Giants fans had seen this game before countless times.

Eli Manning -- back under center for the first time since Week 2 -- with the ball in his hands, primed for a two-minute drill to give the Giants a win against a division rival.

But after a three-and-out to keep the game tied, Big Blue and the Eagles went to overtime, where Manning never got another chance to find the magic. Philadelphia eventually came away with a 23-17 victory at Lincoln Financial Field after scoring on the opening drive of the extra frame.

It was a tale of two halves for Manning on Monday. He was spot on in the first half, finding rookie sensation Darius Slayton for a pair of touchdowns, including a 55-yarder with 27 seconds left in the second quarter, to give the Giants a 17-3 lead at halftime.

"I missed my first throw," Manning said. "It should have been an easy throw. But after that we got some things going a little bit and hit a couple of completions. I was able to get a two-minute drive at the end of the first half and get into a rhythm. I thought that would have gotten things going a little bit and keep things going but unfortunately couldn't find it in the second half."

Manning was just 4-for-11 for 24 yards after the break.

"They did a good job of playing a little bit more zone in the second half and keeping everything in front of them," Manning said. "We just didn't convert on third down, did pretty well on first and second and had some good plays. But we had some third downs in manageable situations and weren't able to do anything. Credit to them, they played well in the second half. They took away some of our things and we just didn't execute."

With Daniel Jones out, having a backup of Manning's caliber certainly made his return a little smoother. And as always, he was understated on what the game meant to him.

"Go in and win a football game," Manning said on what he was looking for in Monday's contest. "I've played a lot of football games. I know the offense and what I'm supposed to do. I made some good throws and didn't make some plays that I needed to."

With 37 game-winning drives to Manning's name, Giants fans (at least those not clamoring for more losses and a chance at a higher draft pick) had to be confident in Manning on the final drive of regulation, despite the 38-year-old's struggles in the second half.

But it wasn't to be.

"I would have liked to have had one today," Manning said of the late opportunity. "It's important to a football team to be able to come back and score late in the fourth quarter when you've struggled and you need a score. We just didn't get it done."

So what now for Manning? Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said after the game that the team is still taking a week-to-week approach with Jones.

Typically, a 2-10 team would be in no rush to get an injured starting quarterback re-inserted into the offense. But of course, with the proverbial torch already having been passed, the Giants would surely love to get their quarterback of both the present and the future as many reps as possible.

For Manning, as has been the case throughout his career, he's just going to try to keep it business as usual.

"I don't know what [Jones'] status is so I'm just going to take it one week at a time," Manning said. "I'll find ways to improve and help out the team and try to get a win."

That next chance comes on Sunday at MetLife Stadium when the Giants play host to the Dolphins.

Popular in the Community