Rusty Giants edge past Redskins

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NFL highlights: Redskins v Giants

The New York Giants opened the NFL season with a scrappy 16-7 victory over the Washington Redskins at Meadowlands.

Quarterback Eli Manning, the Super Bowl MVP, scored on a one-yard touchdown run on the game's opening drive for the reigning NFL champions.

The Giants added three field goals and after a 12-yard TD pass from Redskins' QB Jason Campbell to Santana Moss there was no scoring in the second half.

The rest of the league begin their campaigns on Sunday and Monday.

In Thursday's league-opener, recently-signed kicker John Carney, in for the injured Scottish-born Lawrence Tynes, got the Giants' three first-half field goals.

Despite his team's poor second-half offensive effort, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was happy with the win.

"We definitely have a lot of work to do," he said. "The key thing is we opened at home, we won at home and that's a nice way to start.

"I'm disappointed with the penalties, but we knew that this was a work in progress."

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Manning, whose older brother Peyton led Indianapolis to Super Bowl success in 2007, was not resting on his laurels.

"It's a win, that's a start and that was our goal," he said.

"When you get inside (the 20-yard line) everything's got to be precise, got to be perfect so we don't settle for field goals."

Plaxico Burress was a key target for Manning, with 10 catches for 133 yards. Giants running back Brandon Jacobs also barrelled his way to 116 yards on the ground.

The Giants have lost several key players since winning the Super Bowl, including tight end Jeremy Shockey, who was traded to New Orleans, and defensive tackle Michael Strahan, who retired.

A season-ending injury to defensive end Osi Umenyiora had some wondering about their defence.

But ends Mathias Kiwanuka and Washington's Justin Tuck had Campbell on the run throughout Thursday's game.