Eagles Use Defense, Field Goals to Beat Giants

Gary Anderson kicked four field goals, including the go-ahead kick with 2:12 to play, and linebacker William Thomas returned a fumble 23 yards for a late insurance touchdown as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New York Giants, 19-10.

“We knew this was going to be a tough ballgame and that a field goal could decide it,” Philadelphia defensive end William Fuller said. “Defensively, we just said ‘Let’s keep playing tough.’ We didn’t feel they were good enough to drive on us. We just kept on fighting and fighting and we knew whoever got the big play at the end would have an opportunity to win.”

The Eagle defense and quarterback Ty Detmer, who replaced injured starter Rodney Peete, made the big plays as Philadelphia (4-2) ended a two-game winning streak by the Giants (2-4).

The defense limited New York to 150 total yards, did not allow the Giants to run a play inside their 22-yard line and sacked Giant quarterback Dave Brown to set up Thomas’ game-clinching touchdown.

Anderson’s field goal capped a 14-play drive that was led by Detmer, making his first start in five years as a pro, and running back Ricky Watters.

Detmer, who completed 18 of 33 passes for 170 yards and no interceptions, passed nine yards to Mark Seay and 11 to Irving Fryar, both coming on plays in which he was hit as he threw. Watters had eight carries for 40 yards on the march, the third consecutive that ended in a field goal by Anderson.

The Eagle defense, which held New York to four second-half first downs, then finished off the Giants with the seventh of eight sacks against Brown. Mike Mamula ran around Giant left tackle Greg Bishop and hit Brown, knocking the ball loose. Thomas picked it up and scored 21 seconds after Anderson’s 29-yard field goal put the Eagles ahead, 12-10.

“Like I said, our defense came and showed up and played a great game,” Philadelphia Coach Ray Rhodes said. “They basically won the game for us.”

Until the last field goal, it appeared Brad Daluiso’s 39-yard field goal and Amani Toomer’s 65-yard punt return for a touchdown would give New York its third consecutive victory.

“We took three steps back,” said Brown, who completed 11 of 25 passes for 105 yards. “It was total domination by them. Our defense played great. We should have won the ball game if we had done anything offensively and we couldn’t do a thing.”

The Giants’ defense has not given up a touchdown in the last three games.