Giants' resiliency playing a big part in their 3-game winning streak

Have the Giants found some magic?

Improbably, they are one game out of a playoff berth.

Their remarkable win, 24-22, over the Packers, propelled them Monday.

They play the Saints on Sunday in New Orleans. With a win, the Giants might host their own Mardi Gras. Because this comeback, if it is, indeed, a comeback that continues, would be wild.

A month ago, the Giants had two wins. They were coming off a 49-17 drubbing in Dallas.

On Monday, the Giants survived Saquon Barkley’s fumble in the fourth quarter – his third lost fumble of his career – with 3:34 remaining. When the Packers drove 36 yards in nine plays and took a 22-21 lead with 1:33 left, the situation looked bleak.

Appearances, of course, can be deceiving.

Quarterback Tommy DeVito operated efficiently, helped by some good play calls from offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. DeVito rushed for 71 yards on 10 carries, using good judgement, and completed 17 of 21 passes for 158 yards and no turnovers.

In six plays, the Giants put themselves in position to win.

“The emotions were definitely high and the vibes were great,” Barkley said. “I wouldn’t really say the emotions were low at all after I fumbled. It was more myself, getting in my head. But still at the same time, knowing that an NFL football game and if our defense doesn’t get the stop, we’ve still got to find a way to win the game. So, that happened quick. My teammates came up to me and told me that they’ve got my back, and we’re going to find a way to win this game, and we did that.”

Six weeks ago could the Giants have done that?

That’s not knowable. But right now, this is a Giants team that believes.

Randy Bullock’s 37-yard field goal won it as time expired.

The Giants won a gritty game with outstanding defense and timely conversions, perhaps none bigger than DeVito finding Isaiah Hodgins on a play that was equally a great throw and clutch catch, near the corner of the end zone.

Asked the mentality when Barkley fumbled, linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said, “To be honest, we didn’t even talk about it. We didn’t even sit back and dwell on it. Once it happened and they said that, if you know the rules, he can get back up in that situation. So, it was a surprise to us, but we didn’t stop working.”

This was a game where almost every call made by defensive coordinator Wink Martindale seemed to work.

Said Thibodeaux: “If this was Madden, I would play Madden just how Wink called the game. His play call, his execution, I trust it to the fullest and I’m always happy with it.”

Two other players played key roles: Second-year receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and rookie cornerback Deonte Banks.

“I’d say both of those guys have good competitive toughness and stamina,” Daboll said.

Robinson is still coming back from the torn ACL from last November. Daboll referred to his recovery as “a tougher injury for a perimeter receiver and a player that uses his quickness and speed as his strength. But he’s steadily gotten better, I’d say physically, which improves your confidence. In the last few weeks, you can really see explosive quickness, he ran some really good routes again, was open quite a bit.”

As for Banks, who had 12 tackles, Daboll was impressed, he said, with how Banks has been playing.

“Tae’s been consistent for a rookie in a tough position. He’s done a really nice job all year. Again, another competitive, young player who loves the game of football.”

By Kimberly Jones

kimberly.jones@newsday.comkimjonessports

Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.