PRO FOOTBALL : Versatile Meggett Leads Giants Past Redskins : NFC: Running back rushes for two touchdowns, passes for another as New York defeats Washington, 31-23.

If Dave Meggett doesn’t beat you one way, he’ll beat you another.

Just ask the Washington Redskins, who saw the New York Giants’ most versatile player beat them in every way--running, receiving and passing.

Called on to carry the offense in the absence of the injured Rodney Hampton, Meggett responded with two short touchdown runs and a 16-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Pierce in New York’s 31-23 victory over the Redskins on Sunday.

For the day, Meggett had a career-high 26 carries for 82 yards, caught four passes for 52 more and had the one touchdown pass. The 5-foot-7, 195-pounder, given the day off from punt and kick-return duty, was in on 31 of the Giants’ 55 offensive plays. Meggett has thrown three passes in his career--all for touchdowns against the Redskins.

Dave Brown did the rest of the damage against Washington (1-2), completing 14 of 19 passes for 221 yards and a 30-yard touchdown pass play to Mike Sherrard.

“Dave isn’t going to grind people up, but you have to use what you’ve got,” Giant Coach Dan Reeves said of Meggett. “We didn’t change a lot. We used him more as a receiver, because he’s a little better than Rodney and he does throw that halfback option pretty well. He really likes to throw it against the Redskins.”

Meggett scored the Giants’ first touchdown on a two-yard run 4:55 into the game, and then took over in the second half after the Redskins had taken a 20-17 halftime lead.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, Meggett took a handoff from Brown, ran to his right and found Pierce in the end zone to put the Giants ahead, 24-20, with 11:40 left in the period. He ended his day with a spinning one-yard scoring run with 7:09 left.

Meggett’s touchdown pass, though, was the turning point between the NFC East rivals. It ended a six-play, 57-yard drive that included a 15-yard reception by the sixth-year player from Towson State.

For Washington, the loss overshadowed another strong effort by John Friesz, who completed 32 of 50 passes for a career-high 381 yards and two touchdowns.

The 10,000 Club

Washington’s Henry Ellard became the 10th NFL player with at least 10,000 receiving yards Sunday, getting 197 in 10 catches against the New York Giants.

Player Rec Yards James Lofton 764 14,004 Steve Largent 819 13,089 *Jerry Rice 731 12,170 Charlie Joiner 750 12,146 *Art Monk 897 12,126 Don Maynard 633 11,834 Stanley Morgan 557 10,716 Harold Jackson 579 10,372 Lance Alworth 542 10,266 *Henry Ellard 613 10,135

* active