Rivera gamble fails, Washington falls to once winless Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 18: Kyle Allen #8 of the Washington Football Team fumbles the ball to Tae Crowder #48 of the New York Giants who returned the ball for a touchdown to take the lead in the fourth quarter of their NFL game at MetLife Stadium on October 18, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Posted: Oct 18, 2020 / 07:48 PM MDT

Updated: Oct 18, 2020 / 07:48 PM MDT

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Joe Judge and the New York Giants have finally won, and they have rookie Tae Crowder and a risky gamble by Washington coach Ron Rivera for making them relevant again.

The game wasn’t decided until Rivera went for 2 after a 22-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Allen tp Cam Sims with :36 left in regulation. It failed.

DENIED!

Watch Live: https://t.co/y8glCzPbFy pic.twitter.com/971CVeEdsI
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 18, 2020

Rivera stood by his decision, telling his team afterward “I play to win.

“The only way to learn to win is to play to win. That’s what I want (my team) to understand. Tha’ts the mentality,” said Rivera.

Crowder, the last player taken in the NFL draft and the current Mr. Irrelevant, scooped up a fumble and ran 43 yards for a touchdown with 3:29 to play to give the Giants a 20-19 victory over Washington on Sunday in a battle of the two of the NFL’s worst teams.