Meaningless Giants TD Actually Changed EVERYTHING For Bettors
The game isn't over until it's over. That's especially true when you're talking about gambling. Dallas Cowboys and Under bettors were likely counting their money in the game against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day.
But, as the legend Lee Corso is famous for saying, "Not so fast, my friend!"
Let's start here: I bet the Giants +10 and wrote about it for OutKick. Regardless of how the game appeared like it was going to end, the analysis was solid and that was the correct side. When the second half started, New York had a 13-7 lead.
They allowed Dallas to score a touchdown on their first possession of the second half on third-and-goal from the 15. Not ideal for Giants bettors. On the very next possession, the Giants went for it on 4th down in their own end, put only 10 players on the field, and failed to gain a first down against a fully-stocked Cowboys defense. Dallas quickly scored again.
Fine, 21-13 Dallas meant the +10 was still looking OK.
A quick Giants punt and another long Dallas TD drive later, the score was 28-13. I was ready to pack it in but New York was getting the ball back and we just needed a TD to swing it back in our favor.
Unfortunately, the Giants treated the drive like they were up by two scores and not down, repeatedly running the ball, huddling up and showing no urgency. They seemed content to lose the game. They would eventually fail on fourth down again.
Giants QB did everything he could to make us lose our bet against the Cowboys but in the end he rewarded us. What a ride. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
This is where the degenerate in you starts to kick in. Well, Dallas may have the ball. And, they may be up by 15 points. BUT, the Giants have two timeouts and there's 3:12 left. We can get the ball back!
That was quickly dashed when the Cowboys ran the ball twice and then went deep on third down. CeeDee Lamb was interfered with and Dallas now had the ball in field goal range. The Giants had used all their timeouts. The game is over. I even admitted as much on Twitter.
BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE. After three running plays that brought the clock down 1:17, Dallas sent kicker Brett Maher into the game for a 46-yard attempt. A make here would give Dallas an 18-point lead and put the score at 44 total points. The Over/Under for the game was 45.
If Maher makes that field goal, the Giants would have trailed by three scores, and almost certainly would have packed it in. But somehow, some way, Maher pushed the kick wide right. We have a pulse.
But, the quarterback is Daniel Jones, there are just 73 seconds left on the clock and we need 64 yards and a touchdown. Not likely.
As you can guess, otherwise I wouldn't be writing all of this -- can you imagine if this article was just like "but it didn't happen and we lost" -- if we didn't somehow get the backdoor cover. Thanks to a lax Dallas defense that was coasting to a victory, a late hit call on superstar Micah Parsons and a one-yard toss to Richie James -- where clear offensive pass interference went uncalled -- we had done it.
A touchdown with just 8 seconds left on the clock that had no impact on the actual game, meant everything to those of us who were sweating it out. Giants +10 bettors hit. Over 45 bettors. Rejoice and be thankful.
Unfortunately, because there were winners, that means there were also losers. That had to be the ultimate bad beat for Cowboys and Under bettors. I feel for you. I really do.
But I wouldn't change a thing.