There was no recourse for the Giants.

Win, or else slip into irrelevance before Halloween.

There was no other option for the Giants.

Find a way to end their losing ways and beat the Commanders on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, by any means necessary.

Win and there would be a pulse.

Lose and the Giants flatline.

Well, it did not come easily because this is the Giants, circa 2023.

They finally scored an actual touchdown and took a 14-0 lead into halftime.

They blew several chances to take command — a missed field goal by Graham Gano in the first quarter, a dropped interception by Kayvon Thibodeaux in the third quarter and a dreadful fumble by Saquon Barkley in the fourth quarter — but found a way to secure an inelegant 14-7 victory.

“It’s joy,” rookie cornerback Deonte Banks said. “Don’t matter how bad or how good it is, just win the game.”

The Giants needed a late defensive stand to survive.

On fourth down from the Giants’ 7-yard line, Commanders quarterback Sam Howell was pressured by Isaiah Simmons.

Howell, flushed out of the pocket, fired slightly behind Jahan Dotson, who did not make the catch as safety Jason Pinnock closed in with 56 seconds remaining.

“Just happy that we won, honestly,” safety Xavier McKinney said. “I mean, yeah, it has been too long but we got it done.”

Thus ends a four-game losing streak, allowing the Giants (2-5) to at least think about making something of this season as they move on to their Week 8 encounter with the Jets, which is always a funky and emotion-filled affair.

“All it takes is one,” defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches said, “and then you stack ’em. That’s how you get momentum.’’

We shall see what momentum the Giants get out of this one.

They scored one touchdown — their first in 220 minutes and 42 seconds of clock time, dating back to Week 2 — and then, five minutes and 22 seconds later, scored another one, a second-quarter eruption that had been a long time coming.

But that was it.

No points in the second half.

Tyrod Taylor started his second straight game in place of Daniel Jones, who has yet to be cleared from a neck injury that might be healed by this week.

Taylor played a superb first half, completing 14 of 22 passes for 209 yards and touchdown passes to Darren Waller and Barkley.

The reworked offensive line wore down after halftime and Taylor completed only four passes in the second half.

To finally put points on the board, Taylor on third and goal from the 15-yard line waited for tight end Waller to run past linebacker Cody Barton and put the ball on target, Waller making the catch in the end zone to make it 7-0.

It was Waller’s first touchdown reception of the season for his new team.

“Making a play like that, it’s what we needed, kinda gave us some life,” Waller said.

Banks notched his first career interception when he drifted back and made an over-the-shoulder grab of a Howell lob intended for Dotson.

That put the Giants on the Washington 48-yard line and two plays later they were in the end zone, again.

Taylor’s quick dump-off to Barkley on the left sideline looked harmless enough, until Barkey made linebacker Jamin Davis miss and Barkley did the rest, racing 32 yards to put the Giants ahead 14-0.

There was no sign of life for the Commanders on offense, until a special teams breakdown gave them life.

Sterling Shepard muffed a punt early in the third quarter, handing over the ball on the Giants’ 21.

That led to Brian Robinson’s 4-yard scoring run to cut the lead to 14-7.

The Giants should have added to the lead late in the third quarter with a score on defense.

Micah McFadden nearly sacked Howell in the end zone and Howell threw the ball up for grabs.

It sailed directly into the hands of Kayvon Thibodeaux who had a walk-in touchdown if he completed the interception.

He dropped the ball at the 19-yard line.

“We made it a little bit closer than it needed to be,” coach Brian Daboll said.

The Commanders were set to get closer but Joey Slye’s 27-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by a leaping Leonard Williams with 13:23 to go.

There was nothing happening for the Giants on offense.

They needed a big play and got it when Jalin Hyatt got a step on Benjamin St-Juste and hauled in a pass on the right sideline for a 42-yard pickup.

The Giants were in business on the Washington 10 yard line and any points would have given the Giants a two-score lead.

Disaster struck, however.

Barkley lost the ball, with Daron Payne forcing and recovering the fumble.

It was the second lost fumble in Barkley’s NFL career, covering 1,291 touches.

The Giants came into the game with an NFL-low five sacks and they matched that total — in the first half. Howell was harassed into a dreadful first 30 minutes, completing only 5 of 14 passes for 60 yards.

They finished with six sacks.

And they needed a last-minute stop to secure a badly needed victory.