Giants Improve to 7-0 With 21-10 Victory : NFC: New York holds off Washington for the sixth consecutive time with the help of a lucky bounce on a potential Redskin touchdown pass.

The New York Giants continued their mastery of the Washington Redskins Sunday with the help of some lucky bounces that gave the unbeaten Giants a 21-10 victory.

The Giants (7-0), who have defeated the Redskins six consecutive times, were leading, 14-10, when Washington quarterback Stan Humphries threw what appeared would be a touchdown pass to a wide-open Earnest Byner with 6:51 left.

The ball, however, bounced off Byner’s shoulder pad and into the hands of New York’s Greg Jackson.

Two minutes later, Everson Walls intercepted a pass from Humphries and returned it 28 yards for the first touchdown of his 10-year career to seal the victory.

“We have a three-game lead and you should win the division with a three-game lead,” Giant linebacker Lawrence Taylor said. “We should win unless we do something stupid and we don’t plan on doing something stupid.”

Said Washington defensive end Charles Mann: “They just believe they’re going to do it and they have so much confidence it becomes reality. I’m not saying we’re not confident but there’s that ounce of doubt and that kills us.”

Giant quarterback Phil Simms completed 15 of 24 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The Giants took a 14-0 lead on a four-yard touchdown pass play from Simms to Stephen Baker and a 13-yard scoring play from Simms to Mark Bavaro.

The Redskins pulled to within 14-3 at halftime on a 45-yard field goal by Chip Lohmiller.

Washington (4-3) dominated the third quarter, scoring on a five-yard scramble by Humphries at the end of a 54-yard drive.

Then, with 12:29 left, the Giants failed on fourth down when Ottis Anderson, who finished with 92 yards in 24 carries, was stuffed with inches to go for a first down at the Washington 45.

From there, the Redskins moved to the New York three. Humphries, who at that point had 11 consecutive completions, rolled left and threw the ill-fated pass to Byner that bounced right to Jackson, who had two interceptions in New York’s 24-20 win over the Redskins two weeks ago.

“I was scared at first,” Jackson said. “Luckily, he dropped the ball. I saw it up in the air when it hit his hand. There was a second. . .then I was relieved.”

Then came Walls’ interception, the 48th of his career and his fourth in this comeback season, and the Giants had beaten the Redskins once again.

Humphries completed 19 of 28 passes for 141 yards and had three passes intercepted.

Washington tight end Don Warren had a career-high 10 receptions for 66 yards but Art Monk, Ricky Sanders and Gary Clark, had just four receptions among them.

Washington Coach Joe Gibbs seemed resigned to fighting for a wild-card berth in the playoffs.

“We’re not conceding anything but it’s going to be awfully hard,” Gibbs said.