Eli Manning Struggles Early, Giants Top Buccaneers, 41-34
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Elsa/Getty Images(EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.) — The defending Super Bowl champs avoided a 0-2 start to the 2012 season after Eli Manning led his team back in the last 3:59 to give them a 41-34 victory over the Buccaneers (1-1) on Sunday.
Manning passed for 295 yards in the second half, tying for most in NFL history and 3 yards short of Phil Simms’ Giants record. The Giants (1-1) trailed at the half by 11 but Manning connected with Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, and Martellus Bennett within a four-minute span to seal the deal.
“We kept playing and even when we had the very huge plays that disappointed us, we kept playing,” said Giants head coach Tom Coughlin on his team’s resiliency on Sunday. “That says a lot about us.”
Manning threw three first-half interceptions but redeemed himself in the second, finishing with 510 yards total and credited his young talented wide receivers.
“Victor (Cruz) and Hakeem (Nicks), both of them stepped up,” said Manning after the game. “Made some big time catches, some third down conversions. I thought both of those guys really played outstanding.”
Cruz finished with 11 catches for 179 yards, both career highs, while Nicks had 10 catches for 199 yards.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio