Rypien Keeps Redskins Rolling Over the Giants : NFC: He passes for three touchdowns in 34-17 victory over defending Super Bowl champions.

The Washington Redskins and the New York Giants played Sunday with aggressiveness characteristic of teams heading in opposite directions.

The Redskins, who already clinched the NFC East title and home-field advantage through the playoffs, rolled to a 34-17 victory over the defending Super Bowl champions, who are already eliminated from postseason play.

“I was really proud of our guys, because they had a good attitude,” Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs said after his team improved to 14-1. “They have a tremendous amount of respect for the Giants, and they played them hard.”

Giant Coach Ray Handley could not say something similar about his team.

“Obviously, a coach is responsible for discipline, and our discipline has just gone all to hell,” Handley said. “By that, I mean simple execution . . . the fundamentals have gone to hell.”

Redskin quarterback Mark Rypien completed nine of 19 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns before leaving the game during the fourth quarter because of a torn fingernail on his passing hand.

Gary Clark had three receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Art Monk caught five passes for 91 yards.

Washington used a hurry-up offense to score one touchdown in the first half and scored two others after Giant turnovers for a 24-10 halftime lead.

After Matt Bahr’s 36-yard field goal gave the Giants (7-8) a 3-0 first-quarter lead, the Redskins scored on their second play when Rypien connected with Clark on a 65-yard pass play.

The Giants took a 10-7 lead with 13:34 left in the first half on a one-yard run by quarterback Phil Simms, who completed 23 of 41 passes for 288 yards.

But then Washington’s opportunistic defense took over.

On New York’s next possession, Simms fumbled a snap from center and free safety Danny Copeland, coming on a blitz, recovered at the New York 17.

Rookie running back Ricky Ervins, who gained 85 yards in 13 carries, ran 15 yards to the two. Two plays later, Gerald Riggs plunged into the end zone to give the Redskins a 14-10 lead with 9:16 left in the first half.

Copeland set up the Redskins’ next touchdown, a 22-yard pass from Rypien to tight end Terry Orr, when he intercepted a pass by Simms at the Washington 32 on the Giants’ next possession.

A 37-yard pass from Rypien to Monk preceded the touchdown that gave Washington a 21-10 lead late in the first half.