Coach Jim Fassel and the New York Giants were unable to move the ball Sunday. (AP Photo)

By Jon DeNunzio
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 2, 1998; Page D8

It would be easy to say the New York Giants were pioneers yesterday, as they became the first team to lose to the 1998 Washington Redskins. But New York's 21-14 loss wasn't exactly uncharted territory. The Giants have been here before.

The Giants came into Jack Kent Cooke Stadium struggling on offense, particularly on third downs. Their defense has been average – ranked 17th in the NFL – but has thrived on forcing turnovers. Yesterday, the Giants (3-5) couldn't move the ball and forced no turnovers, and worse yet, they lost arguably their best defensive player, end Michael Strahan, in the first series. The Giants said they were more upset over those sorts of things than that they had lost to a previously 0-7 team.

"I think it was embarrassing to lose, period," strong safety Percy Ellsworth said. "It's embarrassing to lose to an undermanned team and lose a game we could have won. We never considered [Washington] an 0-7 team."

On offense, it wasn't that the Giants failed when they were in position to score. They failed well before they got there.

Two third-and-one plays late in the game told the story. On the first, from the New York 16, Gary Brown ran up the middle and was tackled for no gain by Ken Harvey. The Giants punted the ball away with 5 minutes 52 seconds to play.

Then, with about three minutes left, quarterback Danny Kanell and fullback Charles Way botched a handoff on third and one from the New York 10. New York recovered the fumble, but the end result was another fourth and one, and New York punted again.

"I don't know what happened" on the fumble, Way said. "Maybe I was too wide."

New York came into the game last in the NFL in third-down conversions, at 22 percent (22 of 100). Yesterday, the Giants got worse, converting 14 percent (2 of 14).

"Third down killed us today," Kanell said. "I don't know what the percentage was, but it just seemed like we couldn't get a first down."

The Giants' offense crossed midfield three times, scoring one touchdown and stalling at the 36 and the 42. The other New York touchdown came on David Patten's 90-yard kickoff return.

The defense had a second consecutive tough game against quarterback Trent Green. Green relieved Gus Frerotte in the season opener at New York and completed 17 of 25 passes for 208 yards. Yesterday, he was 21 of 31 for 225 yards.

The Giants lost Strahan in the first series to back spasms. Strahan returned an interception for a touchdown and had two sacks in the Giants' Week 1 victory over the Redskins.

In all, yesterday's loss was a far cry from the Giants' last game, a 34-7 victory over Arizona, in which they totaled 390 yards of total offense.

"We've shown we can play good at times," Giants Coach Jim Fassel said. "But we're not consistent. We play good, we play bad. Obviously, we've played bad more than we've played good. Because we're 3-5."

A Giants victory yesterday would have set up a Nov. 8 showdown with the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys (4-3 going into tonight's game at Philadelphia). Instead, New York faces a tough road if it is to return to the playoffs this season.

"In terms of the division race, we're in trouble, no question about it," Fassel said. "Are we out of it? No. But we definitely need help."

Said Ellsworth: "To be two games below .500 at this point of the season is bad. This one will stick with us for a while."