PRO FOOTBALL : Giants Go on Defensive to Defeat Browns, 13-10 : Interconference: New York gives up only 145 yards and ends two-game losing streak.

Bill Belichick was defensive coordinator for the New York Giants for eight years before he took over as coach of the Cleveland Browns after the Super Bowl.

Sunday, the Giants’ defense played well in their former leader’s return to Giants Stadium.

But even that almost wasn’t good enough for the slumping Super Bowl champions.

The defense set up all three scoring plays as the Giants beat the Browns, 13-10.

“It should never have been this close,” linebacker Lawrence Taylor said after the Giants held Cleveland to 145 yards, 27 in the first half.

“I’m upset because the ‘D’ beat them too bad to get it this close.”

Jeff Hostetler completed nine of 15 passes for 65 yards for the Giants (2-2), who ended a two-game losing streak.

The Giants took a 13-0 halftime lead on two field goals by Matt Bahr and a 28-yard run by Rodney Hampton, who rushed for 104 yards in 17 carries.

However, the Giants failed to put the Browns (2-2) away in the second half.

Bernie Kosar completed 13 of 22 passes for 107 yards for the Browns, including a seven-yard touchdown to Kevin Mack at the beginning of the fourth quarter that brought the Browns to within 13-10.

The Browns got to the Giants’ 38 in the final four minutes, but Kosar was sacked by Carl Banks for a seven-yard loss while rolling out on a third-and-three play.