LANDOVER, Md. — When the Philadelphia Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys played haplessly on Thanksgiving, each going down to demoralizing defeat, the path finally seemed open for the first-place Giants to grasp a commanding lead in the feeble N.F.C. East.
Instead, for more than three quarters on Sunday, the Giants played without emotion or efficacy and were overpowered almost from the beginning of their game against the Washington Redskins. Nearly five minutes into the fourth quarter, the Giants trailed by 20 points.
Then, in a stunning turnaround, quarterback Eli Manning threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rueben Randle on a fourth-and-16 with 10 minutes 10 seconds remaining in the final quarter.