NFL

Giants score in final minute to upset Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Before the sounds of victory, there was the sight of victory: Giants running back Brandon Jacobs unable to hold back.

Inside the visitors locker room in the Gillette Stadium home that is usually invulnerable for the Patriots, Jacobs lifted his head coach into the air as Tom Coughlin was about to laud the Giants for the effort they just put forth.

This doesn’t happen often in early November, but after what guard David Diehl described as “one of the biggest regular-season wins I’ve ever been involved in,’’ there was no holding back.

“Coughlin’s a little heavy,’’ Jacobs said.

“We got carried away,’’ admitted Justin Tuck. “It brings back memories. We were happy about that.’’

A beaming Coughlin said, “I was thinking they were going to drop me on my head.’’

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There was no dropping of anything yesterday after the Giants reached the midpoint of their season with as thrilling and chilling a game as they’ve played since, well, Super Bowl XLII when they shocked the world by knocking off the undefeated Patriots. This time, it was the unbeatable (at home) Patriots — winners of 20 straight regular-season home games — that were done in by not one but two last-minute epic Eli Manning drives, with a crushing defensive failure sandwiched in between to add another layer of drama to what ultimately unfolded into a wild 24-20 triumph.

“We did something that hasn’t been done in a long time, they haven’t lost here since 2008,’’ safety Antrel Rolle said. “We came in and beat them at their field.’’

Manning’s 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ballard with 15 seconds remaining gave the Giants (6-2) their winning points, after Tom Brady found his own tight end, Rob Gronkowski, with just 1:36 left to give the Patriots a 20-17 lead. That was after Manning, with 3:03 to go, hit Mario Manningham on a 10-yard scoring pass to put the Giants ahead 17-13. It was a rousing closing finish after these two teams slugged it out through a scoreless first half — the first 0-0 halftime score in the NFL this season — and then erupted for 44 second-half points, with 31 coming in the fourth quarter and 21 coming in the last 3:03.

Manning admitted he couldn’t avoid a flashback to his game-winning drive four years ago in Super Bowl XLII, when he again needed a two-minute drill to fend off a late Brady touchdown pass.

“I’d rather be down by three with 1:30 left than up four with 1:30 to go and Tom Brady on the field,’’ Manning said. “I think you like those situations where you have the opportunity to win the game.’’

Few are doing that any better this season than Manning. The Giants led 10-0 in the third quarter and could have extended a 10-3 lead when Manning, already in field goal range deep in New England territory, made his one glaring mistake, lofting a pass to Manningham that was intercepted in the end zone by cornerback Kyle Arrington. On the sideline, Coughlin could be seen wincing and saying “Don’t do that!.’’

After intercepting Brady twice and keeping him at bay, the Giants defense couldn’t hold him off forever. Brady hit Aaron Hernandez on a 5-yard touchown and Steven Gostkowski hit a 45-yard field goal for a 13-10 Patriots lead midway through the fourth quarter. Showing his mettle, Manning took offense — playing without his top receiver (Hakeem Nicks), runner (Ahmad Bradshaw) and starting center (David Baas) — 85 yards, hitting Manningham to make it 17-13.

That potential game-winning comeback drive didn’t stick. Brady in nine plays went 64 yards and on fourth-and-9 from the Giants 14-yard line found Gronkowski, who eluded linebacker Michael Boley for what looked to be the clincher with only 1:36 left.

“You’re kind of sick to your stomach at that point,’’ Tuck said. “It’s kind of like, if you’ve ever been like real amped about something and all of a sudden something happens and you just come crashing down. I had a throbbing headache at that point. As [bad] as you’re feeling you still understand we’re putting the ball [in the hands of] one of the best quarterbacks in the league.’’

Manning guided the Giants 80 yards, hitting Ballard on a 28-yard pass to get things moving. A key 35-yard pass interference penalty on safety Sergio Brown mauling Victor Cruz with 30 seconds left put the Giants on the New England 1-yard line. From there, it took Manning three plays to hit pay-dirt, when on third down he found Ballard, who beat linebacker Tracy White in the left corner of the end zone for the game-winning catch with just 15 seconds left.

Kind of like what Manning did to win Super Bowl XLII.

“It played out like that, didn’t it?’’ Tuck said. “Eli’s just a fantastic quarterback, he’s playing outstanding and he carried it home for us today.’’