• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Manning, Tynes lift Giants past Lions

Nov 18, 2007 - 11:06 PM By Chuck Klonke PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DETROIT (Ticker) - The New York Giants took a step closer to a playoff berth Sunday, while the Detroit Lions didn't help themselves in their quest for their first postseason appearance since 1999.

Eli Manning completed 28-of-39 passes for 283 yards and a touchdown and Lawrence Tynes made all three field goals as the Giants defeated the Lions, 16-10, on Sunday.

"The defense came out and played a great game," said Giants receiver Plaxico Burress, who caught four passes for 47 yards. "They pretty much shut them down. Offensively, we did enough to get by and get a win."

Manning tossed a 10-yard score to Brandon Jacobs with just 23 seconds remaining in the first half. Jacobs' first career touchdown reception gave the Giants a 10-0 lead and capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive.

Jacobs, however, left the game late in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. He rushed 11 times for 54 yards and caught four passes for 49 yards.

Coach Tom Coughlin said Jacobs would require further evaluation to determine the extent of his injury. More damaging was the loss of starting linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, who suffered a broken fibula and is likely done for the season.

"It's obviously a big loss for us," Coughlin said.

Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna completed 28-of-43 passes for 384 yards and a touchdown, but also threw for three interceptions - including two in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter.

Kitna was angry after the game.

"We let a game get away from us," Kitna said. "In November and December you cannot let a team come in and beat you at your place that is not better than you. You are trying to make a playoff run. This isn't high school football, you are making a playoff run.

You let a team come in here and beat you that isn't better than you? It's unacceptable to me."

Kitna often didn't have a lot of time to throw. Defensive end Michael Strahan sacked him three times and hurried him three more times.

"From the time he (Strahan) got off the bus once we got here, he was very focused," Giants cornerback Sam Madison said of Strahan. "He was very energetic. He was the Stra' of old. He's getting his legs under him. He's getting his second wind. He's showing he can still play the game."

The defeat was the first at home in five games for the Lions (6-4).

"We all feel bad," Lions receiver Shaun McDonald said. "This is down to the playoff race. We've got to get these wins, especially at home. This is where the offense wants to be, we want to have a chance to go in and win. I didn't make the plays at the end of the game."

Tynes connected on field goals of 28, 46 and 20 for the Giants (7-3), who bounced back from last week's 31-20 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

Said Manning: "7-3 sounds a lot better than 6-4 for our sake. We're finding ways to win games. It doesn't have to look pretty but that's what you have to do in this league.

"We felt we were going to have to score a lot of points to win the game but as it turned out, our defense is playing great football."

Detroit scored on its first possession of the second half when Jason Hanson kicked a 42-yard field goal. The kick moved Hanson into 10th place on the NFL career scoring list. He had been tied with Lou Groza with 1,608 points.

After Tynes' third field goal gave the Giants a 16-3 lead, the Lions answered quickly.

Kitna found rookie Calvin Johnson on a 35-yard touchdown strike with 4:34 remaining in the game. Johnson raced down the left sideline and caught the ball between two defenders in the end zone to cap the four-play, 82-yard drive.