Giants Suffer Worst Collapse in NFL History in 33-32 Loss to Broncos
By Rob Reinhart
The New York Giants appeared on the verge of a statement road win Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High, but instead suffered a gut-wrenching 33-32 defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos. With a dominant performance for much of the game, the Giants managed to build a 19-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter, only to watch all of it slip away in an historic collapse.
What Went Right (for a While)
Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart continued to show promise, throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushing for a score.
The Giants’ offense jumped out of the gate, with a big 44-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Bellinger to put them up 7-0 early.
Defensively, the Giants held the Broncos scoreless for the first three quarters. With the game trending so well, it appeared they were in control.
The Collapse
The fourth quarter spelled disaster. Here’s how things unraveled:
The Broncos, led by Bo Nix, scored 33 unanswered points in the fourth quarter—the largest single-quarter comeback in NFL history for a team that had been shut out in the first three quarters of a game.
Nix combined for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and 279 passing yards as they clawed their way back.
The Giants’ defense, which had looked strong up to that point, fell apart under pressure. A costly interception by Dart shifted momentum.
After a late Dart 1-yard quarterback sneak made it 32-30 in favor of the Giants, kicker Jude McAtamney missed the extra point. That miss opened the door for the Broncos, who drove down and won on a 39-yard field goal by Wil Lutz as time expired.
Impact & What It Means
With the loss, the Giants drop to 2-5 on the season, in rough shape in the NFC East and increasingly under pressure.
The Broncos’ win improves their record and demonstrates their resilience, but for the Giants this will be a bitter memory of a game they should have won.
In the locker room and among fans, the mood is reflective and frustrated. The collapse highlights issues in closing out games, decision-making under pressure, and special teams execution.
Looking Ahead
The Giants now must regroup quickly. The questions linger: Can they maintain the aggressiveness and promise shown early in the game? How will the staff and players respond to this blow? And will they have a new kicker next week? The margin for error in the remainder of the season has just grown much smaller.