Missed Chip-Shot Gives Giants 24-23 Win

A year ago, nothing went right for the New York Giants, but things are changing.

Washington’s Chip Lohmiller missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt with 2:54 remaining Sunday and the Giants held on for a 24-23 victory over the Redskins.

“Last year, the way things were going for us, he would have made it,” Giants linebacker Harry Carson said.

The Giants (3-2) built a 24-9 lead in the third quarter, but had to hang on as the Redskins rallied in a near-reversal of the season opener when Washington built up a lead but New York came back to win.

After Lohmiller’s miss, the Giants were able to run out the clock without giving Washington (2-3) another chance. Lohmiller, Washington’s top draft choice, also botched an extra point after the Redskins’ first touchdown.

“It just wasn’t there for me,” Lohmiller said. “I just missed (the field goal). It’s one of those things.”

Odessa Turner caught 8 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown for the Giants. Turner, starting in place of injured Mark Ingram, left the game in the third quarter after he injured his knee on a 28-yard scoring pass from Phil Simms to make it 24-9.

“They didn’t tell me I was going to start until just before the game,” Turner said. “I was just running out there, trying to get open.”

Redskin quarterback Mark Rypien connected with Ricky Sanders on a 49-yard pass play for a touchdown to get Washington within 24-16 with 4:12 left in the third quarter.

The Redskins cut the gap to 24-23 on their next possession, when Rypien foiled a New York blitz by connecting with Sanders for a 21-yard touchdown 3 plays into the final period.

Washington wasted another opportunity to take the lead when running back Kelvin Bryant fumbled away the ball at the Giant 19 with 10:40 left.

New York linebacker Lawrence Taylor, in his first game since returning from a suspension for substance abuse, had 2 sacks. The first one, early in the first quarter, caused Rypien to fumble and set up a field goal.