Manning powers Giants to big lead against Packers

(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Eli Manning threw for three scores to become the Giants' career leader in touchdown passes, and rested New York led the Green Bay Packers 38-10 after three quarters on Sunday night.

Manning's TDs covered 16 yards to rookie Rueben Randle, 9 to Victor Cruz and 13 yards to Hakeem Nicks. The two-time Super Bowl MVP also set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Andre Brown with a 59-yard screen pass to Ahmad Bradshaw, who had a 13-yard scoring run late in the first half.

Manning now has 200 career TD passes, one more than Phil Simms.

The Giants carried a two-game losing streak into this weekend, but they looked much better after a week of rest. The 31-point first half was their biggest of the season, and it put them on the road to taking a two-game lead in the NFC East.

The Giants' defense also helped the offense break out of a slump by setting up 10 points with two turnovers.

Corey Webster's first-quarter interception led to a 43-yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes a little more than two minutes after Randle's first career touchdown gave New York a 14-7 lead.

A strip-sack of Aaron Rodgers by Osi Umenyiora and a 10-yard return by Jason Pierre-Paul late in the half set up Bradshaw's scoring run that gave the Giants a 21-point lead.

Rodgers and Jordy Nelson hooked up on a 61-yard scoring pass for the Packers on their opening series, but Green Bay looked nothing like the team that came into the game with a five-game winning streak. The Packers needed to win to stay tied with Chicago (8-3) in the NFC North.

Each team scored a touchdown on its opening possession, with the Giants accomplishing the feat for the first time since playing Carolina in the third week of the season.

The Manning-to-Bradshaw screen, which was set up by a fake end around, gave New York a first and goal at the Packers 2.

Rodgers needed only four plays to take the Packers 77 yards. The scoring pass came after he eluded a pass rush, allowing Nelson to get behind Webster. The play was reviewed when it momentarily appeared that the receiver stepped out of bounds before making the catch.

Green Bay had a chance to take the lead on its second possession but Mason Crosby was wide left on a 55-yard field goal. He converted a 28-yarder in the second quarter to cut the Giants lead to 24-10.

The Giants went 55 yards for the TD after Crosby's miss, with Manning keeping the drive alive with a 13-yard, third-down scramble on which he tried to run over cornerback Tramon Williams.

Webster came off receiver James Jones to step in front of Randall Cobb and intercept Rodgers on the next play from scrimmage. Tynes kicked his field goal four plays later.

Cruz's touchdown capped an eight-play, 61-yard drive that featured a 25-yard pass to Nicks, who got the only score in the third quarter by extending the ball over the goal line as he lay on top of cornerback Davon House.

The Packers lost running back Johnny White (concussion) and defensive end C.J. Wilson (knee) to injuries in the first half, while backup linebacker Jamari Lattimore hurt a calf.

Giants tackle David Diehl had a first-half stinger and was replaced by Sean Locklear. Safety Kenny Phillips, who was playing for the first time since injuring a knee against Philadelphia in September, left with another knee injury in the third quarter and was ruled out.

Updated November 25, 2012