Joe Pisarcik got some company.
New York Giants rookies Jack Golden and Fred Lewis combined for an unlikely bobble Friday night, transforming Lewis' interception into a crazy, game-winning touchdown for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It was just an exhibition game, but it was on national TV, and the play that ended Jacksonville's 16-13 victory is one that could be long remembered.
Trying to force a pass into the end zone during a late, desperation drive, Jaguars quarterback Jonathan Quinn threw an interception to Lewis, who was standing just outside the end zone.
Lewis' momentum brought him into the end zone, but as he crossed the goal line again, teammate Jack Golden tried to tackle him, hoping Lewis would go down and essentially end the game. But Golden's hit popped the ball loose, it squirted to the back of the end zone, and fourth-string Jags tight end Brandon Christenson recovered for the game-winning touchdown with 7 seconds left.
Nobody in either locker room could remember anything like it.
``It was the most amazing play I've ever been involved in,'' said Christenson, who thus far had done little to distinguish himself at training camp. ``It just shows that you should keep playing, keep playing and see what happens. I'll take whatever I can get. I need all the help I can get.''
In the only other preseason games Friday night, Washington beat New England 30-20, and Atlanta defeated Cincinnati 31-16.
Quinn finished 8-for-23 for 94 yards and struggled except for the late drive in which he converted two fourth-and-longs before his ``game-winning'' interception.
``It was a weird feeling,'' he said. ``But any way you look at it, it's a win.''
Suddenly, Pisarcik - who bobbled a handoff to Larry Csonka in 1978 when the Giants should have simply taken a knee against Philadelphia -had company.
``All week, coach stressed being smart and making smart plays,'' Golden said. ``I saw Freddie catch the ball, and my first instinct was to get him down. I made a mistake. I plan on bouncing back from it.''
``It was just a stupid play by me,'' Lewis said. ``Just a bad play by two rookies.''
The Jaguars were flabbergasted, but not happy, with their victory.
``The good thing about this game is we kept on playing,'' coach Tom Coughlin said. ``It certainly isn't the way you would draw it up, but I give credit to Brandon for being the right man at the right spot at the right time.''
Their first-team defense looked like it could use rush lineman Tony Brackens, who reported to camp earlier in the day, but watched the game from the press box. The Giants gained 203 yards in the first half.
On offense, Jacksonville's injury-ravaged line struggled against the Giants, who were bigger and more powerful than the reserves the Jaguars faced against Carolina in a 34-14 win last week.
Fred Taylor left on the second play of the game with a sprained ligament in his left knee. Coughlin said he could miss 3-4 weeks.
Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell threw most of his nine passes off three-step drops and rollouts, trying to avoid injuries behind a line with no proven veterans.
Brunell went 6-for-9 for 67 yards and led the Jaguars on one nice drive in a little more than a quarter. It resulted in Mike Hollis' 39-yard field goal.
For the second straight week, the Giants outplayed their opponent in defeat. Last week, they lost 20-8 to Chicago despite gaining 401 yards.
Playing more like an every-down back than a third-down specialist, Tiki Barber accounted for 110 yards - all in the first half - to help the Giants to a 10-0 lead.
Ron Dayne put in his second straight up-and-down performance. The Heisman-winning first-round draft pick rushed for 66 yards on 17 carries, with most of his success coming against second-teamers. He's averaging 3.4 yards on 34 carries this preseason.