'Nothing is a coincidence' - How Kayvon Thibodeaux became Giants' star on big stage in win

LANDOVER, Md. - The stadium lights were brighter Sunday night, and Kayvon Thibodeaux decided that, in the biggest victory for the New York Giants in six years, he was ready to emerge as the star he was drafted to be.

And Thibodeaux did just that, delivering play after play as the Giants needed to fight from goal line to goal line in order to escape FedEx Field with a heart-stopping 20-12 victory over the Washington Commanders.

With the triumph, the Giants (8-5-1) dramatically improved their chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They snapped an 11-game losing streak in prime time games, including nine straight starts for quarterback Daniel Jones.

And in avenging a 20-20 tie with Washington (7-6-1) from two weeks ago - a game that Big Blue insisted felt like a defeat and not a deadlock - the Giants stamped themselves as legitimate playoff contenders, even if their play over the past month or so had drawn criticism to the contrary.

As for Thibodeaux, three days following his 22nd birthday, this was a showcase of his talent, his drive and maybe most importantly, his willingness to step up and lead the Giants despite being just four months into his rookie season.

"I take everything that's been given to me," Thibodeaux said. "I take everything that's in front of me 'cause nothing is given. Nothing is a coincidence. It's not a coincidence."

Thibodeaux scored his first career touchdown when he scooped and scored after his own strip sack of Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke early in the second quarter. He had 12 tackles, including nine solos and three for loss, yet the biggest play of his game - and perhaps for the Giants in totality - came when Thibodeaux met Heinicke at the other end of the field, again at the goal line.

Heinicke lunged for the pylon on a scramble with 1:03 left, but Thibodeaux stopped him one yard short. The play was upheld by replay, and two plays later, Darnay Holmes broke up a fourth-and-goal Heinicke pass to Curtis Samuel in the end zone, albeit in controversial fashion with Washington (7-6-1) wanting a pass interference call.

"When you see [Heinicke] running and you look down, and you see the goal line right there, it ain't even about angles, it's just about making a play," Thibodeaux said. "I couldn't tell you if I had a good angle. I just know he saw me and I saw him."

Thibodeaux sent a message early that the second meeting between the Giants and the Commanders was going to be different than their showdown two weeks ago. In that game, Thibodeaux sacked Heinicke in overtime, but he was able to hold onto the football and maintain possession.

This time, Thibodeaux was able to knock the ball loose, and the fact that he was able to recover and, in one motion, raced into the end zone from 1-yard line for the touchdown and a 7-3 lead.

Dexter Lawrence earned redemption with his strip sack of Heinicke in the fourth quarter after his offsides penalty cost the Giants a victory here last season. He was on the sideline when Thibodeaux triggered the end zone celebration with his touchdown.

"When I seen him score, I thought, 'This is gonna be a long train ride,'" Lawrence said.

Thibodeaux has been somewhat of a grinder as a professional, learning what works at this level in terms of converting pressures into sacks.

Asked earlier this week if he liked playing in prime time, he quipped: “Prime time likes me. You guys can use that one.” 

Prime time showed plenty of love for the Giants' No. 5 overall pick, who promised he had not lost patience despite what those outside the organization perceived as a lack of impact plays. They came in bunches Sunday night, bringing back memories of Jason Pierre-Paul's performance on the road against the Cowboys during the 2011 season.

"You never wait," Thibodeaux said. "You just keep working and it's gonna come."

Thibodeaux said a pre-game phone conversation with his mother provided calm and focus. He called the Giants together and delivered a fiery message in the team huddle following warm-ups, which Saquon Barkley pointed to as a sign of greater things to come.

"I think, as a team, we took it upon ourselves to call our fights," Thibodeaux said. "As a d-line, there was no dodging. Everybody called out who they wanted and it was a battle. And I think we were able to execute, and everybody was able to make plays."

On the biggest stage, in the biggest game of his career Sunday, Thibodeaux played an enormous part in delivering the knockout.

"If it’s me against anyone," he said, "I’m coming out victorious.”