Redskins Hand Giants Seven Turnovers and a Victory

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The New York Sun

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Washington Redskins gift-wrapped Tom Coughlin’s first win as Giants coach.


Linebacker Barrett Green scored on a 16-yard fumble return and New York forced seven turnovers in a 20-14 win yesterday that handed Joe Gibbs his first loss in his second stint with Washington.


Kurt Warner threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Tim Carter and Steve Christie kicked two field goals in a game the Giants (1-1) had to sweat out despite having a plus-6 edge in turnovers.


Patrick Ramsey, who took over in the third quarter when Mark Brunell went out with a hamstring injury, threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Clinton Portis with 12:01 to play.


But he had two other drives in Giants territory stopped on interceptions by Gibril Wilson and Brent Alexander.


Defensive tackle Fred Robbins also had a forced fumble and an interception for New York, which only lost one fumble on a kickoff return by Willie Ponder.


The win snapped a franchise record-tying nine-game losing streak for the Giants, who closed last season with eight straight losses under Jim Fassel.


Coughlin was hired to restore the once proud team, and his defense took a big step Sunday to silence the critics of his no-nonsense style for at least a week.


Washington’s mistakes were the difference. But things started well for the Redskins. They opened the game with a flawless 53-yard drive that Brunell capped with a 2-yard TD toss to Chris Cooley.


The Giants, who had one of the worst turnover ratios in the NFL last season at minus-16, were a plus-3 in the second quarter when they turned a 7-0 deficit into a 20-7 lead.


Robbins, who was signed as a free agent, got a sack and forced a fumble that Michael Strahan recovered at the Washington 38.


Warner, who went 22-of-33 for 232 yards, went back to his days with the Rams and went for it all on first down, finding Carter on a deep post pattern to tie the game at 7.


The defense, which looked horrible in a 31-17 loss to Philadelphia last weekend, then gave the Giants a 14-7 lead. Safety Shaun Williams hit Portis on a third-and-1 play from the Washington 19 and knocked the ball loose. Green, another free-agent signing, picked up the loose ball at the 16 and scored.


Robbins struck again on the Redskins’ next series, tipping a screen pass and making a sensational interception and return to the Washington 26.


Christie hit a 38-yard field goal after New York failed to get a first down. He added a 22-yarder just before halftime after Warner moved the Giants 72 yards.


John Hall had a 41-yard attempt bounce off the upright on the final play of the half.


Washington, which had only one turnover in a win over Tampa Bay last week, kept giving the ball away in the third quarter.


Portis fumbled at the Giants 30 on the opening drive and Ramsey was intercepted by Alexander in the corner of the end zone on third-and-goal from the 7. The pick came one play after Portis’ 2-yardTD run was nullified by a motion penalty.


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