After 42( days, Giants rediscover winning feeling

Eli Manning and the New York Giants were just happy to celebrate a victory again. It had been six frustrating weeks, not that they were counting or anything.

"It's been a long time, 42 days since our last win," Manning said. "It felt like it, too."

Lawrence Tynes kicked a 36-yard field goal 3 minutes 54 seconds into overtime to make up for an earlier miss and lead the Giants past the Atlanta Falcons, 34-31, on Sunday. The win snapped a four-game skid and came after the defense blew a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter.

"It's nice to win," Coach Tom Coughlin said. "We were miserable around here for a month."

Manning threw for a career-high 384 yards and three touchdown passes, including two to Kevin Boss, as New York kept pace with NFC East-leading Dallas, which beat Washington to maintain a one-game division lead.

The Giants can't savor this one for long, though: They play at Denver on Thanksgiving.

"There are not many better feelings than in a locker room after a win," Manning said. "It was good to see the high-fives and the smiles, especially when you haven't had that feeling for a while."

Manning set up Tynes's winner when he connected with Mario Manningham for a 29-yard pass that put the Giants at the 23. New York hadn't won since beating Oakland, 44-7, on Oct. 11, but this one didn't come easily.

The Giants' defense -- without injured linebacker Antonio Pierce for an indefinite period -- couldn't hold a 31-17 lead against Matt Ryan and the Falcons.

"I am concerned," Coughlin said of his defense.

New York also lost running back Brandon Jacobs to an injured right leg late in the third quarter. Coughlin had no update on the injury, but Jacobs was on the sideline during the fourth quarter and overtime.

Ryan threw a four-yard scoring pass to Eric Weems with 6:01 left in regulation, then found Tony Gonzalez for 11 yards with 28 seconds remaining to tie it.