2 winners (and 3 losers) from Giants’ OT implosion Jameis Winston almost saved

The New York Giants can’t seem to win a football game — but they’re getting really good at finding new ways to lose them. Their latest 34-27 overtime collapse to the Detroit Lions in Week 12 had just about everything: a near-unstoppable offense, unreal trick plays, and another double-digit blown lead, because this is the way.

Despite the sixth straight loss (and tenth overall), there were still a handful of performances that deserve some shine. Whether it was Jameis Winston playing out of his mind or Wan’Dale Robinson going nuclear on Detroit’s secondary, the G-Men proved they’ve got some competitive pieces.

Related: Malik Nabers just threw Mike Kafka under the bus with brutal now-deleted post

But for every standout performance, there were plenty of head-scratching moments too — from coaching decisions to another round of defensive ineptitude. Let’s dive into the biggest winners and losers from Big Blue’s frustrating Week 12 outing in the Motor City.

2 winners (and 3 losers) from Giants’ Week 12 we've-been-here-before nightmare

Winner No. 1: Thinking outside the box

Kudos to interim head coach Mike Kafka for getting creative with the game plan. For anyone wondering, we've apparently hit the throw whatever at the wall and see what sticks phase of the season. Better late than never. It is Week 12, and the G-Men have two wins.

Kaf really pulled out all the stops in this one. The offense was moving the ball all over Detroit's defense, but nothing was better than the two trick plays they ran that resulted in two touchdowns. Gimmicky plays are typically viewed as a last-ditch effort, think desperation, but it's clear the offensive coordinator-turned midseason HC has some pretty awesome and unconventional methods to help this team remain competitive.

Winner No. 2: The Jameis Winston experience

Fans got the full Jameis Winston experience Sunday afternoon. He did throw an interception — classic — but he also threw for 366 yards, two touchdowns, and caught a 33-yard touchdown pass in one of the most electric plays the league has ever witnessed.

Aside from catching a touchdown pass, he also threw an incredible flea-flicker pass to Wan'Dale Robinson for a 40-yard touchdown throw. Even his pre-game pump-up speech was vintage Jameis:

Loser No. 1: Shane Bowen's same story, different week spiel

Just when you think this might be the week the Giants figure out how not to blow a double-digit fourth-quarter lead, they surprise you with another one. This is the third time this season it's happened, including the fifth time they've blown a double-digit lead at any point.

The defense got gashed for 494 yards, but nothing was as egregious as Bowen not having star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence on the field (intentionally) as running back Jahmyr Gibbs scampered for the Lions' game-winning 69-yard touchdown score

Loser No. 2: Any and all playoff hopes

After falling to 2-10, the G-Men have been officially eliminated from playoff contention. Adding insult to injury, it’s not just that the playoffs are off the table — it’s that they became the first team this season to be knocked out. Fans knew this team wasn’t making the postseason long before it became official, but now the inevitable is finally behind them. It’s officially on to the 2026 Draft.

Loser No. 3: Eric Gray's Giants tenure

Eric Gray is a maddening case of “why is he still on the team?” The third-string running back has consistently struggled to hang onto the football on both kick and punt returns. In his first touch of 2025, he muffed yet another return. He managed to recover it, but it’s not exactly a great look — especially coming just days after being activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list.

The fact that the team continues to keep Dante 'Turbo' Miller on the practice squad after a strong preseason showing is infuriating. Just call him up and end the Gray experiment already. Enough of this doing the same thing and expecting different results nonsense.