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Giants move closer to playoffs

Dec 9, 2007 - 11:37 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Donovan McNabb's return to the lineup failed to spark the Philadelphia Eagles.

McNabb was contained virtually the entire way as the Philadelphia Eagles dropped a 16-13 decision to the New York Giants on Sunday.

While McNabb and the Eagles (5-8) saw their fading playoff hopes take perhaps a fatal blow, Eli Manning and the Giants (9-4) moved a step closer to locking up their third straight playoff berth.

Manning found Plaxico Burress for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 5:59 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Giants the lead for good at 13-10.

"Obviously, (Burress) is a tremendous threat," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "He has the ability to make things happen with the ball. We've been without big plays for a while now. He certainly gets us started on that track again."

Despite a somewhat slow start, Manning was able to have a productive game. He completed 17-of-31 passes for 219 yards without a turnover.

"We are just finding ways to win games," Manning said. "Last year at this time, we were in games, (but) not making thej plays and doing the things to win the game. We just have to keep it going."

Burress, who seems to torment the Eagles on a regular basis, was not hampered by a gimpy ankle and finished with seven catches for 136 yards.

"I felt pretty good," Burress said. "The better I begin to feel and the more I get healthy, I think I'll come more explosive and our offense will become more explosive."

In winning for the second straight week on the road, the Giants were able to overcome a pair of fumbles from Brandon Jacobs, who rushed for 69 yards on 23 carries. The bruising back had missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.

"That is one of the things that happens when a guy does not have the chance to play week in and week out - ball security," Coughlin said. "Brandon's been out for awhile. He came back, ran strong and ran powerful."

Lawrence Tynes added a 23-yard field goal with under a minute remaining in the third quarter to give the Giants a 16-10 lead. David Akers converted from 39 yards midway through the fourth quarter for the Eagles.

A five-time Pro Bowler, McNabb had missed last two games with a sprained ankle and jammed thumb. A.J. Feeley threw a combined seven interceptions in losses to New England and Seattle.

McNabb engineered the Eagles' lone touchdown drive on their opening possession, capping the march with an 18-yard screen pass to Brian Westbrook, who raced untouched to the end zone.

But McNabb was ordinary the rest of the way as he completed 20-of-30 passes for 179 yards and no turnovers. About the only saving grace was that he was sacked just three times after going down 12 times in the first meeting against the Giants this season.

"(The Giants) made a couple of changes and we kind of put ourselves in the hole sometimes," McNabb said. "Just credit them. I tried to make a play underneath when I could. That's a great job on their part. Trying to eliminate the big play."

McNabb did nearly orchestrate a final drive to send to the game into overtime. But Akers, who turned 33 years old Sunday, banged a 57-yard field goal attempt off the right upright with one second remaining.

"All I know is that dude (Akers) booted the hell out of that ball," Giants middle linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "You could hear it from the sidelines. It looked good. We were getting ready to go into overtime."

One of the main positives for the Eagles remains Westbrook, who rushed for 116 yards on 20 attempts. He went over 1,000 yards on the ground for a second straight season.

"This is difficult (because) we're having opportunities to win football games and we're not taking advantage of them," Westbrook said. "That's the type of season it's been for us. As a team, we have to find a way to change things around."

After Westbrook's 12th total TD of the season, the Giants pulled within 7-6 before halftime on field goals of 19 and 23 yards by Tynes in the second quarter.

Jacobs fumbled on the Giants' initial possession of the second half. But despite taking over at the Giants 8, the Eagles lost yardage and managed only a 29-yard field goal by Akers.

"It was huge to have (the Eagles) go backwards," Coughlin said. "You are talking about a tremendous momentum shift."

"Offensively, we stalled a little bit and you have to get the ball in the end zone when you have opportunities," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. " We didn't do it enough today."