Shough accounts for four touchdowns as Saints survive Giants’ late rally, 34-27

New Orleans turned a 10-0 deficit into a 34-10 lead, then had to defend its end zone in the closing seconds to beat the Giants 34-27 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

Tyler Shough threw three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Saints ended a three-game losing streak. J.J. McCarthy’s fourth-quarter relief appearance nearly erased the advantage, but his final fourth-down throw into the end zone fell incomplete. New Orleans improved to 2-4; the Giants fell to 3-2-1.

The Saints did not need a large passing-yardage total to produce their scoring run. Shough completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards without an interception, and New Orleans ran for 175 yards. Four Giants turnovers repeatedly changed the field position and the direction of the game.

A kickoff return changes the half

Daniel Carlson’s 58-yard field goal finally put New Orleans on the board with 1:18 left in the first half. On the ensuing kickoff, Isaiah Stalbird forced Charlie Jones to fumble, and Oscar Delp recovered for the Saints.

Shough converted the second chance with a two-yard touchdown pass to rookie Bryce Lance with one second left. Instead of carrying a two-score deficit into halftime, New Orleans was tied 10-10. It was Lance’s first NFL touchdown, the team said.

Alvin Kamara’s 31-yard catch-and-run put the Saints in front early in the third quarter. Shough added a one-yard rushing touchdown, Carlson made another field goal and Chris Olave caught an 18-yard touchdown pass. New Orleans had scored 34 consecutive points and appeared to have settled the result.

McCarthy brings the Giants back

Jameis Winston completed 14 of 26 passes for 152 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions before McCarthy took over. McCarthy finished with 243 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception, producing the late offense that turned a rout into a final-possession game.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. ran for a touchdown with seven minutes remaining, and McCarthy found Isaiah Likely for another score. A Dominic Zvada field goal brought New York within seven. Malik Nabers finished with 12 catches for 165 yards, while Likely added six receptions for 99.

The Saints’ defense still supplied the decisive stops. Martin Emerson Jr. intercepted both Giants quarterbacks, Julian Blackmon picked off Winston, and New Orleans recorded five sacks. The ESPN box score lists 461 total yards for the Giants, but their four turnovers contrasted with just one for New Orleans.

Giants coach John Harbaugh did not name a future starting quarterback after the game, the Associated Press reported. New York also lost cornerback Greg Newsome to a concussion and receiver Darnell Mooney to a neck injury. Saints guard Cesar Ruiz left with a knee injury. New Orleans next faces Pittsburgh in Paris, while the Giants visit Houston.