Debut Cool but Giants Cold

As middle linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, Keith Brooking had football’s version of orchestra seats Sunday to New York’s biggest opening night in years: the rookie debut of Giant quarterback Eli Manning.

“I was 10 feet away from him when he was sitting in that huddle,” Brooking said. “I saw the look in his eyes. He didn’t have that wide-eyed look like he didn’t know what was coming his way. He was calm the whole way, and that says a lot about the kid.”

Few people around the rookie were as cool under pressure. Not his receivers, who failed to reel in at least seven catchable balls. Not his defense, which made a devastating -- if controversial -- mistake late in the fourth quarter. Not Coach Tom Coughlin, whose face gets a deeper red with every loss. And not the national-anthem singer, a Broadway actress whose creative rendition included “at the skylight’s last gleaming.”

The Giants (5-5), who lost to the Falcons, 14-10, must feel as if they’re viewing their postseason hopes through a skylight, watching them flutter away. They have lost three in a row, four of five, and trail Philadelphia in the NFC East by four games. They play host to the Eagles on Sunday, although Coughlin wasn’t in the right frame of mind to talk about that matchup.

“Give me an hour or so to be upset about this one,” he said, “and then we’ll look forward to next week.”

Sparked by the typically spectacular running of quarterback Michael Vick, the Falcons built a 14-0 halftime lead and seemed in control even as the Giants clawed back with a touchdown in the third quarter and a field goal in the fourth. They intercepted two Manning passes and writhed as a third interception and a Manning fumble were wiped out by defensive penalties.

“We killed ourselves with penalties,” said Atlanta tight end Alge Crumpler, whose team was flagged twice as many times (12) as New York. “We stress not turning the ball over and not having any stupid penalties.”

Crumpler caught touchdown passes of six and two yards, and Vick ran for 104 yards in 15 carries.

New York’s lone touchdown came on a six-yard pass play to Jeremy Shockey. After making the catch, Shockey came to the sideline and pump-faked a throw into the stands before handing the ball to Manning as a keepsake.

Tiki Barber led all rushers with 107 yards in 21 carries and showed his toughness by staying in the game after a hard tackle that slammed the back of his head against the turf.

Throughout the game, all eyes were on Manning. He directed a 16-play touchdown drive, proved more elusive than Kurt Warner, the quarterback he replaced, and made only a couple of truly bad decisions.

“I told him he played a great game,” said Vick, a fellow No. 1 overall pick. “His first game starting there’s a lot of hype and a lot of pressure on him. He came out and played with poise and made some plays. Like I told him, I think he’s going to be just like his brother in due time.”

But, like his brother Peyton Manning, who is a star at Indianapolis, Eli joined a lofty crowd of top picks who failed to win their first rookie start. Among the others are Terry Bradshaw, Vinny Testaverde, Troy Aikman and Drew Bledsoe.

“He’ll do better,” said Archie Manning, standing near the Giants’ locker room after giving his son a bearhug as Eli walked off the field. “He’ll learn a lot. You learn more from this one than you do from practicing a month.”

The outcome might have been different but for a huge mistake by New York linebacker Carlos Emmons. With five minutes to play, the Falcons protecting a four-point lead and pinned close to their end zone, Vick threw an incomplete pass on third and 13. As he released the ball, he absorbed a hit from Emmons, who was flagged for roughing the passer. It was a close call -- and a costly one. The hands-to-the-face penalty gave the Falcons a first down, and they were able to run three more minutes off the clock.

Emmons said he never slipped his hands under Vick’s face mask and did what he could to avoid contact with Vick after he released the ball.

“I was trying to stop,” Emmons said. “But you can’t stop when you’re that close to a guy.”

Regardless, New York didn’t get the ball back until the clock showed 1:52. Then, it was the Giants who got a break. Manning was sacked and lost a fumble on the first play of the possession, but the turnover was negated by a defensive holding call. In the end, it didn’t matter. The drive fizzled at the Atlanta 42 when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete.

“That’s disappointing,” Manning said. “That’s something I’ve worked on, two-minute drills. I’ve got to be able to drive down there, get some completions and get a touchdown.

“I felt I definitely learned a lot ... and it will be good to come in and see tape and learn from my mistakes.”

He’ll have some company in the film room. There were plenty of mistakes to go around.