Giants Sweep Eagles With 20-10 Playoff Win

ByABC News
January 7, 2001, 1:06 PM

Jan. 7 -- The New York Giants already had beaten Philadelphia twice this season, and they sent a message from the opening kickoff that they were not about to lose to the Eagles in the NFC divisional playoff game.

Ron Dixon ran the opening kickoff back 97 yards for a touchdown, easily fielding David Akers’ 67-yard punt and threading himself through the Eagles defense to give the Giants six points just 17 seconds into the game.

It was all downhill from there for the Eagles, who were 7-1 in their last eight games but who were just 2-for-15 on third-down conversion attempts and fumbled three times today at the Meadowlands.

The NFC East champion Giants (13-4) outscored the Eagles 77-to-35 in their three meetings this season and extend their winning streak to nine games against Philadelphia (12-6). With today’s win, the Giants advance to next week’s NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings, who eliminated the New Orleans Saints on Saturday.

Strahan Pumps Up Defense

The Giants won this game by shutting down Donovan McNabb. The second-year quarterback was the hero in the Eagles’ wild-card win last week over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with two passing touchdowns and one rushing score. But today, McNabb was sacked six times, intercepted once and held to 181 yards passing.

A key to that defensive effort was defensive end Michael Strahan, who played brilliantly with three tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble. He led a Giants defense that held the Eagles to just 46 yards rushing all afternoon.

New York cornerback Jason Sehorn made a juggling interception of McNabb with 1:40 left in the first half. After tipping the pass, Sehorn fell on his back but kept the ball in the air before finally grabbing it and scrambling 32 yards for the score.

“I’ve never seen a guy bat one around like that and physically get up with the guy trying to get him and make a play,” said Gaints coach Jim Fassel of Sehorn’s circus-like catch. “That shows what kind of athleticism he has, but it also shows how hungry a player is.”