EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The effort was exponentially better for the New York Giants on Sunday. That was evident by the scoreboard and statistics.

They didn’t allow 30 or 50 points. They didn’t even allow a touchdown against one of the league’s best offenses.

The Giants stunned the Kansas City Chiefs, 12-9, in overtime on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. They were outright winners despite being double-digit underdogs.

The most glaring difference: effort.

“I can see that we played hard from where I was standing,” coach Ben McAdoo said. “Played inspired football.”

It was hard to say that after embarrassing losses to the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers. The Giants' defense barely provided any resistance in those defeats.

Maybe what went down during this past week actually resonated. McAdoo had what he called a "brutally honest" meeting with his team this past Wednesday. During that meeting, he put their lack of consistent desire to finish on display for everyone to see.

Safety Landon Collins admitted he had three plays of his shown. It left him “kind of upset,” but he wasn't insulted. It's a tactic he's seen work before. Nick Saban uses it regularly at Alabama, according to Collins -- way more than McAdoo with the Giants.

McAdoo might want to think about using it more often considering the results. There was only one player that had more of their loafs put on the screen last week than Collins. That player is believed to be cornerback Janoris Jenkins.

Jenkins was coming off what he conceded was a bad game. He didn’t play well. He allowed a long touchdown, and his effort was questioned by just about everyone outside the Giants’ building, including former players.

Jenkins responded by making a key interception late in the fourth quarter. He had another that was negated by a penalty. The Pro Bowl cornerback finished with five tackles and looked like a different player against the Chiefs. He even fought hard on several run plays and screens. It made a difference.

“I just came out and played hard,” Jenkins said. “From a team, we all played together -- offense, defense, special teams. Made sure I corrected my techniques and we got a victory.”

The Giants remain convinced Jenkins’ struggles last week against the 49ers -- when he missed three tackles without ever getting close to bringing down the ball carrier -- was not for a lack of effort. Regardless, he was under intense fire throughout the week. He was harshly criticized.

Something led to a more inspired and improved performance.

“The only thing about him is he’s a competitor. You know how he’s going to compete,” cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie said. “I think they came at ‘em a little bit [Sunday] and he stepped up, for the most part. He made his plays.”

Even McAdoo was impressed: “I thought Janoris Jenkins played his tail off."

The Giants (2-8) are not going anywhere. Their season has long been lost. As defensive captain Jonathan Casillas explained, they’re playing for pride and jobs. That is what drives them at this point. That is what has to drive them the final six weeks of the season. They play next on Thanksgiving night on the road against the Washington Redskins.

If the Giants play like they did on Sunday, they have a chance to win some games. Jenkins and the defense looked significantly more like the unit last year that led the team to the playoffs, that won them 11 games. The Chiefs came into Sunday averaging 28.1 points per game. They had three field goals Sunday.

“We finally put it together,” said Casillas, the team’s defensive captain. “I don’t think it was guys that quit. I think it was guys that had bad games. I don’t think it was anybody quitting.

"A lot of people pointed at [Jenkins] last week, and he had probably the best game he had all year [Sunday]. And stuff like that happens. Somebody might play down one week and then have a great game next week. Are you all going to ask him did he quit? Definitely didn’t quit. You see how the dude played [Sunday].”

It was clearly better than last week.