There’s no disagreement. Tommy DeVito’s New York Giants are now his team going forward after he added a game-winning, last-minute drive to his record in Monday night’s 24-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium.
In the final 1:33, the Giants drove 57 yards in seven plays, led by the undrafted rookie, who completed 4 of 4 passes for 53 yards. This set up Randy Bullock’s 37-yard field goal as time ran out. It only made the unlikely tale that is developing more bizarre.
“You enjoy it when it’s an outcome like this, right?” DeVito stated. “To be honest, I like being on the field for any kind of play. Try to enjoy it, that’s all.”
The Packers (6-7) and the Giants (5-8) are now separated by just one game for the final NFC wild-card spot. This following a terrible 2–7 start before turning to DeVito due to Tyrod Taylor and Daniel Jones’ injuries.
DeVito has won three of his four starts, including three in a row, which has put New York in this situation. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he is just the third undrafted rookie quarterback in the common draft era to win three of his first four career starts. He joins Ed Rubbert (1987) of Washington and Devlin Hodges (2019) of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Even after a valiant effort in the second half on Monday, DeVito is not taking anything too seriously.
“I believe that a quarterback needs to maintain composure under pressure. You see, everything is high when you’re winning, like we are right now, and everything is low when you’re losing,” DeVito remarked. Therefore, you have to be able to maintain composure through it all as a quarterback. I am proud of that, then. I’ve definitely developed since I first started playing when I was five years old. Just keeping that aspect of my game sharp throughout high school and college.”
Now that Taylor is healthy, there’s no doubt the Giants will start DeVito against the Saints on the road the following week. Before the game on Monday night, coach Brian Daboll wouldn’t commit to that.
Because of DeVito’s clutch performance, it was obvious.
“Earned the right to play [Monday], and earned the right to play next week,” Daboll stated. “The kid’s done a good job.”
Against the Packers, DeVito completed 17 of 21 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown while picking up no interceptions. In the second half, he completed 11 of his 12 passes, with the exception of a throwaway, and ran for 71 yards on 10 carries.
He never ceases to astound and amaze.
“That’s one hell of a competitor,” Matt LaFleur, the Packers’ coach, remarked.
In his four starts so far, the rookie has thrown seven touchdown passes and just one interception.
He hadn’t done it in the NFL, though, driving the field for the winning score in the closing seconds.
It’s not as though the Giants were worried that nerves would be a turnoff.
That is not a concern for us. He maintains his poise,” Daboll remarked. Actually, there wasn’t much [to say]. Here are a few plays that we enjoy; go forth and slay that son of a b—-. Quite easy to understand.”
With everything on the line, including maybe his starting position, DeVito was as assured as ever.
He urged his teammates, “Let’s go win the game,” before the last drive. “We are responsible. It is offensive.”
On the opening three plays of the winning drive, DeVito found Wan’Dale Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Darius Slayton underneath the screen.
Then, on a play to the right sideline, he connected with Robinson. This was the same play that DeVito had missed earlier in the game due to a ball overthrow.
However, DeVito took Robinson by surprise this time. The Giants were clearly within field goal range when the second-year wide receiver turned it upfield for a 32-yard gain.
“Calm, poised, cool, collected, taking what the defense gives him,” Barkley described DeVito as being during that final drive. DeVito’s energy seems to be contagious for the Giants and their supporters. His signature “pinched fingers” celebration was evident throughout the stadium and the Giants’ locker room after the game. The New York metropolitan area is currently experiencing the full effects of the craze.
With their backup quarterback taking the starting job, the Giants are once again relevant. They’re uniting behind DeVito, who attended Syracuse and Illinois for his collegiate careers.
For a rookie quarterback, that is uncommon. Barkley, who scored two touchdowns on the ground against Green Bay, said, “You can feel the confidence and swagger that he plays with through the stadium and the sideline.” “Happy we were able to get the win.”
DeVito’s legend only gets bigger in light of everything. Once thought of as a lost season, the fan base has been won over by the local legend who famously still resides at home with his parents and won a state championship at Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey.
It’s DeVito frenzy. Throughout the nationally televised game, his family appeared on television several times. Following the touchdown pass, his brother Max, father Tom, and agent Sean Stellato were even seen on TV pecking each other on the cheek in celebration.