The Giants’ defense looked like the worst in the league during the first two weeks of the season, and that didn’t change in the first half against the Washington Redskins yesterday.

Plaxico Burress spent all of last week unsure whether his injured ankle would allow him to play, and after he dropped three passes in the first half, his teammates probably wished he hadn’t.

But that all changed late Sunday afternoon when the Giants’ defense wrapped up a 24–17 win with a brilliant goal line stand, protecting a lead that Burress got them with a 33-yard fourth-quarter touchdown catch. The second half yesterday was the first time all season that the Giants turned in an inspired effort on both offense and defense, and the result was a tremendous comeback from a 17–3 halftime deficit.

The top highlight of the day was that touchdown catch by Burress, in which he caught a short pass near the left sideline, juked past one Redskin and sprinted between two others as he raced 30 yards to the end zone. That was the last catch for Burress on a day in which Eli Manning threw five passes to him in the first half, all incomplete, then connected with him five times in the second half for 86 yards.

Burress’s touchdown got the Giants the lead with 5:40 to play, but the defense would have to hold that lead. It wasn’t easy. After the ensuing kickoff gave the Redskins the ball at their own 38-yard line, Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell marched his team down the field, completing a series of short passes to reach the Giants’ 35-yard line. But on a third-and-10, Mathias Kiwanuka sacked Campbell, and the Redskins were forced to punt.

But even then, it wasn’t over. After the Giants went three-and-out and Antwan Randle El returned the ensuing punt 27 yards, the Redskins were in good shape for one last chance to send the game into overtime. When Campbell hit Randle El for a 20-yard gain down to the 1-yard line, overtime looked certain. But Campbell foolishly wasted a down by spiking the ball to stop the clock, even though the Redskins still had a minute to go, and then the Giants’ defense stopped the Redskins cold on three straight plays, with linebacker Kawika Mitchell and defensive back James Butler making the key tackles to stop Redskins running back Ladell Betts on the Redskins’ final two tries.

The Giants got key contributions from unexpected sources. Veteran cornerback Sam Madison, who has been a disappointment for most of his two years in a Giants uniform, had a big game in pass coverage, tackled Redskins running back Clinton Portis for a loss of four yards on one play and came on a blitz to drill Campbell as he passed on another. Veteran running back Reuben Droughns had just three carries for three yards, but they were three big yards: Two one-yard touchdown runs and a one-yard run to pick up the first down on third-and-inches. Mathias Kiwanuka, who has struggled all season as the Giants’ coaches have shuttled him between defensive end and linebacker, had seven tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

With the win, the Giants improved to 1–2, avoiding their first 0–3 start since 1996. But as euphoric as the plane ride home from Washington, D.C. must have been, the Giants have to know they have a lot of work to do to compete in the NFC East. Manning threw two interceptions, lost a fumble, missed some open receivers and often wasn’t getting enough protection from the offensive line. Cornerback Corey Webster continues to give up too many big plays. And Burress wasn’t the only one who dropped passes; Shockey dropped a perfect pass from Manning in the fourth quarter.

But while those problems are real, so was the Giants’ performance in the second half. Big Blue has another division opponent next week, with the Philadelphia Eagles coming to town. If the Giants can build some momentum off yesterday’s win, a season that looked nearly hopeless after two opening losses and a dreary first half to week 3 may have some promise.