If this is what the Robert Griffin III era is going to be like, MetLife Stadium better stock up on the defibrillators.
The Giants met Griffin for the first time at the Meadowlands on Sunday and the Redskins rookie quarterback was everything he's been cracked up to be. So was Eli Manning.
Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 77-yard touchdown pass with just over a minute to play and less than a minute after Griffin had hit Santana Moss for a touchdown that briefly gave the Redskins the lead. Moss would fumble on the ensuing Redskins drive, the fourth turnover of the day for Washington, and the Giants would hold on for a 27-23 win that was longer on excitement than just about any regular season game in memory.
Griffin and the Redskins looked dead in the water when they turned the ball over on three straight possessions in the second half, but the Giants allowed them to stay in the game by only turning those gifts into seven points. Manning threw a pair of picks, part of an erratic and unsuccessful day that turned around when he hit the salsa man in stride.
That, and some seriously questionable offensive play-calling, kept the Redskins around and then Griffin flashed his magic. He converted a fourth-and-10 by spinning past Jason Pierre-Paul and completing a pass, ran for a big chunk more on the next play and then dropped a pass right into Moss' hands for a lead.
It was a masterful performance by any quarterback, but jaw-dropping from a player so young. Griffin has the full package and he might have pulled something even more spectacular out of his hat if Moss had not fumbled.
But Moss did and that's a nice ending for a Giants defense that did so much to keep the team in the game and looked set to play the goat after Moss' touchdown. They forced those turnovers, sacked Griffin four times and held the Redskins to a field goal after Manning gifted them great field position with his second interception.
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They did a lot of bending, especially against the run, but the defense made enough plays to give Manning enough time to make the biggest one of the day. That gave the Giants the last laugh on Sunday.
NFL fans are going to be the ones laughing loudest, though, because of their good fortune at seeing games like this twice a year.
Josh Alper is also a writer for Pro Football Talk. You can follow him on Twitter.
