EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Atlanta Falcons had the momentum and were making the New York Giants’ top-ranked defense look ordinary.
Then came the coin flip before overtime.
Eli Manning and the Giants got the ball to start the extra period and never gave it back as Lawrence Tynes kicked a 36-yard field goal to make up for an earlier miss and give New York a 34-31 victory Sunday.
“I’m glad he called tails to start the game and Matt Ryan called tails again in overtime, and both times it was heads,” Manning said. “I’m glad heads hit. Let’s just say that.” Manning threw for a career-high 384 yards and three touchdown passes, including two to Kevin Boss, and New York came out of its bye and snapped a four-game skid despite blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead.
“It’s been a long time, 42 days since our last win,” Manning said. “It felt like it, too.” Manning, who had his first 300-yard passing game at Giants Stadium, set up Tynes’ winner 3:54 into overtime when he connected with Mario Manningham for a 29-yard pass that put the Giants at the 23. New York hadn’t won since beating Oakland 44-7 on Oct. 11, but this one didn’t come easily.
“It’s nice to win,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “We were miserable around here for a month.” New York kept pace with NFC East-leading Dallas, which beat Washington to maintain a one-game division lead. The Giants can’t savor this one for long, though: They play at Denver on Thanksgiving.
“It was good to see the high-fives and the smiles,” Manning said, “especially when you haven’t had that feeling for a while.” The Giants’ defense — without injured linebacker Antonio Pierce indefinitely — couldn’t hold a 31-17 lead against Ryan and the Falcons.
Ryan threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Eric Weems with 6:01 left in regulation, then found Tony Gonzalez for 11 yards with 28 seconds remaining to tie it.
“We had a lot of great contributions and great efforts from a lot of guys in the second half to come back from 14 down,” Ryan said. “But with that said, there are no moral victories.” Atlanta (5-5) has lost four of five after a 4-1 start.
“What I told our team is that we’ve been through a long road in terms of the last six weeks,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said.
“Four of the six games we’ve played have been against teams that have been coming off the byes.” Ryan finished 26 of 46 for 268 yards and two touchdowns, while Gonzalez had eight catches for 82 yards and the score. Jason Snelling, filling in for the injured Michael Turner, had two touchdown runs.
“That was a loss that’s definitely a tough one to take,” said cornerback Brett Grimes, who had an interception. “We needed that win to stay alive.” With the victory, the Giants became the first home team to win in the series since New York beat Atlanta in 1979. The visitors had won 12 straight in the series, and the Falcons gave it a good shot at making it 13 in a row.
“Disappointing loss,” Ryan said, “but we can’t be discouraged.” Madison Hedgecock’s 3-yard touchdown catch with 12:08 remaining made it 31-17, but the Falcons stormed back.
Ryan converted three third downs on a 12-play drive that was capped by Weems’ touchdown catch. On the tying drive, the Giants allowed Ryan to convert two third-down passes. After an incompletion to Gonzalez, Ryan found the big tight end in the end zone.
“I am concerned,” Coughlin said of his defense.
The Giants won the overtime toss — after referee Gene Steratore fumbled the first flip — and Manning went back to work.
“I knew we had moved the ball very well, especially in the second half, so I felt good,” he said. “I’m glad we got the ball first.” New York lost running back Brandon Jacobs to an injured right leg late in the third quarter, but Coughlin didn’t indicate that it was anything serious.
Snelling’s 7-yard touchdown run 1:02 into the second quarter put Atlanta ahead 7-3.
The Giants marched right back down the field, helped by a pretty 33-yard sideline catch by Manningham, but stalled at the Falcons 13. Tynes then was wide left on a 31-yard attempt.
“I knew that was going to haunt us, even when we were up 14,” Tynes said. “I knew I had to make amends. Fortunately, I got an opportunity.” Atlanta came out in the second half clicking, capping an eight-play drive with Snelling’s 1-yard touchdown run.
After Jacobs’ 2-yard run put New York up 24-14 midway through the third quarter, Jason Elam kicked a 25-yarder to make it a one-touchdown game.
“Having that win, finally getting that monkey off our back,” Boss said, “feels real nice.”
