Ridder’s 67-yard OT strike saves Commanders after Giants’ stunning comeback, 31-28

East Rutherford, NJ - The Washington Commanders were seconds away from watching a 14-point fourth-quarter lead turn into a devastating collapse. The New York Giants had stormed back with two touchdowns in the final 88 seconds of regulation, turning what appeared to be a comfortable Washington victory into an overtime thriller.

But Desmond Ridder had one more big play left.

Facing third-and-10 deep in Washington territory in the final minute of overtime, Ridder connected with Jaylin Lane for a breathtaking 67-yard completion that moved the Commanders to the Giants’ 11-yard line. Moments later, Drew Stevens drilled a 28-yard field goal to give Washington a dramatic 31-28 victory at MetLife Stadium.

Ridder finished with 403 passing yards and three touchdowns, but his biggest contribution came when Washington needed him most.

A fourth quarter that had everything

For three quarters, Washington appeared to have control of the NFC East showdown. The Commanders built a 13-7 halftime lead behind Ridder’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Rachaad White and two field goals. Neither team scored in the third quarter.

Then the fourth quarter erupted.

With 8:52 remaining, Ridder found Antonio Williams for a 61-yard touchdown, and the pair connected again on the two-point conversion to push Washington’s advantage to 21-7.

New York refused to go away.

Shedeur Sanders answered with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Theo Johnson, cutting the deficit to 21-14 with 6:50 remaining. But Washington responded almost immediately, as Ridder connected with Treylon Burks for a 21-yard touchdown to restore a 28-14 cushion with just 4:24 left.

At that point, the Commanders appeared to have delivered the knockout blow.

Instead, the Giants were just getting started.

Sanders leads a furious Giants comeback

Trailing by 14 in the closing minutes, Sanders orchestrated a remarkable rally.

With 1:28 remaining, he found Johnson for a 3-yard touchdown, bringing New York within seven points. The Giants had cut the deficit to 28-21, but time was rapidly running out.

Sanders wasn’t finished.

After getting another opportunity, the Giants quarterback drove New York back downfield. He connected with Marvin Harrison Jr. for gains of 13 and five yards before delivering a 33-yard touchdown strike to Harrison with less than 30 seconds remaining.

The extra point tied the game at 28-28.

In the span of barely a minute, New York had erased Washington’s seemingly commanding lead. A game the Commanders had controlled was suddenly hanging in the balance.

And somehow, the final seconds became even more chaotic.

Washington lost a fumble that Abdul Carter recovered with 25 seconds remaining, giving New York another opportunity to steal the game in regulation. But just three seconds later, Mike Sainristil intercepted Sanders, ending the Giants’ sudden chance to complete the comeback before overtime.

The Commanders had escaped one disaster, but they still needed to find a way to win.

One last chance for Ridder

Overtime initially offered Washington little relief.

The Giants’ pass rush continued making life difficult for Ridder, recording consecutive sacks that helped derail an early Commanders possession. Washington was forced to punt, giving New York an opportunity to finish its comeback.

The Giants moved the ball but couldn’t deliver the decisive score. Their possession ended with a punt with just over a minute remaining, handing Ridder one final opportunity.

What followed changed the game.

With the clock winding down, Washington faced third-and-10 at its own 22-yard line. Ridder dropped back and found Jaylin Lane for a massive 67-yard gain, moving the Commanders all the way to the New York 11.

It was the kind of explosive play that had powered Washington’s offense throughout the afternoon, and this time it arrived at the perfect moment.

The completion put Stevens in position for the winning kick.

Stevens converted from 28 yards in the closing seconds of overtime, ending the Giants’ comeback hopes and securing Washington’s 31-28 victory.

After nearly surrendering a game they had seemingly put away, the Commanders had survived.

Ridder and Williams fuel Washington’s offense

Ridder completed 20 of 31 passes for 403 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 126.7 passer rating despite being sacked six times.

Williams was his favorite target, hauling in 10 receptions for a game-high 170 yards and a touchdown. His 61-yard fourth-quarter score helped Washington establish what appeared to be an insurmountable lead.

White provided balance with 123 rushing yards on 20 carries while adding four receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Burks contributed 57 receiving yards and a score.

Washington finished with 515 yards of total offense, including 355 through the air and 160 on the ground.

"We had production coming from different places, and that gave us options throughout the game," Ridder said. "There are still things we can clean up, especially with the pressure they generated, but throwing the ball efficiently gave us a chance to finish with the result we wanted."

Yet for all that production, Washington’s inability to close out regulation nearly overshadowed everything else.

Giants’ remarkable effort ends in heartbreak

For New York, the defeat was particularly painful considering how close the team came to completing one of the season’s most memorable comebacks.

Sanders threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns, connecting twice each with Harrison and Johnson. Harrison finished with six receptions for 103 yards, while Johnson added five catches for 85 yards.

Cam Skattebo powered the rushing attack with 128 yards on 23 carries as the Giants accumulated 480 yards of total offense and 28 first downs.

But turnovers ultimately proved costly.

Sanders threw two interceptions, including the late fourth-quarter pick by Sainristil that halted New York’s opportunity to complete the comeback in regulation.

"We moved the ball and got into the end zone four times through the air, but the two turnovers are part of the story too," Sanders said. "In a three-point game, every possession has weight. I have to be better with the football."

The Giants had erased a 14-point deficit in the final minutes, forced overtime, and put Washington under tremendous pressure. But they couldn’t produce the final decisive play.

Instead, it was Ridder who delivered when the game hung in the balance.

Washington snapped its two-game losing streak and improved to 4-5, while New York fell to 3-6 after a heartbreaking home defeat.

Up Next

Washington returns home in Week 11 to face the Cincinnati Bengals, hoping to build on its dramatic overtime victory. New York remains at MetLife Stadium to host the Jacksonville Jaguars, looking to rebound after falling just short of a remarkable comeback.