The Giants finally showed faith in Cor’Dale Flott, and he provided the ultimate reward.
Set free to play the entire game instead of rotating with Deonte Banks, Flott jumped a route and returned a fourth-quarter interception 68 yards for arguably the biggest play in the Giants’ 34-17 victory against the Eagles.
“That was the dagger,” edge Brian Burns said.
The Eagles trailed 27-17 but had second-and-10 at the Giants’ 15-yard line with 11:36 remaining.
Plenty of time to stage a comeback.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen aggressively dialed up Cover Zero, and Flott knew from film study that the ball was coming his way to Jahan Dotson.
Jalen Hurts hadn’t yet thrown an interception all season.
“I just had to execute the call, and I knew it was going to be a big-time play,” Flott said. “I knew they wanted that quick out and just reacted to it.”
Added safety Tyler Nubin, “Do you know how hard that is? That’s, like, one of the best plays I’ve seen [in] a game.”
Flott outplayed Banks at every leg of the competition to be the Giants’ second perimeter cornerback going back to the spring.
But the Giants kept finding ways to squeeze in a series here or there for Banks or to have him replace Flott on third-and-long where man-to-man coverage suits his style, maybe to justify Banks’ first-round draft status or maybe to take some miles off Flott because of his history with leg injuries.
Either way, the plan was scrapped late this week — after Banks picked up his fourth penalty on 100 defensive snaps against the Saints — and Flott responded.
“I came through when the team needed it most,” Flott said. “Coming into the game, I was confident. I appreciate them for giving me that opportunity. In my head I was like, ‘I have to make the most of it.’ Stay out here and prove to my defense, my coaching staff and my whole team that I can do that.”
Flott, a 2022 third-round pick, has had other opportunities to claim full-time starting jobs. Injuries have gotten in the way, and his versatility worked against him as he often was used to slide between the slot and perimeter.
“It is the opportunity I was waiting for,” Flott said. “I just snatched it out of the air.”
Flott thought he had a touchdown, but former teammate Saquon Barkley made the tackle.
It didn’t matter because the takeaway set up a Cam Skattebo touchdown.
“Saquon is faster than I thought,” Flott said. “I never ran beside him. He actually has wheels. I wish he would’ve let me have it.”
