PRO FOOTBALL : Giants Batter DeBerg and Dolphins, 19-14 : Interconference: The victory is the first for an NFC East team at Miami in 12 games.

Steve DeBerg walked slowly to the sideline with blood in his mouth and pain on his face. The New York Giants had made him the picture of defeat.

The Giants forced three turnovers, earned a safety on a sack and turned back three scoring threats to beat DeBerg and the Miami Dolphins, 19-14, Sunday.

DeBerg, the third Miami quarterback to be injured this season, needed five stitches in his chin and one in his neck after being flattened by two Giants. He missed parts of two possessions, returned to the game at the start of the fourth quarter and failed to rally the Dolphins.

The victory was just the Giants’ second this season against a team currently over .500.

“I hope all those people that thought we couldn’t do it were watching today,” defensive end Keith Hamilton said.

The clash of division leaders left both at 9-3.

“We might meet them in the Super Bowl,” DeBerg said.

The Dolphins should hope not. Losers twice to the Jets, they’re 0-3 this season against New York teams and 9-0 versus the rest of the NFL.

The Giants increased their lead over second-place Dallas in the NFC East to 1 1/2 games, and the Dolphins remained one game ahead of second-place Buffalo in the AFC East.

The Giants’ victory was the first by an NFC East team in 12 games at Miami, and it was the first regular-season victory by any NFC team in Miami since Joe Robbie Stadium opened six years ago.

“It’s nice to come here and pull out a victory and overcome the mystique of Joe Robbie Stadium,” linebacker Lawrence Taylor said.

The Giants won their first game in Miami since the NFL-AFL merger.

“To say that this is a big win is an understatement,” Coach Dan Reeves said.

Linebacker Bryan Cox didn’t take defeat well. He nearly got into a fight with a fan and blasted the officiating after the game. “This was a situation today where I was horrendous and the officiating was horrendous,” Cox said.

After Tony Martin caught a deflected Hail Mary pass from DeBerg on fourth down for a 25-yard touchdown reception with 1:01 remaining, Ed McCaffrey recovered the ensuing onside kick for the Giants, who ran out the clock.

The Giants turned back two other Miami threats in the second half. Greg Jackson intercepted a DeBerg pass after the Dolphins reached the four-yard line, and Jesse Campbell blocked a 25-field-goal attempt by Pete Stoyanovich.