NFL Recap (Philadelphia-NY Giants)
Posted: Sun November 22, 1998 at 5:58 p.m. EST
NY GIANTS 20, PHILADELPHIA 0
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Kent Graham won his first
start of the season and the New York Giants became the
latest team to blank the hapless Philadelphia Eagles, 20-0.
Giants coach Jim Fassel benched starter Danny Kanell in favor of
Graham to help provide a "spark", but not much offense is required to beat
the Eagles, who have scored a paltry total of 92 points in 11 games.
"It was uninspired football. The fans deserve better," said Eagles
owner Jeffrey Lurie. "There are keys to watch in this league and what it
amounts to is no offense, no Ws. I'm (ticked) off. It really (ticks) me
off. That's all I have to say."
The Eagles (2-9), who managed just 214 total yards, have been shut out
three times in a season for the first time since 1942.
The Giants' defense recorded its first shutout since a 20-0 blanking
of the Detroit Lions on
November 18th, 1990 and held the Eagles scoreless for the first time since
recording a 21-0 victory here on September 8th, 1985.
Graham completed 10-of-21 passes for 153 yards, a touchdown and one
interception for the Giants (4-7), who had not scored a touchdown in almost
three games until Gary
Brown's four-yard run late in the third quarter.
"It was a game that was real important for me," said Graham. "I
haven't been working with the first-team receivers that much. And it was
obvious early. In the next few weeks I'm sure we'll get our timing down
and play better. Overall I feel confident with the offense, even though
today I had a few nerves about me."
Graham, who is in his second stint with New York, had appeared in five
games prior to today, completing 14-of-28 passes for 120 yards and an
interception.
Duce Staley
carried 14 times for 52 yards for the Eagles. The loss extended
Philadelphia's road winless streak to 15 games, dating back to a 21-20 over
the New York Jets in Week
16 of the 1996 season.
"It has been very difficult on us," said Philadelphia coach Ray
Rhodes. "Things are tough. It's been a frustrating year. We're not
producing and its a shame. We've been going game by game and just trying
to play our best to get by."
While the Eagles possess the league's worst offense, the Giants are
not much better, entering the day ranked 28th. And the ineptness showed in
a first half that produced a plethora of three-and-outs and punts.
New York scored the only points of the first 30 minutes when Brad Daluiso connected on
a 40-yard field goal late in the first quarter. The score was set up when
the Giants received good field possession after Amani Toomer returned a
punt 16 yards to the New York 32-yard line. Graham provided that needed
spark with a 22-yard completion to Chris Calloway and a
15-yard hook with Ike
Hilliard to the Eagles 23.
"He (Graham) did a good job," said Giants coach Ray Rhodes. "There
were a few things we missed. We had a couple of passes that could have
been big, but considering everything he had, I thought he did well."
Calloway has caught a pass in 42 consecutive games, three short of the
team record held by Dave Meggett.
The Giants offense finally broke through in the third quarter.
Toomer's 12-yard punt return, coupled with a 15-yard unnecessary roughness
penalty on Mike
Caldwell, gave New York the ball near midfield. Graham kept the drive
alive when he hooked up with Toomer on a 14-yard completion on 3rd-and-13
and Brown capped the nine-play drive moments later when he burst through
the line for a four-yard TD.
It was New York's first touchdown since Kanell's 11-yard scoring pass
to Hilliard late in the third quarter of a 21-14 loss to Washington on
November 1st.
Daluiso's 49-yarder early in the fourth made it 13-0. The Eagles
appeared set to get back in the game on the ensuing possession when they
drove deep into New York territory. But cornerback Phillippi Sparks
intercepted Bobby
Hoying in the end zone, ending the Eagles' best threat of the day.
"It's been a while. But things are starting to open up," Sparks said.
"We have to look inside each and every one of us. I'm glad I had the
opportunity to shine. And it was a great moment for the team."
Hoying was 14-of-28 for 121 yards with the two interceptions for the
Eagles, while Staley caught four passes for 49 yards.
"You can't express how disappointing this is," said Hoying. "Football
is supposed to be fun and I can't even remember the last time we celebrated
a TD. I'm supposed to get the job done and I haven't. We keep making
mistakes and we're not good enough offensively to make up for them."
Sparks' second interception of the day later in the quarter set the
stage for Graham's eight-yard scoring pass to Tiki Barber with 2:09
remaining.
"Everytime we get some turnovers we seem to win," said Giants
defensive end Michael
Strahan. "That's the way it was last year and it also was this year. A
shutout is good, it gives us the confidence we need."
New York rookie receiver Joe Jurevicius caught two
passes for 65 yards.
© 1998 Sportsticker Enterprises, LP
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