EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning threw a touchdown pass in what might be his final game with the Giants and New York got a rare taste of winning with an 18-10 decision over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
Manning threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Sharp and Orleans Darkwa rushed for a career-high 154 yards, including a 75-yarder on the second play from scrimmage, as the Giants (3-13) snapped a five-game losing streak and gave interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo his first win since taking over from the fired Ben McAdoo on Dec. 4.
Aldrick Rosas kicked two short field goals and Kelvin Sheppard had two interceptions for New York, whose 13 losses are the most in franchise history.
Coupled with Indianapolis’ win over Houston, the Giants will have the No. 2 pick overall in the draft.
Kirk Cousins, who also might be playing his last game for the Redskins, scored on a 12-yard run for Washington (7-9), which has missed the playoffs the past two years.
Dustin Hopkins added a season-long 49-yard field goal for the Redskins, who were looking for their third straight .500 or better finish since 1999-2001.
The win capped a horrid season for the Giants, who were expected to compete for a Super Bowl after making the playoffs last season. Injuries, penalties, blown fourth-quarter leads and a failure by fired general manager Jerry Reese to fix the offensive line led to a disaster.
It culminated with McAdoo’s decision to bench Manning for a Dec. 3 game against Oakland. The fan uproar was so great Reese and McAdoo were fired the next day.
Spagnuolo returned Manning as the starter the following game and he trotted off the field Sunday and waved to the crowd, an acknowledgement that his tenure here after 14 seasons might be over. The soon-to-be 37-year-old finished 10 of 28 for 132 yards and an interception.
The Giants scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. Darkwa had a team-high 75-yard run on the second play from scrimmage and Manning found Sharp for his first career TD two plays after linebacker Sheppard intercepted Cousins’ first pass.
New York botched both conversions. The PAT on the first one was blocked and the 2-point attempt after Sharp’s catch failed, leaving New York ahead 12-0.
Washington linebacker Preston Smith got the Redskins back in the game, intercepting a screen pass and returning it to the Giants 20. Cousins scored on a 12-run two plays later.
Rosas added a 23-yard field goal for the Giants later in the first quarter and Hopkins hit a season-high 49-yarder on the final play of the half, cutting New York’s lead to 15-10.
Rosas had the only points of the second half, a 29-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
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