Manning Responds Again in Giants’ Victory

Barely more than a full season into his NFL career as a starting quarterback, Eli Manning is practically immune to fourth-quarter pressure.

Kept in check for most of three quarters by the Philadelphia Eagles, Manning threw two of his three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 61-yarder to Plaxico Burress that helped the Giants pull away to a 27-17 victory Sunday at East Rutherford, N.J.

The play followed a familiar script for Manning and the Giants this season. Against Dallas and Minnesota he threw touchdown passes in the final minutes to tie the score of games New York eventually lost. In between, he threw a winning touchdown pass against Denver in the final seconds.

Sunday’s pass to Burress came with the Giants leading, 20-17, but it was just as important for a team that hadn’t defeated its NFC East nemesis in the last four meetings. The victory also helped the Giants (7-3) surpass their 2004 win total and remain tied atop the division with Dallas.

“After the first three quarters, you have a feel for what a team is doing,” Manning said. “It seems like once we get into the fourth quarter, we realize we’ve got to step up and make the plays.”

With third-string quarterback Mike McMahon playing a gutsy game in place of injured Donovan McNabb, the Eagles (4-6) trailed, 20-17, in the fourth quarter after McMahon’s one-yard touchdown run.

Manning finished 17 of 26 for 218 yards and also threw touchdown passes of one yard each to Amani Toomer and Jeremy Shockey. McMahon was 18 of 39 for 298 yards and threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Brown.

Arizona 38, St. Louis 28 -- It was like old times for Kurt Warner, who won his first game in the town where he produced a pair of Super Bowl teams and a pair of most-valuable-player awards, throwing three touchdown passes in the Cardinals’ victory against his old team at St. Louis.

Warner was 27 of 39 for 285 yards to lead the Cardinals (3-7) to a season high for points, and only their second 30-point effort of the season.

The Rams (4-6) lost quarterback Marc Bulger, the man who replaced Warner in 2003, for the second time this season because of a shoulder injury.

Dallas 20, Detroit 7 -- Taking advantage of 17 penalties for 129 yards against the Lions (4-6), the Cowboys (7-3) got four and six-yard touchdown runs from Marion Barber III, and Billy Cundiff kicked a franchise-record 56-yard field goal a day after rejoining the club in a victory at Dallas.

The Cowboys never trailed in winning their third in a row and for the fifth time in six games. Penalties turned failed third downs into first downs on all four Cowboy scoring drives. Detroit gave Dallas a total of nine first downs by penalty, and its offense gained only 11.

Cundiff was waived and given an injury settlement after a leg injury late in training camp.

New England 24, New Orleans 17 -- Tom Brady led two scoring drives of more than 90 yards and threw three touchdown passes, leading the Patriots (6-4) to consecutive victories for the first time this season in beating the Saints (2-8) at Foxborough, Mass., despite Aaron Brooks’ 116th touchdown pass, which broke Archie Manning’s Saint record.

Brooks had a chance for his 117th -- and a shot at overtime -- on the last play of the game, but Eugene Wilson intercepted his pass.

Bill Belichick coached the Patriots despite his father’s death on Saturday night of a heart attack.

Jacksonville 31, Tennessee 28 -- Byron Leftwich threw for three touchdowns for the first time in his NFL career and ran for a score as the Jaguars (7-3) beat the Titans (2-8) for their third victory in a row and best start since the 1999 season.

Leftwich finished 22 of 38 for 258 yards.

Seattle 27, San Francisco 25 -- Shaun Alexander rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns, but the Seahawks (8-2) didn’t secure their sixth straight victory until Ken Dorsey bounced a tough throw to Johnnie Morton on a two-point conversion attempt with 28 seconds left at San Francisco.

Seattle, which had led by 15 points, stalled in the fourth quarter, managing only 16 yards and no first downs. The 49ers fell to 2-8.

Denver 27, N.Y. Jets 0 -- Jake Plummer threw for 225 yards and no interceptions, Mike Anderson ran for three touchdowns, and the Broncos (8-2) handled the struggling Jets (2-8) at Denver, recording their first shutout in eight years and staying on track to play host to their first playoff game since the 1998 Super Bowl season. New York lost its fifth in a row, its first shutout since 1995.

Kansas City 45, Houston 17 -- Larry Johnson broke the Chiefs’ rushing record with 211 yards and scored two touchdowns in a victory at Houston. Kansas City is 6-4, and Houston is 1-9.

Johnson, breaking the record of 200 yards set by Barry Word in 1990, has gained more than 100 yards in both starts since Priest Holmes was placed on injured reserve because of head and neck injuries.

Cleveland 22, Miami 0 -- Reuben Droughns, showing all his moves, scored on a 75-yard run on the Browns’ first play and finished with 166 yards in a victory over the Dolphins (3-7) at Cleveland.

Cleveland’s defense held Miami to 67 yards passing.