Fassel Drives N.Y. From Last to First

Their faith never wavered, not even when a 1-3 start left the New York Giants looking up at the rest of the NFC East and led Coach Jim Fassel to think, “We couldn’t go much deeper.”

Because of that confidence in themselves and in Fassel’s fresh vision for a team that was 6-10 under Dan Reeves last season, the Giants on Saturday won their first division title since 1990 and made the playoffs for the first time since 1993.

“We came in this season and said, ‘We’re going to win the championship,’ and people looked at us like we were crazy, like, ‘What are these guys on?’ ” linebacker Jessie Armstead said after the Giant defense forced six turnovers in a 30-10 victory over the Washington Redskins before a crowd of 77,571, the largest for a Giants game at Giants Stadium.

“As long as we believed in each other, we knew it would be OK.”

The Giants (9-5-1) endured a few nervous moments Saturday in extending their division record to 6-0-1, but their defense proved decisive. They held the Redskins (7-7-1) without a rushing first down, didn’t allow Michael Westbrook to catch a pass and warmed Fassel’s heart, negating the chill of having a celebratory bucket of water dumped on his head in the game’s closing moments.

Cornerback Jason Sehorn, a USC product, had two interceptions, the second a 35-yard return for the Giants’ final touchdown 57 seconds into the fourth quarter. Cornerback Conrad Hamilton had another key interception, grabbing a Jeff Hostetler pass that was intended for Brian Mitchell and returning it 18 yards to the Redskin 12-yard line. That put the Giants in position for a 28-yard field goal by Brad Daluiso that gave them a 20-3 lead in the final minute of the first half.

While the Redskins were left to ponder their bleak playoff chances--they must defeat the Philadelphia Eagles at home next week and get help from other teams to squeeze in--the Giants were trying on caps and tee shirts that proclaimed them NFC East champions.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever felt this good about anything, ever, in football,” said Fassel, an Anaheim native and former Fullerton College coach. “Some people thought at some point in time we had reached a tough point in our schedule and we would fold, but we did not.

“Nobody expected us to get here. They had the Giants way down. We’ve come back.”

In becoming the 15th team in NFL history to go from last in its division to first the next season, the Giants also overcame a mid-season lull in which they sandwiched losses to Tennessee and Tampa Bay and a tie with the Redskins around a lone victory in a four-week span. The trick, players said, was that Fassel never gave up on them, so they couldn’t give up on themselves.

“We needed the offensive focus he’s given us,” Armstead said. “He came in and he’s been tough. He’ll get on your [case]. He doesn’t back down from anybody, stars, so-called stars, nobody . . .

“Everybody was looking at us when we were 1-3 and wondering about us. Coach Fassel just said, ‘We lost the first quarter of the season. Let’s win the last three quarters. The race is never won in the first quarter.’ ”

Saturday’s game wasn’t won until the fourth quarter, so often and abruptly did the ball change hands.

The Giants scored on their first three possessions. A fumble by halfback Stephen Davis was recovered by Armstead at the Redskin 29-yard line to set up a 41-yard field goal by Daluiso; a mishandled snap by punter Matt Turk gave the Giants the ball at Washington’s 16-yard line and led to a 15-yard touchdown run Charles Way, and a three-play, 76-yard drive capped by a seven-yard pass from Danny Kanell to Chris Calloway gave the Giants a 17-0 lead.

The Redskins came back with a field goal in the second quarter, but the Giants extended their lead to 20-3 after Hamilton’s interception.

“The first thing I do is give credit to the Giants. They’re a physical football team. They’re an outstanding defensive front,” Redskin Coach Norv Turner said. “They obviously did what they had to do to win the game today. We didn’t give ourselves a chance.”

The Redskins had the ball for a mere 1:57 of the third quarter but capitalized on that when Hostetler--who led the Giants to the Super Bowl in 1990 after replacing the injured Phil Simms--found Albert Connell with a 41-yard touchdown pass that trimmed the Giant lead to 20-10. But after Daluiso made a 28-yard field goal 36 seconds into the fourth quarter, Sehorn was pushed toward the ball by Westbrook and grabbed it for his touchdown romp.

“I’ve watched far too many other people in the playoffs play,” Sehorn said. “It’s time for somebody else to watch us.”