They Get to First the Calloway

Chris Calloway did it all Sunday.

Calloway got Danny Kanell out of an interception by stripping the ball from a defender early in the game. He called the coin toss right to start the overtime. Then he turned a reception of a Kanell pass into a 68-yard touchdown on the third play of overtime, giving the Giants a 26-20 victory over the Detroit Lions that moved them into first place in the NFC East.

“I’ve said all along I love Chris Calloway,” Giant Coach Jim Fassel said. “He’s one of the better receivers in the league, and it showed out there today.”

Calloway, who had five receptions for 145 yards, hauled in Kanell’s pass at the Lion 45 just as cornerback Corey Raymond fell down. Calloway went the rest of the way untouched.

“It was an out-and-up,” Calloway said. “He threw it off his back foot and allowed me to get under it. Corey stumbled on his feet and I knew the play was over.”

Raymond said he let the Lions down. “I take the blame on myself, because I need to make that play,” Raymond said. “It is my fault that we lost the game, and now I need to try to forget about it.”

Kanell, making his second NFL start, completed 17 of 31 passes for 220 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The last time the Giants (5-3) were over .500 after eight games was 1990 when they went 8-0 on their way to a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl victory.

The Lions (4-4) have not won or lost consecutive games this season.

The Giants got two breaks on one play en route to the game’s first touchdown. Kanell was intercepted by safety Van Malone, but on the return, he was stripped by Calloway and Charles Way recovered for the Giants at the 16-yard line. A roughing call against Kerwin Waldroup put the ball on the 8 and three plays later Kanell threw a two-yard scoring pass to Howard Cross.