Overtime Steal Wins for Giants

Holdout All-Pro cornerback Mark Haynes may have lost a bit of leverage Sunday.

Elvis Patterson, replacing Haynes, intercepted a tipped pass thrown by Ron Jaworski and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown to give the New York Giants a 16-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles after just 55 seconds of overtime.

“I saw the ball being tipped by (Eagle receiver Mike) Quick,” Patterson said. “I was playing the deep zone and knew I had to get up there. I grabbed it and ran for the touchdown.”

Patterson has been starting at left cornerback in the absence of free agent Haynes, who has yet to reach a contract agreement with the Giants (3-1).

Jaworski entered the game when rookie Randall Cunningham injured his left ankle.

“I missed him (Quick) for a second,” Jaworski said. “When I got out of the pocket, I got the ball up a little bit. Then it was just one of those crazy tipped-ball things, one of those fluky things.”

Herman Edwards returned an intercepted pass to give the Eagles a 10-10 tie with 3:02 left in regulation. Newly acquired defensive end Reggie White hit Giants’ quarterback Phil Simms as he was trying to pass from his end zone and the ball popped out to Edwards.

Edwards’ last touchdown came against the Giants in 1978 when he scooped up a fumble by Joe Pisarcik and ran 26 yards with 31 seconds remaining, giving the Eagles a 19-17 victory and a spot in the playoffs.

The Eagles (1-3) had a chance to win with 32 seconds to play, but Paul McFadden’s 42-yard field-goal attempt was to the left.

“I put a little too much on it,” said McFadden, whose 41-yard field goal in the third quarter gave the Eagles a 3-0 lead. “I just hooked it.”