LANDOVER, Md. _ The Giants head into the playoffs with an identity that was cemented in Sunday's final game of the regular season: a strong defense and an offense that struggles to score.
It's been that way all season, so why should it change now?
That style of play was on display yet again in a 19-10 win over Washington at FedEx Field. The Giants dominated most of the game statistically, rushing for 161 yards, including 102 by rookie Paul Perkins in his first career start, but managed only one touchdown. That was a 2-yard run by Rashad Jennings in the second quarter.
It took a 40-yard field goal by Robbie Gould with 2:12 remaining after a 44-yard deep pass from Eli Manning to Tavarres King (playing in place of Odell Beckham Jr., who sat most of the second half), to snap a 10-10 tie and account for the go-ahead points.
Washington was eliminated from playoff contention with the loss.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted Kirk Cousins for the second time in the game with 1:12 remaining to seal the win. It was Rodgers-Cromartie's sixth pick of the season. Washington got the ball back at its 5 with six seconds left and Trevin Wade scored a TD with no time left on the clock when he scooped up a lateral at the 11 on a backyard-style desperation play. The Giants took a knee on the extra point.
Because Seattle and Atlanta won on Sunday, the Giants will face the winner of Sunday night's game between the Packers and Lions in the wild-card round. That winner will win the NFC North title. The loser will make the playoffs as well, thanks to the Giants' win, and be the No. 6 seed. They will face Seattle next week.
The victory gives the Giants 11 wins for the first time since 2008.
The Giants had other chances to find the end zone but settled for a field goal after driving to the Redskins' 4 in the first quarter and turned it over on downs when Manning threw an incomplete pass for Beckham on fourth-and-2 from the Redskins' 16 on the first drive of the second half.
The defense, meanwhile, had four sacks of Cousins and did not allow a point until a Washington field goal with 25 seconds left in the third quarter to make it 10-3. On Washington's previous drive they reached the Giants' 23 on a 49-yard pass to Pierre Garcon, but on the next play Rodgers-Cromartie stepped in front of Maurice Harris, who slipped, and intercepted the pass to preserve the shutout for the time being.
The defense's lone blemish was when Washington scored its first touchdown with 8:13 remaining to tie the score at 10. Cousins hit Garcon to convert a third-and-17 and on first-and-goal from the 1 he found tight end Jordan Reed for the short scoring pass.
