The Giants gave up 33 fourth-quarter points to lose to the Broncos.

Howdy, folks. Welcome back to The Morning Win. Check on your New York Giants fan friends today. We are not OK.

What started as a game the Giants had little hope of winning as 7-point underdogs to the Denver Broncos turned into a game the Giants had no business losing after going up 19-0 into the fourth quarter. So, you can guess what happened from there. The Giants lost -- on a walk-off field goal that capped a 33-point quarter for the Broncos.

New York's meltdown was as crushingly unprecedented as it sounds:

  • NFL teams had won 1,602 straight games when leading by at least 18 points in the final six minutes of a game.
  • Denver's 33 fourth-quarter points were the most in NFL history by a team that was shut out through the first three quarters.
  • Bo Nix became the first player in NFL history to run for two touchdowns and pass for two touchdowns in a fourth quarter.
  • With a win probability as low as 0.7%, Denver's comeback is the eighth-most improbable in the Next Gen Stats era.

And to think it all could have been avoided if Giants kicker Jude McAtamney hadn't missed two extra points.

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To make the loss more bitter, it's potentially season-altering for the Giants. After wins over the Chargers and Eagles in the last three weeks, the team was trending up and on the verge of a 3-4 record. A win over the Broncos would've put New York two games out of first place in the NFC East with a second meeting against the Eagles coming up next week. The Giants were beginning to feel like a sleeper playoff team. Instead, they fell to 2-5, making that climb up the ladder a lot harder for a team with the NFL's third-hardest remaining schedule.

It's no wonder Giants fans, coaches and players were all so upset with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen after that fourth quarter. There's no way he and McAtamney can both return Monday... right? Somebody has to pay.

On the bright side, New York appears to finally have its quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart, who continues to impress. And fellow rookie Cam Skattebo looks like a gem too. Unfortunately, any hope of making noise in their first season probably just died Sunday. It's a game that was almost impossible lose.

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  • Even after a win over Mississippi State, Florida made the decision Sunday to move on from head coach Billy Napier. Take a look at 5 potential replacements for the Gators, including Lane Kiffin.
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  • Sean McVay had an unconventional travel strategy for the Rams' recent trip to London, which seemed to pay off in their blowout win over the Jaguars.

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This article originally appeared on For The Win: The Giants blew a prime opportunity with historic meltdown

Reporting by Prince J. Grimes, For The Win / For The Win

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