NFL | New York Giants hammer Washington

LANDOVER, Md. — Playing for their playoff lives, Eli Manning and the New York Giants were efficient, focused and dominant.

Playing for new general manager Bruce Allen, Washington did a good job of convincing the boss that maybe everyone ought to be fired.

The Giants helped their playoff chances Monday night with one of the most lopsided victories in the long, storied series against their NFC East rival. New York scored on six of its first seven possessions and controlled virtually every facet of the game in a 45-12 victory that seemingly wasn't as close as even that margin of victory would indicate.

Manning completed 19 of 26 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns, and Ahmad Bradshaw ran for two scores for the Giants (8-6), who are one game behind Dallas and Green Bay in the battle for wild-card spots with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

A loss would have left New York with the faintest of playoff hopes.

The Giants marched downfield at will to take a 24-0 halftime lead. At one point in the second quarter, they held a 226 to minus-2 advantage in total yards, a 16-0 dominance in first downs, and the time-of-possession gap was roughly 21 minutes to 4 ½. The Redskins (4-10) went three-and-out on their first three possessions, finally got a first down on the fourth, then tried to pull a ridiculous-looking fake field goal on the fifth — a play that produced a Giants interception to end the half.

Even when Washington scored its first touchdown — with the game out of reach in the third quarter — the Giants blocked the extra point.

Jim Zorn, former Seahawks quarterback and quarterbacks coach, is Washington's coach.

The Giants defense, with its habit of giving up big-yardage plays, had largely been the culprit as the team lost six of eight games to waste a 5-0 start. The unit was stout against Washington — even with defensive backs Corey Webster and Aaron Ross inactive with injuries.

Terrell Thomas got his fifth interception of the season and turned it into his first league touchdown with a 14-yard runback.

"We were the team that had more at stake, obviously — and played that way," New York coach Tom Coughlin said.

"We always talk about being the team that demonstrates greater purpose. And we did."