11:53PM EST November 25. 2012 - EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Eli Manning: New York Giants all-time passing touchdown leader. Notorious post-bye week performer. Power runner.
Those are the stamps Manning put on his resume Sunday night in a 38-10 stomping of the Green Bay Packers that calmed any of the fears about this team, this offense and Manning's right arm after consecutive losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals heading into last week's bye.
Manning threw career touchdown passes Nos. 198, 199 and 200, the second a reach across the goal line by wide receiver Hakeem Nicks to move him past Phil Simms and into the top spot on the Giants' all-time list. (Yes, that would be the same Simms that said last week Manning isn't an elite quarterback. And the same Simms that told USA TODAY Sports this summer Manning is already a Hall of Famer.)
BOX SCORE: Giants 38, Packers 10
Manning's touchdowns broke a streak of three straight games without finding the end zone, the longest such streak since his rookie year of 2004. They also showed any concerns about the life in his right shoulder appear to be off-base.
And speaking of that right shoulder, it did something it's never done in Manning's NFL career. It lowered itself right into Packers cornerback Tramon Williams at the end of a 13-yard scramble on a third-and-7 late in the first quarter. It was quite the tone-setting play and, three snaps later, Manning threw a perfect ball to rookie wide receiver Rueben Randle over cornerback Davon House and safety M.D. Jennings to put the Giants ahead 14-7.
It was a lead they would only build upon, thanks in large part to a strip sack by Osi Umenyiora on Rodgers that was reminiscent of Umenyiora's strip of Rodgers in the Giants' playoff victory in January when Umenyiora saved a touchdown. This one set up a touchdown – for the Giants – that made it 31-10 at halftime instead of potentially a one-score game with the Packers getting the ball to start the third quarter.
The victory gives the Giants a two-game lead in the NFC East after the Dallas Cowboys seemed to be closing in on them. Meanwhile, the Packers (7-4) are back into second place in the NFC North, one game behind the Chicago Bears. The loss was the Packers' most lopsided in five years.
The downside for the Giants Sunday night was a run of injuries to key players. Safety Kenny Phillips (knee) and right tackle David Diehl (burner) left the game. Phillips, who had a key stop on a third down in the first half, didn't even finish his first game back after missing six straight with a knee injury. Running back Andre Brown, who ran for a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter, suffered a broken fibula, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.
Source : http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2012/11/25/new-york-giants-green-bay-packers-eli-manning/1726409/