Giants-Cardinals: 5 plays that led to the Giants’ victory

Arvell Reese | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The New York Giants defeat the Cardinals 36-24 in an exciting, sloppy game that showcased a resilient defense that dialed up the pressure. Arizona set the tone early, taking a 14-3 lead with a heavy rushing attack that exploited the Giants' edge. However, Dennard Wilson' unit stabilized and only allowed 138 total yards after those first two Cardinals' possessions.

Both teams turned the football over three times. Both teams were sloppy with consequential penalties throughout the game. It was a wild experience, but New York is now 3-1 at the top of the NFC East; here are the five plays, or sequence of plays, that got them there.

Play(s) 1: Goal line stand

Deonte Banks played a HUGE role in the Giants' win over Arizona.

1 INT, 1 TD, 4 PD, 3 AST vs Cardinals

A huge win for New York as they try to stay right in the NFC East race. https://t.co/03EtvopKucpic.twitter.com/zvcIU9pS0k

- Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) October 4, 2026

I'm here for the Tae Banks redemption arc. The Giants relied heavily on man coverage, including at the end when Arizona had a fresh set of downs with 22 seconds on the Giants' four-yard line. Banks made TWO elite plays: a pass break-up against Tre McBride and the epic pick-six to secure the Giants' victory. Banks was beaten earlier in the game for a touchdown, but bounced back with game-saving work, as you can see in the post above. Below is just the pick-six, which capped a resilient effort by the defense:

PICK SIX TO SEAL THE GAME!

Deonte Banks intercepts Jacoby Brissett and takes it to the house to secure the win for the Giants pic.twitter.com/xlEssRkJcq

- NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) October 4, 2026

DOTS of the Deonte Banks game-winner pic.twitter.com/KDnI8qIWkI

- Doug Analytics (@Doug_Analytics) October 4, 2026

Play(s) 2: Controversial - or correct - call!?

Dominic Zvada booted his third field goal of the game, as yellow laundry found its way onto the field. It was a defensive holding penalty that extended the Giants' drive:

Refs said this was a hold on Dante Stills pic.twitter.com/YmCTSpaoUn

- mervin (@MervinBusanut) October 4, 2026

Mike LaFleur was upset, and the Giants took advantage of the call with another peak of the Jameis Winston roller coaster:

Theo Johnson up the seam for the go ahead score! pic.twitter.com/y7ThBuOmC5

- Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 4, 2026

Out of an EMPTY formation, Winston found Theo Johnson up the seam for a touchdown in tight coverage, which gave the Giants a 25-24 lead. New York went for two by running the football off-tackle to the left; Najee Harris punched it in, and the Giants took a three-point lead.

Play(s) 3: Reckless and sloppy football

The Giants seized momentum with two touchdowns in two minutes of game time. However, the Jameis Winston experience can be quite reckless. Winston threw two interceptions on the next two Giants' drives:

We see you 29

:CBS pic.twitter.com/d2ABjyKyGD

- Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 4, 2026

Budda Baker interception!

AZvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/fSRBXz7KKr

- NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026

The Giants got the ball to start the second half, and they responded by committing a false start penalty and throwing an interception - this is not winning football.

The Winston interception led to the Cardinals scoring a go-ahead touchdown at the tail end of a 10-play, 37-yard drive, where Greg Newsome II was called for a defensive holding penalty in the end zone against Marvin Harrison Jr.

Brissett Higgins for the TD

AZvsNYG on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/zm1iLz07Rw

- NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026

The touchdown and extra point gave the Cardinals a five-point lead with 7:20 left in the third quarter. The Giants may have put the Cardinals away early, but the reckless, sloppy football made for a much more competitive - and exciting - game.

Play(s) 4: Arvell Reese continues to impress

Arvell Reese has established himself as one of the better young defensive weapons in the NFL, after some coverage lapses in the first two weeks of the season. Wilson mentioned Reese's development when talking with the media, and he had his best game to date. Reese was heavily involved in Wilson's blitz package. He hit Jacoby Brissett's arm, which resulted in this Greg Newsome II interception:

Arvell Reese on the blitz hits Jacoby Brissett's arm, which led to this Greg Newsome INT...

The #Giants defense NEEDED this. pic.twitter.com/kgaIzFQ5Hn

- Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 4, 2026

Winston and the Giants offense went three-and-out, but Winston found Malik Nabers in the end zone after Reese secured his own interception toward the end of the second quarter:

Excellent turn around by the #Giants defense, led by rookie Arvell Reese.

Shelby Harris gets his paw on a pass and Reese is there to secure the INT. pic.twitter.com/8JCBR0y22p

- Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 4, 2026

Malik Nabers scored a few plays later to give the Giants a lead. Reese also had several big tackles and knocked other balls out of the air:

Arvell Reese is putting the Giants' defense on his back.

Blitz PBU to force a third-and-long where the #Giants got off the field. pic.twitter.com/9zpNn5zVKo

- Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 4, 2026

Reese finished with nine tackles, a tackle for a loss, and three passes defensed.

Play (s) 5: Abdul Carter is a stud

The Giants felt the loss of Brian Burns early, as Arizona averaged nine yards per play on their first two drives. The Cardinals had a lot of success rushing outside, but Carter's presence was felt on the third drive with a tackle for loss. He then took over the game in the second half, but no sequence of plays was more important for Carter than his two quarterback hits:

Abdul Carter with TWO QB hits on consecutive plays to force a Cardinals punt.

Both Carter and Arvell Reese have put the defense on their backs at different points of the game.

Great effort by the young #Giants defenders. pic.twitter.com/rXczrhL85L

- Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 4, 2026

Najee Harris fumbled the football after the Giants' defense forced a four-and-out. Arizona received the ball near midfield, down by three with 11:08 left in the game. Carter hit Brissett on second-and-12, but the pass was incomplete and well covered by Newsome. Carter then rushed Brissett and hit him on a third-and-12 pass that went for just five yards. Arizona was forced to punt, as New York's defense kept the momentum. Carter also had his hand in on Tremaine Edmunds play vs. Brissett in the second half:

Abdul Carter wins inside and forced Brissett into the arms of Tremaine Edmunds.

Dennard Wilson has DIALED up the blitz/pressure against the Cardinals. pic.twitter.com/7qSo77fZvi

- Nick Falato (@nickfalato) October 4, 2026

It was excellent to see both Reese and Carter play as well as they did against Arizona. Both young players were integral parts of this Giants' victory.