NFL 2011 - Wild Card Weekend: Giants Too Much for Falcons, Move On to Face Packers

Giants Too Much for Falcons, Move On to Face Packers
NFL 2011 Playoffs

East Rutherford, NJ

Eli Manning threw three touchdown passes and the New York Giants defense turned in a dominant performance in a 24-2 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in an NFC wild card game Sunday.

Manning threw for 277 yards and two of his scoring strikes went to Hakeem Nicks as the Giants (10-7) set up a meeting with the top-seeded Green Bay Packers next weekend.

New York lost to Green Bay in the regular season, 38-35 on Dec. 4.

Atlanta (10-7) could not do much offensively all game and could not even pick up a yard in a pair of crucial situations.

The New York defense twice stopped Atlanta on fourth-and-one. The second time the Giants stuffed Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on fourth-and-inches at the New York 21-yard line late in the third quarter.

Three plays later, Manning tossed a short pass to Nicks, who took it to the house for a 72-yard TD and a 17-2 lead for the Giants with 2:44 left in the quarter.

Ryan was sacked twice and completed 24-of-41 passes for 199 yards while running back Michael Turner was held to only 41 yards on 15 carries.