Giants Do Number on Redskins : After Falling Behind by 13 Points, New York Rallies for 27-20 Win

The Washington Redskins and the New York Giants, the last two Super Bowl winners, opened their season Monday night in pursuit of more Roman numerals.

Super Bowl XXIII won’t be played until January, but New York’s defense, even without Lawrence Taylor, may be trying to get the Giants there by itself. New York defenders did a nice little number of its own on the Redskins, defeating them, 27-20, before 76,417 at the Meadowlands.

New York’s defense scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, one on a blocked punt and the other on a 39-yard return of a fumble that left the Redskins in defeat, the offense in disarray and Dexter Manley in distress.

“We let them escape,” said Manley, who was so upset about his lack of playing time he turned over a table on the sideline, then brushed away coaches who tried to calm him.

The Redskins, who led, 13-3, at halftime, did not score again until Kelvin Bryant caught a 19-yard pass from Doug Williams for a touchdown with 11 seconds left.

By then, it didn’t matter because New York’s defense scored as many touchdowns as Washington’s offense.

The Giants needed such production, because their running game was often running in the wrong direction. At halftime, New York had a minus 2 yards rushing and finished with only 56.

Phil Simms passed for 195 yards (19 for 37), but he was sacked four times. After a fast start--a 29-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Ricky Sanders--the Redskin offense flattened out just as quickly.

Williams finished with 24 completions in 50 attempts for 288 yards, but he was sacked 3 times, threw 2 interceptions and had 2 fumbles.

With Jay Schroeder now a Raider and in Williams’ first game as Washington’s undisputed starting quarterback, the Redskins were done because of mistakes by their special teams.

A bad snap by Mike Scully led to a 20-yard punt by Steve Cox and the Giants’ first touchdown. Joe Morris’ 9-yard run for a touchdown got the Giants back into the game, 13-10, early in the third quarter.

Williams was sacked on third down and Washington had to punt, which in this game was always a risky proposition. Phil McConkey’s 35-yard punt return into Redskin territory preceded Raul Allegre’s 32-yard field goal that tied the game.

Then, in just over a two-minute span of the fourth quarter, the Giant defense scored twice. Scully bounced a snap back to Cox and Gary Reasons blocked Cox’s punt. Tom Flynn picked up the ball and ran 27 yards for a touchdown which gave the Giants the lead, 20-13.

“I was Johnny on the spot,” Flynn said.

The Redskins got the ball back, but on a second-down play at the Washington 47, Pepper Johnson hit Williams from behind and the ball popped into the hands of Jim Burt.

Burt, a 260-pound nose tackle, lumbered 39 yards into the end zone for a touchdown, outrunning 295-pound Redskin tackle Mark May.

“It felt like it took me six days to get there,” Burt said.

After he ran through the end zone, Burt stopped at the base of the stands and raised both arms in jubilation.

Good feelings were in short supply for the Redskins. Williams grew increasingly upset with the events and played in a rage, several times following in the steps of officials to complain loudly and angrily.

Manley was also upset, but tried to calm himself after the game. His first game after completing a 30-day suspension for violating the league drug policy was not what Manley hoped it would be.

He played mainly on passing downs, not enough to suit him. Manley paced the sidelines as his frustration grew until he turned over a table with a Gatorade jug on it.

“At that point in time, I didn’t maintain my cool,” he said. “I’m not the type of guy who is a quiet guy. I was expecting to play and it didn’t happen. If I explode, I just explode.

“I haven’t handled this thing in the best way. I’ve never felt like this all the days of my life. I’m confused.”

Taylor has his own problems. Like Manley, he received a 30-day suspension, but his return to the Giants may take longer than that. Until then, the Giants hope their offense will be able to score more points than their defense.

After all, Burt said, the Giant defense can only do so much. “LT, we miss you,” he said.