By Larry Fine

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Reuters) - The New York Giants, overrun by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first half, rose up after the intermission to claim a 24-20 victory on Sunday that put their playoff hopes back on track.

The victory ended a two-game losing skid by New York and improved their record to 7-4. Jacksonville's three-game winning streak was halted as they fell to 6-5.

Trailing 17-6 at halftime, the Giants tied the game 17-17 early in the fourth quarter then overcame a 20-17 deficit with a quick drive capped by a 32-yard touchdown connection to tight end Kevin Boss with 3:15 left in the game.

"We needed to rise up and have a finish like that," Giants coach Tom Coughlin told reporters. "We needed that (win) to keep pace."

Faced with an all-out blitz, Giants quarterback Eli Manning flipped it out wide to Boss, who threw off safety Courtney Greene and ambled easily into the end zone for what proved to be the game-winning score.

Ten minutes earlier, the Giants struck paydirt on a 26-yard scoring strike from Manning to wide receiver Mario Manningham, and Ahmad Bradshaw ran it over the goal line on the two-point conversion to knot the game at 17-17.

Jacksonville, who entered the game tied for the AFC South lead, threatened one last time but the Giants defense stood tall, driving the Jaguars back after they reached a first down at the New York 29-yard line.

On third-and-26 from the 45, blitzing cornerback Terrell Thomas forced quarterback David Garrard to fumble and safety Antrel Rolle recovered to allow the Giants to run out the clock.

"This was a big one," said Manning, who completed 14 of 24 passes for 226 yards and a pair of touchdowns. "Some guys stepped up and made some huge plays on that last drive."

The first half was dominated by the Jaguars, who rushed for 145 yards on 20 carries against a New York defense that ranked fourth in the NFL against the run allowing an average of 89.5 yards a game.

Maurice Jones-Drew gained 73 yards, while Rashad Jennings and quarterback David Garrard both ran in for touchdowns from five yards out.

Disgusted with their play, defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck spoke to the team during the intermission.

"The first half we played like crap," Tuck told reporters. "When we came in at halftime, we just looked in each others eyes."

Tuck said his message he delivered was simple.

"Right now we're getting embarrassed," recounted Tuck. "I just talked about how you can't let someone come to your house and take over. We were moping around, we weren't playing with passion."

New York's defense held Jacksonville to 52 yards on the ground in the second half and the Giants offense, riddled by injuries to the receiving corps and line, rallied with big plays down the stretch.

"After a first half like we had, it's tough not to win," said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio. "We haven't experienced a loss in the last month. We'll bounce back."

(Editing by Frank Pingue)