INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Manning enjoyed one of the greatest moments of his career inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Super Bowl XLVI and returned to that venue Sunday afternoon clinging to his place as the franchise quarterback of the New York Giants. At 37 years old, his future has never before been in such peril.
Manning played solidly, at times outdueling Colts star Andrew Luck, and was able to put 27 points up a week after not getting anything in a home game against the Titans. It should have been enough to navigate the Giants to victory, but it was not, as Luck carved up a depleted and quite frankly bad defense on a late drive that doomed Manning’s return to Indy and sunk the Giants, 28-27.