Sterling Shepard hauled in a 3-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning with 53 seconds left to play to lift the New York Giants to a 27-23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
After a 30-yard field goal from Robbie Gould gave the 49ers a three-point lead with 2:46 left to play, Manning marched the Giants 75 yards on nine plays before connecting with Shepard for the go-ahead score. The drive was a disjointed mess with four penalties called in five snaps before a key completion from Manning to Saquon Barkley for 23 yards moved the Giants inside the red zone. Two plays later, Shepard’s score gave the Giants the lead.
A roughing the passer penalty gave the 49ers 15 yards to begin their final drive and a completion to Marquise Goodwin moved San Francisco to the Giants 21-yard line with one second remaining. However, a Nick Mullens throw to the end zone sailed beyond the field of play as the Giants held on for the victory.
Manning completed 19 of 31 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns in giving the Giants their second victory of the season.
Matt Breida rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown and added a second score receiving as well for the 49ers. It was the second time this season Breida has eclipsed 100 yards rushing. His career-high came with 138 yards on 11 carries against the Detroit Lions in September. It took 17 carries for Breida to go over the century mark on Monday night.
Mullens complete 27 of 39 passes for 250 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in his second career start. Both interceptions were hauled in by Giants linebacker B.J. Goodson.
After a 53-yard Gould field goal got the 49ers on the board early, Goodson’s first interception set up the Giants to take the lead. Three plays after the pick, Manning hit Odell Beckham for a 10-yard touchdown to give the Giants a 7-3 lead.
Mullens bounced back from his first interception to lead the 49ers on a drive to re-take the lead. Breida polished off a 10-play, 65-yard scoring drive with a 3-yard touchdown to gave San Francisco a 10-7 advantage.
Aldrick Rosas and Robbie Gould would trade field goals as the 49ers took a 13-10 lead into halftime.
Breida would find the end zone for a second time on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Mullens on San Francisco’s opening drive of the third quarter to bump their lead to 20-10.
Beckham would score his second touchdown of the night on a 20-yard pass from Manning to close the gap to 20-17 and a 31-yard Rosas field goal tied the game at 20 late in the third quarter.
Beckham finished the game with four catches for 73 yards and two touchdown for the Giants.