Isaiah Simmons' blocked FG leads to a score as the Giants defeat the Seahawks

SEATTLE – Isaiah Simmons made the “craziest play” of his career, leaping over the line to block a potential game-winning field goal in the final minute of the New York Giants' 29-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, according to Lumenfeld.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, weren't entirely happy with the way everything was going.

Simmons lined up to the left of the long snapper and jumped over right guard Laken Tomlinson to tie the game with a 47-yard field goal attempt, making the score 23-20 with under a minute left. Rookie Bryce Ford-Wheaton grabbed the ball and ran 60 yards for the game-winning score.

It was a play the Giants (2-3) came up with on Tuesday after seeing something on film from Seattle. They chose Simmons as a jumper and saved him for the final minutes.

“I think this is my craziest play I've ever made,” said Simmons, a rare athlete who was selected No. 8 overall in 2020 by the Arizona Cardinals ahead of Clemson. “I think it’s just the fact that I skipped.”

The 6-foot-4 Simmons cleared Tomlinson fairly easily on the free run play against kicker Jason Myers. This was made possible by defensive linemen Rakeem Nunez-Roches holding down long snapper Chris Still and Dexter Lawrence doing the same to Tomlinson.

“My goal was to make sure he got over the lineman. I didn’t hold him,” Lawrence said with a laugh.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said: “There’s a guy in the A gap. We have to block him being able to get to Simmons.

Tomlinson appeared to question the legitimacy of the piece and said it should have been reviewed.

It was legal because Simmons had no run-up and didn't use any of the defenders for leverage. He was also lined up in the gap between Stoll and Tomlinson, not directly above the long snapper, rules expert Gene Steratore explained on the CBS broadcast.

Acting NFL rules analyst Walt Anderson confirmed to a pool reporter through an NFL spokesman that the Giants' blocked field goal was legal.

As Simmons jumped over the finish line, Anderson confirmed over the announcer that Steratore's statement on the broadcast was correct and said there was no foul because Simmons was on the line of scrimmage and wasn't using anyone as leverage.

Regarding Nunez-Roches' pressure on Stoll, Anderson said through the announcer that “pressure alone is not a foul and there was no forceful contact with the head and neck.”

According to Anderson through the announcer, none of the aspects of the game are verifiable, despite it being a goal-scoring game.

“Well-executed play in a critical situation,” Giants coach Brian Daboll said after the game.

The Giants knew the game was risky. There is a fine line between legal and illegal when it comes to crossing the line on a kick.

Still, they thought it might work after first-year special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial noticed a flaw while watching film on the Seahawks. He brought it to Daboll and from there it took on a life of its own.

“(Ghobrial) thought it would be good. He showed me a few clips,” Daboll said after the win. “And we kept it. I kept asking about it during the game. (Ghorbial), I guess, wanted to prepare it. 'One more, one more.'

“Look, there is a risk/opportunity. If you get a penalty, that’s a first down for the offense.”

The Seahawks had scored just a minute earlier, leaving the game down to one point. They were at the Giants' 28-yard line before setting up the field goal attempt.

Simmons, who didn't play a defensive snap in the contest, was practicing his exit on the sideline, knowing what was coming.

The Giants were confident it would work.

“Zay stood on the sideline and said, 'I'm going to get this,'” Ford-Wheaton said. “I believed him completely. He blocked and the ball literally landed right in my hands. It was him who made the play. So kudos to Zay.”

“It happened exactly the way we installed it.”

It was a special moment for Simmons. This season didn't turn out the way he expected. He re-signed with the Giants this offseason, hoping to make a big impact on the defense. Instead, it was used sparingly.

This was by far his biggest contribution this season. Simmons has just seven tackles and no impact plays this season.

“I'm sure everyone knows the season isn't going the way I wanted it to, so it's just a feeling of relief,” he said. “It's only been a minute since last year that I was able to really make a big play for the team, that I was able to really go out and make a great play for the team. So just go out there.’ And I mean, let’s call it that, winning the game for the team, it felt good.

It was a big win for the Giants, who were seven points ahead of the Seahawks on the road (3-2). And the biggest play of the game came from an unlikely source.

“He won the game,” Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns said. “Zay took us home. He’s the one who did it.”

ESPN Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson contributed to this report.