Giants Stay Perfect by Beating Colts, 24-7

INDIANAPOLIS — The New York Giants continue to play their own personal game of “chicken” with the San Francisco 49ers.

The Giants beat the Indianapolis Colts, 24-7, Monday night to join the 49ers at 8-0, the first time in 56 years two NFL teams have been unbeaten this deep into the season.

New York won with a smothering defense, two touchdown runs by Ottis Anderson, a lot of jitterbugging by Dave Meggett and precise passing by Phil Simms, who completed 17 of 21 passes for 172 yards. Then the Giants clinched it with a 31-yard fumble return by Dave Duerson.

It was the Giants’ 11th consecutive regular-season victory going back to last year. It brought them one step closer to a Monday night game at San Francisco Dec. 3 against the 49ers, winners of 16 in a row.

The last time two teams were 8-0 was in 1934, when Chicago and Detroit eventually went to 10-0. New York and San Francisco would both be 11-0 if they get through their next three games.

This one was no contest in the first half. The Giants scored on their first three possessions--a 23-yard field goal by Matt Bahr and touchdown runs of two and three yards by Anderson--and had a 17-0 halftime lead after holding the Colts to one first down.

The Colts came back to take the second half kickoff and march 80 yards for a touchdown on a one-yard run by Albert Bentley. It was set up by a 17-yard fourth-down pass to Billy Brooks from Jeff George, who was 23 for 37 for 160 yards and was sacked three times, twice by Leonard Marshall.