The Cowboys’ Billy Cundiff booted seven fields goals against the Giants last Monday.

IRVING, Texas (AP) – Billy Cundiff might have considered scanning the want ads last week. Now he can spend his time gazing at his name in the NFL record book.

Cundiff kicked seven field goals to help the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants on Monday night, including a 52-yarder at the end of regulation and a 25-yard winner in overtime.

For someone who had never made more than two field goals in a game, and whose previous career best was 48 yards, the 35-32 victory was certainly something he’ll never forget.

Cundiff joined Chris Boniol of the Cowboys, Rich Karlis of the Minnesota Vikings and Jim Bakken of the St. Louis Cardinals as the only players to make seven field goals in a game. Karlis’ seventh also came in OT.

“To be honest with you, it doesn’t really mean that much right now,” Cundiff said. “In the future, it’s something I can tell my kids that is something I did. I had to do what I did so we could win on the road, and that is the most important thing.”

Cundiff’s performance couldn’t have come at a better time for him. He missed a short field goal and had an extra-point blocked in Bill Parcells’ debut as coach the week before.

That was soon forgotten. Parcells called the victory against the Giants one of the best in his career. He was equally complimentary of Cundiff, who also made field goals from 37, 49, 42, 21 and 36 yards, and missed from 53 yards.

“Some of those kicks were not real difficult kicks. But some of the others, under the situation he was under, I think he steadied himself and responded very well,” Parcells said.

The coach praised Cundiff’s winner as “a very, very clutch, difficult kick under difficult circumstances.” He also ranked it as one of the best ever kicked for him, a group that includes a 52-yarder by Raul Allegre to beat Washington in the Giants’ 1989 opener and a 42-yarder by Matt Bahr that beat San Francisco as time expired in the 1991 NFC championship game.

Cundiff didn’t show up during the open locker-room period Wednesday to bask in the glory of his feet, er, feat.

In addition to not being interviewed, he also missed receiving a game ball from Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett as part of a promotion by a candy company. The NFL honored Cundiff, too, naming him NFC special teams player of the week.

By laying low, Cundiff ensures himself of being able to walk through a mall without being recognized.

If stopped, it wouldn’t be to suggest he’s a member of the Dallas Cowboys. He’s more likely to be asked if he is Haley Joel Osment, the child actor best known for the line, “I see dead people,” in the movie “Sixth Sense.” A boyish looking 23, he could probably fool many by saying yes.

A former standout at Division I-AA Drake, Cundiff made the Cowboys last year by beating out incumbent Tim Seder in the preseason. He was in charge of field goals and extra points, then had kickoffs added after punter Micah Knorr was released in late October.

Cundiff was 12-for-19 on field goals and perfect on 25 PATs last season. It was good enough that Dallas didn’t try too hard to find an upgrade this season. A halfhearted attempt at competition from Ola Kimrin began after training camp started and ended only a few weeks later.

So, after Cundiff missed a short field goal and had an extra-point blocked in the opener, the Cowboys didn’t have many options, a surprise considering kicking coach Steve Hoffman has uncovered nine others since being hired in 1989.

Thus, Cundiff got another chance Monday night. And he made the most of it.

“I did my job,” he said. “It was exciting because I came through for my teammates when they needed me.”

Parcells didn’t try taking credit for Cundiff’s turnaround. There was no fluff about how he gave the kid another chance because he knew he had this kind of game in him.

“We didn’t have anyone else to do it,” Parcells said. “I made that decision last week and it worked out well for him and for me.”

AP-ES-09-17-03 1927EDT