Giants Knock Cowboys Off High Horse : NFC: Defending champions lose for the second time in three weeks, 15-10.

Perhaps the Dallas Cowboys could use a little of what the New York Giants had at the end of the season--a turnaround--if they hope to win their third consecutive Super Bowl.

The Giants (9-7) capped a season-ending six-game winning streak by defeating Dallas, 15-10, Saturday as the Cowboys (12-4) rested injured halfback Emmitt Smith and played quarterback Troy Aikman less than a half.

Despite the streak that followed a seven-game slide, the Giants missed the playoffs.

Dallas, which already had clinched the NFC East title and a first-round playoff bye, lost for the second time in three weeks and third in seven. Now, the Cowboys seem vulnerable heading into their first postseason under Coach Barry Switzer.

“We’re where we want to be,” Switzer said in downplaying the poor finish. “Everything in the past doesn’t count.”

The past worked against the Giants, however, particularly the losing streak in October and November that left them all but dead.

The Giants did everything they could to overcome it, but they needed help in the final weekend. The Giants had to end Dallas’ 14-game NFC East winning streak and hope Tampa Bay could upset Green Bay.

The Giants did their part, getting the winning points on a third-quarter safety caused by Jessie Armstead’s sack. However, the Packers (9-7) earned their way to the postseason by ripping the Buccaneers, 34-19, winning the tiebreaker with the Giants on a better conference record (8-4 to 6-6).

“I have very mixed feelings,” said William Roberts, one of the last members left from the Giants’ two Super Bowl championship teams. “We didn’t expect it to end like this. We wanted to beat Dallas and keep playing. I’d love to have one of those gifts we gave away back again.”

During the losing streak, the Giants lost five games by a touchdown or less.

“It’s bittersweet to finish by winning six in a row,” defensive tackle Erik Howard said. “But it was just a matter of a little too late. Regardless of whether we made the playoffs, it was important to beat Dallas.”

The Cowboys did little against the Giants. They were held to a season-low 183 yards, including 27 in the second half when the Giants held the ball for 23:17.

Aikman, who started even though the team said he wouldn’t, said the indecision was caused by a wet field caused by overnight rain. He played five series.

On the safety, Armstead sacked Aikman’s backup, Rodney Peete, near the goal line and the ball was recovered by the Giants but not before it went out of the end zone. The safety put the Giants ahead, 12-10, late in the third quarter.

Rodney Hampton carried 26 times for 91 yards, giving him 1,075 for the season and making him the first Giant to have four 1,000-yard seasons.