Rookie Ross' 2 INTs help lead Giants over Jets 35-24
07.10.2007 21:01
Sport and Travel
- Source: USA Today
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Last week, it was a sack extravaganza. This time, the New York Giants' defense did it with interceptions.
Rookie Aaron Ross returned the second of his first two NFL interceptions 43 yards with just over 3 minutes remaining to seal a 35-24 victory over the Jets on Sunday in the latest Battle of New York. BOX SCORE: Giants 35, Jets 24 A week after getting 12 sacks against Philadelphia, the Giants only had one — by Osi Umenyiora with less than 3 minutes left — but intercepted Chad Pennington three times. The last was the most costly as the Jets were driving for a potential go-ahead score. Pennington, who had good protection by the offensive line all game, threw a pass to Jerricho Cotchery but Ross stepped in front of it and took off down the left sideline and into the end zone with the partisan Giants fans on their feet screaming. After trailing by 10 at halftime, the Giants (3-2) took over in the second half and beat the Jets (1-4) for the seventh time in 11 meetings. Eli Manning recovered from a miserable opening half to finish 13-of-25 for 186 yards with touchdown passes to Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockey and one interception. Brandon Jacobs had 100 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in his first game since spraining a knee in the season opener. Pennington finished 21-of-36 for 229 yards and a touchdown to Brad Smith, but the three interceptions sunk the Jets. After Ross' first pick, the Giants drove 98 yards and took their first, 28-24, on Burress' 53-yard touchdown reception with 7:52 left. Two plays after David Harris was called for a personal foul after horsecollaring Derrick Ward, Manning found Burress down the left sideline. Burress stiffarmed cornerback Andre Dyson, high-stepped out of a tackle and streaked down the sideline into the end zone. The Giants got within 24-21 with an efficient drive that was capped by a 13-yard touchdown catch by Shockey with 33 seconds left in the third quarter. The drive was prolonged when linebacker Jonathan Vilma was called offsides on a third-and-4 play. Kerry Rhodes returned a fumble 11 yards for a touchdown to give the Jets a 7-0 lead with 8:36 left in the first quarter. The playmaking safety ripped the ball out of the left arm of Jacobs. The ball bounced to the right sideline and Rhodes picked it up and ran into the end zone untouched. After Mike Nugent was wide left on a 42-yard attempt, the Giants marched down the field and tied it on Ward's 8-yard run up the middle 4:06 into the second quarter. The Jets went ahead 14-7 just before the half on Smith's first NFL touchdown, a 16-yard catch over Kevin Dockery in the right corner of the end zone. On the Giants' first play of their next possession, the Jets took advantage of another turnover as Manning was intercepted by Vilma. After Leon Washington lost 2 yards on a run, the Jets ran the clock down to 4 seconds and Nugent made up for his earlier miss by kicking a 47-yarder. Manning went 3-of-10 for 22 yards, 20 on a pass to Shockey, and the interception in the opening half. The Giants came out inspired for the second half, making it 17-14 on a 19-yard rumble by Jacobs. Washington then erased any momentum the Giants might have gotten by taking the kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, his second this season. Washington took the ball from the 2, scooted up the middle, shed a few tackle attempts, the last by the kicker Lawrence Tynes, and scooted into the end zone to make it 24-14. Washington, who replaced the injured Justin Miller as the Jets' primary kick returner, also had a 98-yard return against Miami in Week 3.
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