Shula Lashes Out After 27-20 Loss : Interconference: Bengal coach criticizes officials for pass- interference call late in Giants’ victory.

On a day when the New York Giants kept their faint playoff hopes alive by defeating Cincinnati for the first time, Bengal Coach David Shula simply lost it.

An angry Shula criticized the officials minutes after a questionable pass-interference call set up Rodney Hampton’s game-winning three-yard touchdown run with 40 seconds to play Sunday, giving the Giants a 27-20 victory and their fourth consecutive win.

The Bengals (2-12) made the Giants work a lot harder than expected to post their first victory in five games against them. Cincinnati rallied from a 20-10 fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game on Jeff Blake’s second touchdown pass play to Carl Pickens and a 23-yard field goal by Doug Pelfrey with 1:47 to play.

However, Dave Brown completed three consecutive passes to move the Giants from their 34-yard line to the Bengal 25, and then came the play that probably will get Shula a telephone call from the NFL executive offices.

With Mike Sherrard running a go pattern on the left sidelines against Corey Sawyer, Brown went deep. Both players went for the ball and it fell to the ground. So did a flag from side judge Dave Wyant for interference.

The play gave New York a first and goal and Hampton scored his second touchdown on the next play.

A livid Shula said Wyant’s call was horrible, although the word he used was a little worse.

“We got . . . ,” Shula said. “Corey Sawyer is doing everything you teach a guy to do. He’s in front of the receiver, playing the ball and the receiver runs up from behind and we got called for pass interference. You explain it to me. I don’t understand.”

Sawyer said he told Wyant that he had given the game away.

“If I was a Giant I wouldn’t take that win,” said Sawyer, who set up two Bengal touchdowns with a punt return and an interception. “It’s under the win column but I don’t consider it a win. It’s a Christmas present.”

The Giants (7-7) probably have to win their final two games to have any chance of making the playoffs. They play at Philadelphia next Sunday and close on Christmas Eve at home against Dallas.