Eli Manning keeps New York Giants' season alive with OT win over Atlanta Falcons

Someone told Eli Manning it had been 42 days since the Giants had won a game.

"It has felt like it, too," he said.

Six weeks is an eternity in the NFL. It is just long enough for one's confidence to erode. Just long enough to get the feeling that the season is sinking away.

Manning and the Giants took the field against the Falcons at the Meadowlands Sunday needing to do something they hadn't done in 42 days - win a game. They needed to win for their own mental health. They needed to win to have any hope of making the playoffs. They needed to win to salvage the season.

The Giants had to work overtime, but they got the job done, beating the Falcons, 34-31, in OT. They did it on the strength of Manning throwing for 384 yards and three TDs (with one interception). It was the first time in his career that Manning threw for over 300 yards at Giants Stadium.

"I hope to get a few more," Manning said. "It's definitely a game that I'll remember for a while. Hopefully this will keep us going, get us going on a little rally."

Manning couldn't have picked a more appropriate time to have such a superb game. The Giants had hit a four-game slide and it looked like their season was heading over a cliff.  Continue