NFL-Giants rally to keep playoff hopes alive

(adds quotes) * Redskins suffer fourth straight defeat * Giants improve to 5-7 after losing first six games Dec 1 (Reuters) - The New York Giants trailed to two Washington touchdowns but fought back to claim a 24-17 win over the Redskins on Sunday that kept their playoff hopes alive. The Giants, who started the season 0-6, have now won five of their last six and are just two games behind NFC East leaders Dallas and Philadelphia. "We're almost accustomed to putting ourselves in bad situations and coming out of it," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck told reporters, of the team's knack for late-season rallies. "At 0-6, it would've been easy for us to point fingers. That we didn't talks about the leadership." New York (5-7) fell behind 14-0 to hosts Washington in the first half but showed the kind of resolve that has kept them firmly in the playoff hunt. Eli Manning responded with a pair of scoring drives to end the half with Andre Brown breaking away for a 23-yard touchdown before Brandon Myers caught a 22-yard score to tie the game 14-14 at the half. Manning's lone interception in the third quarter led to a Washington field goal, which put the hosts up by three, before New York closed the game with 10 straight points in the fourth. Brown added a second rushing touchdown while Manning finished with 235 passing yards. Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III started red hot by completing his first 12 passes but flamed out. He threw for 207 yards, one score and ran for 88 yards, but the Redskins' (3-9) offense stalled in the second half. Griffin was harassed all game by Tuck who finished with four sacks. Washington's last drive ended when Pierre Garcon caught a pass for a first down but had the ball stripped away by New York safety Will Hill. The Redskins have now lost four straight. "(This season is) so frustrating to the point I can't tell you," Washington wide receiver Santana Moss said. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford/John O'Brien)