EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants have never been known for flashy offense. They let Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles take advantage of their stodginess Monday night.

Donovan McNabb races for a first down late in the game. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        McNabb threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to James Thrash with 1:52 left in the game to give Philadelphia a 10-9 victory over the Giants on Monday night.

        It was Philadelphia's first win over the Giants in 10 games and gave the Eagles (3-2) a one-half game lead over New York (3-3) in an NFC East where no other team seems likely to challenge.

        The touchdown followed a 27-yard punt by Rodney Williams after his first punt to the Philadelphia 33 was negated by a holding penalty. So Philadelphia had a first down at the New York 40 with 5:52 left. Six plays later, McNabb rolled to his right, bought time and found Thrash in the left corner of the end zone with Will Peterson chasing in futility.

        “They kept fighting and we played stupid and they grabbed the game,” said New York coach Jim Fassel, whose team took a 9-0 lead on three long first-half drives none of which found the Giants in the end zone.

        As much credit goes to the Philadelphia defense, which held New York to four straight series of three downs and out. Then it forced a fumble by Giants quarterback Kerry Collins on New York's final possession when Jeremiah Trotter stripped the ball and Brandon Whiting managed to recover before the ball went out of bounds.

        New York took the 9-0 lead as it controlled the ball for 24:35 of the first 30 minutes. But it settled for field goals of 24, 21, and 24 yards by Morten Andersen.

        The defense, meanwhile, sacked McNabb six times, two by Michael Strahan, who now has 10 1/2 in his last four games. It was the second one-point loss for the Giants, who lost 15-14 in St. Louis last week in a game in which the Rams forced a fumble as New York was driving for the winning field goal.

        It was the first time since 1930 that the Giants had lost consecutive one-point games.

        “It was a little disconcerting. We should have won both games,” Collins said. “We could have put the game away in the first half but we didn't.”

        New York had 13 first downs in the first half to two for the Eagles.

        The Giants took a 3-0 lead on Andersen's 24-yard field goal at the end of a 64 yard, 15-play drive that consumed 8:17 on the clock. It was helped by three offside penalties on the Eagles.

        New York made it 6-0 on Andersen's 21-yarder 2:04 into the second period. It was set up by Shaun Williams' interception and 20-yard return.

        Then it was 9-0 on Andersen's second 24-yarder that followed another plodding drive. That march covered 61 yards on 13 plays and ate up another 8:28.

        Late in the third quarter, the Eagles reached the New York 7 with the help of two penalties against the Giants. But McNabb's third-down pass was out of the end zone and David Akers' 25-yard field goal cut it to 9-3.

Bengals on seesaw of mediocrity Bengals look for a kicker LeBeau lectures, Dillon fumes Bengals notebook Lions: Crowell done for year Winless Detroit has an assortment of problems Eagles 10, Giants 9 Colts' collapse NFL notebook

Yankees 12, Mariners 3
Yankees' last call - Rivera
Yankees simply know how to win
Diamondbacks advance with age
Diamondbacks host Game One on Saturday
Pettitte ALCS MVP
World Series security extensive
World Series schedule, TV
Elder QB Bolger emerges
Ohio's best football: North or South?
IH knocks out Badin
Kentucky HS football poll
Kentucky soccer roundup
Ohio soccer roundup
HS Soccer schedules
HS Volleyball schedules
Cross country polls and times
HS soccer scores
Louisville looms as worthy rival
Week's work does wonders for Barker
Caudle stays ineligible
Oklahoma, Nebraska 1-2 in BCS
Area colleges roundup

• Return to Bengals front page...