The New York Giants edged the Tennessee Titans 12-7 at MetLife Stadium on September 27, 2026, relying on Jameis Winston and a late end-zone interception by Jevon Holland. Playing without injured quarterback Jaxson Dart, the Giants survived rainy, windy conditions to drop the winless Titans to 0-3.
Jameis Winston Steps In as Giants Face Weather and Injury Blows
Playing their first game without starting quarterback Jaxson Dart—sidelined following left knee surgery—the Giants turned to veteran signal-caller Jameis Winston under difficult weather conditions in the middle of a nor’easter. Winston completed 12 of 18 passes for 117 yards, guiding an offense that leaned heavily on the ground game alongside offensive coordinator Matt Nagy to pile up 138 rushing yards without committing a turnover.
Head coach John Harbaugh acknowledged the pragmatic approach required on a wet, blustery afternoon at MetLife Stadium. Today is the only day that we have, and today it was enough,
Winston said after the game according to game tracking reports. While the offense leaned on ball security and kicker Dominic Zvada—who converted field goals from 39, 27, 39, and 30 yards out to build a 12-0 lead—the victory carried a heavy defensive cost.
Brian Burns Injury Adds to New York’s Early-Season Roster Concerns
Already missing Dart for the remainder of the regular season, New York lost star pass-rusher Brian Burns to a right knee injury in the fourth quarter against the Titans. Burns, who ranked second in the NFL in sacks last season behind Myles Garrett, is set to undergo further testing to determine the severity.
There is some hope there, but we won’t know until we see the MRI.
John Harbaugh, New York Giants Head Coach
The potential absence of Burns threatens to undermine a defense that has anchored the Giants’ 2-1 start under Harbaugh. Even so, the unit delivered when it mattered most, sealing the contest after Tennessee mounted a late fourth-quarter charge.
Tennessee Offensive Struggles and Defensive Bright Spots
The Titans fell to 0-3 after a performance marred by early offensive stagnation and special teams blunders, including an opening kickoff fumble by returner Chimere Dike that marked his second lost fumble of the season.
Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons provided a rare silver lining, racking up a career-high seven tackles in the first half alone—the most by any defensive tackle in a single half this season—alongside a sack of Winston before the break. Giants running back Cam Skattebo offered high praise for the disrupted Tennessee front, calling Simmons an animal
who destroyed some plays
in the trenches.
Late-Game Thrills and Jevon Holland’s Game-Winning Interception
Tennessee finally broke through midway through the fourth quarter when rookie quarterback Cam Ward engineered a 13-play, 91-yard drive capped by a 4-yard touchdown pass to Wan’Dale Robinson with 5:35 remaining. After the New York offense stalled, the Titans got the ball back with a chance to steal the game in the closing moments.
With 17 seconds left and two timeouts remaining, Ward scrambled on first-and-goal from the Giants’ territory and forced a pass into the end zone. Safety Jevon Holland stepped in front of the throw for his first interception of the season to preserve the 12-7 final score.
The Giants secured the win in a game that remained tight until the final moments.
The interception marked Holland’s third consecutive game with a pick as the Giants improved to 2-1.