoe Koo kick that wasn't. It seemed like his steps were off. Can't wait to hear the explanation for this one.

1:51: Borregales hits his second field goal of the night, this one a 30-yarder to make it a 20-point lead for the Patriots. NEP 27, NYG 7

TWO MINUTE WARNING

Gunner Olszewski takes a big-time hit on the kickoff return and is shaken up. Oh, and he fumbled the return, which Elijah Ponder recovered at the Giants' 27-yard line.

3:35: Gorgeous throw by Drake Maye to Kyle Williams, who notches a 33-yard touchdown catch. NEP 24, NYG 7

6:28: Special teams strikes again. I'm not even sure what happened there. Younghoe Koo stopped in his kicking motion, and Jamie Gillan, the holder, instead of throwing the ball away, took a sack, which gives the Patriots the ball on the 42-yard line. Wow.

12:55: And the Giants get on the board thanks to a Dart pass to Darius Slayton. NEP 17, NEP 7

First Quarter

New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones
Dec 1, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) returns a punt for a touchdown during the first quarter against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

END OF QUARTER. Giants better settle down.

1:04: And the Patriots, who are making this look too easy, score again, as Drake Maye hits Kayshon Boutte for a 3-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots have run 17 plays and scored 17 points to start this game. NEP 17, NYG 0

Carter isn't in the game yet. I wouldn't be shocked if he is held out for the entire first quarter. Chauncey Golston is in there.

3:53: Dart takes off as a runner, and a sideline brawl erupts after the kid takes a hard hit on he sideline. Theo Johnson draws the 15-yard penalty. Giants better calm down.

5:36: Special teams, ladies and gentlemen. Jamie Gillan's punt is returned 54 yards for a touchdown by Marcus Jones.  NEP 10, NYG 0

Yup, Carter benched due to "coach's decision" per Laura Rutledge, who added that Carter will play at some point in the game. Will this kid ever learn?

9:17: Patriots get on the board with Andy Borregales's 22-yard field goal. NEP 3, NYG 0

Abdul Carter has yet to be on the field. He wouldn't have made the same mistake that he made a couple of weeks ago, would he?

13:43: On 3rd-and-1 Rhamondre Stevenson picked up 8 yards and the first down.

Here we go. 39-yard kickoff return by the Patriots as the Giants' coverage unit misses tackles and gets out of its lanes.

Pregame

Giants win the toss and defer.e4 Game on!

Final Pregame Thoughts

Thus far this season, Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has executed 37 designed runs out of his 57 rushing attempts, with 14 of those designed runs coming on first down per TruMedia (via the Locked On Giants podcast). 

With Dart returning from a two-week absence related to a concussion, don’t be surprised if Mike Kafka, who now has sole final say over the game plan, cuts way back on designed runs.

The Giants' running backs have done well carrying the rock during Dart’s absence, so I would be shocked if that doesn’t continue this week, given the windy conditions up in New England and Dart coming back off the concussion, with the bye week looming after.

I’m very curious to see what changes defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen makes. With cornerback Paulson Adebo back on the field, the Giants' defensive secondary is whole again, so will that mean we see more 8+ men in the box?  

FWIW, the Giants have put seven or fewer in the box 203 times this season, and opponents have rushed for 1,399 yards (6.9 yards per carry). When they have put eight or more in the box (115 times this season), opponents have rushed for 487 yards, 4.2 yards per carry.

Speaking of the defense, I’m curious to see if Charlie Bullen goes with more of an amoeba look on passing downs, where the players sort of gather, disguising who’s rushing and who isn’t. Such a strategy would certainly create some confusion for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and maybe make for an interesting night.

Have to wonder if the Giants will limit Dexter Lawrence’s snaps again this week, given his elbow injury, and, if so, what’s the plan to plug that hole, given that every time Lawrence isn’t on the field, opponents go right after that spot.

Giants Inactives

  • QB (3rd) Russell Wilson
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
  • WR Jalin Hyatt
  • LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
  • CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
  • OLB Victor Dimukeje
  • OL James Hudson III

Patriots Inactives

  • QB (3rd) Tommy DeVito
  • S Brenden Schooler
  • LB Bradyn Swinson
  • OT Marcus Bryant
  • OL Jared Wilson
  • TE CJ Dippre
  • DL Khyiris Tonga

Pregame Stats & Notes

⏹Through 11 games played this season, CB Cor’Dale Flott has been responsible for nine open targets, per Next Gen Stats. Across all defenders who have been targeted at least 50 times, Flott’s nine open targets allowed are tied for the fewest in the NFL.

⏹Since Week 11, RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. has produced 269 yards from scrimmage, the 2nd-most in the league among all running backs. He only trails Detroit RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who has garnered 410 yards from scrimmage.

⏹LB Abdul Carter leads all rookies with 42 quarterback pressures (per Next Gen Stats) and 12 QB hits. He is 1 QB hit shy of tying Kayvon Thibodeaux (13 in 2022) and Azeez Ojulari (13 in 2021) for the most by a Giants rookie since QB hits became an official stat in 2006.

⏹In the Week 12 matchup against Detroit, DL Darius Alexander produced four tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 QB hits, and two tackles for loss. Both sacks came in the first half, making him the first Giants rookie since DE Jason Pierre-Paul (12/5/10) with 2.0+ sacks in a half.

NFL Insights

Need further proof that left tackle Andrew Thomas is the best of the Giants' offensive line this season? 

Per NFL+, Thomas has allowed a 7.9% pressure rate this season, the 12th-lowest among left tackles with at least 150 pass blocks and just one sack (0.3%, 3rd-lowest) and two quick pressures (0.6%, 2nd-lowest).

He’s also held off pressure for an average of 3.91 seconds, the longest time to pressure by any left tackle since at least 2018. 

All of this is key as tonight Thomas is likely to see a lot of K'Lavon Chaisson, who has produced a 15.2% pressure rate and 5.9% quick pressure rate, both of which rank 17th among 77 edge rushers with at least 150 pass rushes.

For those who think that Giants safety Jevon Holland has been a bust, he’s allowed 4.1 yards per target this season, the third-fewest among 195 defensive backs with at least 15 targets in coverage. 

Within that, he’s allowed nine completions on 22 targets (40.9%, 2nd-lowest) for 91 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, leading to a 49.6 passer rating when targeted, the fifth-lowest among the 62 safeties with 15+ targets. 

Holland has also allowed 18 YAC, which is the best among the safeties.

Also, something to watch tonight is Dexter Lawrence II. With word of Lawrence having reinjured the same elbow that ended his season early last year, will he see fewer double-team blocks? 

Thus far, per NFL+, he has been double-teamed on 57.9% of his pass rushes this season, the second-highest mark among defensive tackles with a minimum of 150 pass rushes. With Lawrence basically struggling to play with one healthy arm, one would think there’s no reason to devote extra resources to him.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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