Jahmyr Gibbs' 69-Yard OT Touchdown Lifts Lions Past Giants 34-27 in Electric Comeback

When Jahmyr Gibbs broke free for a 69-yard touchdown on the very first play of overtime, the roar at Ford Field didn’t just shake the rafters—it reignited the Detroit Lions’ playoff dreams. It was 6:25 PM UTC on November 23, 2025, and the New York Giants had spent the entire afternoon believing they’d finally snapped their late-game curse. They were wrong. Gibbs, the Lions’ 22-year-old running back, turned a simple handoff into a franchise-defining moment, leaving three defenders grasping at air—and one, in a desperate, unsportsmanlike move, trying to punch the ball clean out of his arms. The play ended with Gibbs in the end zone, the score at 34-27, and the Lions avoiding their first back-to-back losses in over three years.

A Game That Could’ve Gone Either Way

The Lions trailed by 14 points in the third quarter. They were 6-4 entering the game, barely clinging to the edge of the NFC playoff picture. The Giants, meanwhile, had just fired head coach Brian Daboll on November 17 and were playing under interim offensive coordinator Kevin Kafka, who now called plays for both teams—on opposite sidelines. Kafka, previously the Lions’ offensive coordinator before his abrupt departure, had no time to settle in with his new squad. His Giants offense looked disjointed. Their defense, once stout, wilted under pressure.

But the story wasn’t just about coaching chaos. It was about resilience. Detroit’s offense, led by quarterback Jared Goff, methodically clawed back. A 38-yard screen to Gibbs. A 17-yard slant to Amon-Ra St. Brown. A fourth-down conversion that had fans holding their breath. And then, with 28 seconds left and the score tied 27-27, Jake Bates stepped onto the field. The rookie kicker, who’d missed three field goals earlier this season, drilled a 59-yarder—the longest in Lions history, tying the franchise record set by Jason Hanson in 2005. The stadium exploded. The Giants’ sideline went silent.

Gibbs: Electric, Unstoppable, Essential

On the first snap of overtime, the Lions called a simple zone read. Gibbs took the handoff, found a seam, and then—poof—he was gone. He broke a tackle at the 50. Another at the 30. A third near the 15. One Giants defender, frustrated and out of position, lunged not at Gibbs’ legs, but at the ball. It was a dirty, illegal move—and it backfired spectacularly. Gibbs held on. The crowd chanted his name. Head coach Dan Campbell later told reporters: "He was electric. That’s not just a word. That’s what he was. Every time he touched the ball, you felt something was going to happen." Gibbs finished with 219 rushing yards—third-highest in Lions history—and 45 receiving yards on 11 catches. Three total touchdowns. He became the first Lions running back since Barry Sanders in 1997 to record over 200 scrimmage yards and three scores in a single game. "It was a must-win," Gibbs said afterward, his voice still hoarse from screaming. "We knew what was on the line. We didn’t just want to win. We needed to win."

The Giants’ Late-Game Curse Deepens

For the Giants, this loss was more than another defeat. It was another chapter in their growing nightmare. This was their fifth loss this season after holding a fourth-quarter lead. They’ve now lost three games since October where they led by 10 or more points in the final 10 minutes. Their collapse in Denver on November 10—when they led 28-10 with six minutes left and lost 31-28—was historic. No team since at least 1970 had blown a lead that big so late and still lost in regulation. Now, they’ve added this one. The pattern is too consistent to ignore. The defense cracks. The offense stalls. The coaching staff can’t adjust.

"We had it," said Giants cornerback Darnay Holmes after the game. "We just... didn’t finish. That’s on all of us."

What This Means for the Playoff Race

The win improved the Lions to 7-4, putting them in the thick of the NFC North race. With 17 weeks in the regular season, and the playoffs set to begin January 10, 2026, every game matters. This was their fourth straight win against NFC opponents. They’ve won five of their last six at home. Their next test? A road game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 30, 2025—a venue where the Lions haven’t won since 2018.

Meanwhile, the Giants (4-7) now face the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium on the same day. With their playoff hopes fading, the question isn’t just whether they can win—it’s whether their roster can hold together long enough to finish the season.

Behind the Scenes: Leadership Under Fire

Campbell’s leadership was under scrutiny before this game. A Detroit Free Press analysis titled "Lions grades vs Giants: Dan Campbell overcomes game-management issues" pointed to his conservative clock management in the third quarter and a questionable timeout usage. But on Sunday, he trusted his players. He let Gibbs run wild. He let Bates kick the 59-yarder. He didn’t panic when the Giants went up 27-17. He stayed calm. And when it mattered most, he let his team make history.

"That very easily—a number of times—could’ve gone the other way," Campbell said. "But it didn’t. We made the plays we had to make."

And that, more than anything, is what separates good teams from great ones.