Monday 24 October 2016 15:27, UK
Rashad Jennings’ fourth-quarter touchdown eased the New York Giants past the LA Rams in the NFL’s first visit to London’s Twickenham Stadium.
Both sides had been locked at 3-3 for the season ahead of the inaugural clash in England rugby's national stadium but the Giants have now picked up back-to-back wins after Jennings added to a sensational Landon Collins pick six in a 17-10 victory.
Pick six from Landon Collins and late Rashad Jennings touchdown helped the New York Giants win Twickenham's first NFL game against the unimaginative LA Rams.
Collins stole the show with his game-winning pick six but the true value of his performance was in his defensive duties - he completed two major turnovers and established himself as a star player for the Giants.
Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie leapt above the Rams' Tavon Austin to make an end-zone interception, with the score already 17-10 in the fourth quarter. Just four minutes remained when Rodgers-Cromartie expertly denied the Rams.
Eli Manning, the Giants quarterback, played his 200th consecutive NFL game - he hasn't missed one since 2004.
The Giants had been boosted by the news that star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr would play through the pain barrier despite barely training all week, but their mood quickly turned sour with a turnover in the opening 30 seconds.
The Rams utilised that gift to sneak Tavon Austin, their own wide receiver, behind the Giants linebackers and into the end-zone - quarterback Case Keenum found him with a 10-yard pass for the first touchdown.
Collins, the Giants safety, made a monstrous tackle in the early exchanges as a sign of things to come but the Rams' defence spent the first 15 minutes largely containing Manning's passing options.
Collins' moment arrived in the second quarter - stealing a Keenum pass in mid-air he revved his engine and evaded nine Giants players (with the help of blockers) to storm 84 yards into the end-zone for a first career touchdown.
The score was tied at 10-10 heading into the second half and remained that way into the fourth quarter, with the Rams defence silencing Beckham Jr to the disappointment of the crowd.
Beckham Jr, however, did have a hand in the winning touchdown - he brought the ball in on the first down to help Giants advance, before Manning eventually handed it off to Jennings who stormed home from one yard.
Keenum had struggled at quarterback all afternoon but with the clock ticking, he twice threw passes that the Giants' Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted in the end-zone.
