In what is supposed to be his final regular season game, Tiki Barber rushed for a franchise-record 234 yards, garnering three touchdowns and leading the New York football Giants to a 34- 28 win over the Washington Redskins. Oh, he has also basically assured the Giants of a playoff spot.
Barber gained all but 27 of his team’s yards on the ground and 24 of the club’s 94 yards in the air. He rambled 55 yards to put his team up 17- 7 in the second quarter and ran for a 50-yard TD to give his team what would be the game winner.
Barber also broke the record for most yards in one game by a player in his final game regular season game with the previous record being held by the Redskins’ Hall-of-Famer Cliff Battles. Battles set the mark on December 5, 1937 against the Giants when he gained 165 yards rushing.
Although the Redskins won the yardage battle—393 to 355—they also committed two turnovers. Washington QB J. Campbell threw an interception in the third quarter, which eventually led to a NY touchdown. In the first quarter, Skins’ RB Ladell Betts fumbled at the Giant 18 yard-line. That turnover was converted by the Giants to a field goal.
Eli Manning, who has struggled mightily in the second half of the season, completed only 46.2% of his passes, going 12 for 26 and passing for 101 yards. The Giants, who have gone 2 and 6 in their last eight games, seem to have momentarily saved coach Tom Coughlin’s job. This is the second year in a row that the NY Giants have made the post-season with Coughlin at the helm.
Now the big question—can this team win a playoff game? Stay tuned.
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