Dominique Rodgers Cromartie of the New York Giants, right, celebrates an interception with Janoris Jenkins on Oct. 23 at Twickenham Stadium in London.Matthew Childs
The New York Giants capitalized on four interceptions of Case Keenum to defeat the Los Angeles Rams 17-10 Sunday in the first NFL game played at London's home of English rugby, a sold-out and raucous Twickenham Stadium.
Keenum, coming off the best start of his career, had the Rams at the Giants' 15-yard line with 50 seconds left when he lobbed a pass in the left corner of the end zone that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie easily picked off. Keenum's intended target, Brian Quick, failed to get the quarterback's audible and cut off his route early.
Keenum, who finished 32-of-53 for 291 yards and one touchdown, has thrown an interception on the Rams' final offensive play of the past three games. That likely will fuel debate on a potential quarterback change to overall No. 1 draft pick Jared Goff.
The win kept the Giants (4-3) in good shape in the ultra-competitive NFC East, where no one has a losing record. The Rams (3-4) lost their third straight.
The Giants entered Sunday with the worst turnover differential in the NFC at minus-10. Then tight end Larry Donnell coughed up the ball on the Giants 35, leading to the Rams' lone touchdown, a 10-yard grab by Tavon Austin.
But the Rams were unable to build on that early edge and instead hit the self-destruct button. Keenum threw two interceptions, both off high-sailing deflections, to safety Landon Collins, and two more in the end zone to cornerback Rodgers-Cromartie. RB Todd Gurley struggled, carrying 15 times for 57 yards, his longest run an eight-yarder.
Collins returned his first pick 44 yards for a second-quarter touchdown, making several Rams miss tackles before he bowled over centre Tim Barnes to draw the Giants even.
"I must have run at least 100 yards on that play," said a beaming Collins, who until Sunday had only one interception in his two-year career.
Collins's second pick set up the winning drive, which featured a 22-yard catch by Odell Beckman Jr. to the Rams 6. Rashad Jennings scored from the 1 for the Giants' only offensive touchdown.
Eli Manning had a pedestrian day, going 24-of-37 for 196 yards and no touchdowns. The Rams managed 20 first downs to the Giants' 13.
The Rams' final two possessions ended in the end-zone interceptions by Rodgers-Cromartie, the pro-Giants crowd of more than 74,000 roaring their approval.
Los Angeles was the home team, but officials struggled to whip up a pro-Rams environment at Twickenham, where the big-screen TVs advised "Quiet please, offence at work" when the Rams had the ball – and the crowd kept up a deafening din during the Rams' two doomed final drives.