The Giants rookie QB nearly pulls out a win in a game that seemed lost.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The day belonged to Michael Vick and the Falcons. The Giants have every right to believe the future belongs to Eli Manning.
Vick ran for 104 yards and passed for two first-half touchdowns to Alge Crumpler, spoiling Manning's first start.
"I just told him he played a great game," Vick said. "His first game, there is a lot of hype, a lot of pressure on him. He came out and played with poise. He made some plays you can't expect a rookie quarterback to make. I told him he's going to be just like his brother in due time."
Manning did not put up big numbers like his older brother, Peyton, of the Colts. However, he overcame a shaky first half and showed why the Giants mortgaged their future on draft day, leading two second-half drives that turned a one-sided game into a thriller.
"I was disappointed the way I started the game," said Manning, who finished 17 of 37 for 162 yards in a performance that included several drops by Giants receivers. "I was better in the second half."
A 6-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey got New York within 14-7 in the third quarter and another long drive set up a 24-yard field goal by Steve Christie with 6:29 to play.
Manning had one final shot after the Giants took over at their 25 with 1:52 to play. Passes to Shockey and Ike Hilliard and a 13-yard run by Tiki Barber got the Giants to the Atlanta 42, but linebacker Keith Brooking broke up a fourth-down pass to seal the win.
"As a quarterback you want to have the ball in your hands with a chance to win the game," Manning said. "We just didn't get it done."
The loss was the third straight for New York and its fourth in five games.
Vick did his damage in the opening half, finishing the game 12-of-20 for 115 yards. He also carried 15 times for his third 100-yard rushing game this season and fifth overall, a league record.
"Mike wins," Falcons coach Jim Mora said. "You look at his record, it's not always pretty in terms of statistics and quarterback rating. You might need to throw those things out when you talk about Mike Vick. He just wins."
Manning thrilled the Giants in the second half and nearly found a way to pull out a game that seemed lost.
Vick drove the Falcons 84 yards in 11 plays on their opening possession. He carried four times for 53 yards and completed 3 of 4 passes for 24 more, capping the drive with a 6-yard pass to Crumpler on third down.
