Giants Still Can’t Get By the Bye : NFC: New York, which hasn’t won after a week off since 1990, loses to New Orleans, 27-22, making San Diego the only undefeated team.

An off-week seems to always lead to an off week for the New York Giants.

Merely let the Giants shut down for a game and they’ll no doubt shut down the next game.

At least that’s the way it seems. On Sunday, as they have following their last five weeks off since 1990, the Giants lost, 27-22, to the New Orleans Saints, leaving only San Diego undefeated in the NFL.

The Giants--players and coaches--were not buying into a bye-week jinx.

“The reason we were 3-0 was that we had done the things you need to do to win games and not make mistakes,” Coach Dan Reeves said. “We made way too many mistakes and the Saints capitalized on them.”

The Giants got no breaks. Trailing, 27-13, with 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Giants had third-and-17 on the New Orleans 45 and Dave Brown completed a pass to Chris Calloway on the four-yard line. But a defensive pass interference call was offset by an unsportsmanlike call when Calloway spiked the ball in cornerback Carl Lee’s face to celebrate.

The second foul took precedence, officials said, and the ball was moved back to midfield. On the next play, Brown’s pass was incomplete, and the Giants were forced to punt.

Calloway should not have spiked the ball, Reeves said. The excitement of overcoming the Saints’ interference and making the play that put the Giants into a position to score overwhelmed him, however.

“We do a great job of making rules in this league,” Reeves said. “But we do a great job, too, of making sure our players don’t have fun enjoying what they do.”

The Giants’ troubles began to multiply when Saint linebacker James Williams scored on a 33-yard interception return.

The Saints’ defense held the Giants--again playing without injured Pro Bowl running back Rodney Hampton--to 202 yards total and only 50 yards rushing.

The Saints (2-3) intercepted two passes by Brown, sacked him seven times and knocked him down repeatedly. Frank Warren, 35, a veteran of the Saints’ defense, later blocked a field goal attempt.

Jim Everett completed 20 of 30 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown. Morten Andersen kicked field goals of 29 and 32 yards.

The Giants staged a late rally, going 55 yards on 11 plays before Dave Brown connected with Mike Sherrard on a three-yard touchdown pass that made it 27-22 with 2:04 left. A two-point conversion try failed.