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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –** With a losing record and career highs in both interceptions and sacks, Eli Manning will never fondly reflect on the 2013 season. But playing behind a constantly-changing cast of linemen and with a running game that has provided inconsistent help (more on that below), Manning has achieved some impressive milestones.
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Assuming Manning throws 16 passes in the season finale vs. Washington, Manning will become the 21st quarterback in history with 5,000 pass attempts.
Manning's 23 completions increased his career total to 2,919, which moved him past Hall of Famer Troy Aikman and into 18th place on the all-time list.
Manning has thrown 228 touchdown passes, which is the 24th-highest total in history. Two players are tied for 25th with 218 touchdown passes – Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, the two quarterbacks chosen with Manning within the first 11 selections of the 2004 NFL Draft. Manning, of course, was acquired by the Giants from San Diego in a trade for Rivers and draft choices. Manning is four touchdown passes behind Hall of Famer Steve Young.
No, we won't ignore interceptions. But Manning is not ranked nearly as high in that category. He has thrown 170 picks, including a franchise-record 26 this season. That places him 43rd on the NFL's career list – two behind Hall of Famer Bob Griese and three behind his father, Archie, who played for three teams from 1971-84. Archie Manning threw 1,342 fewer passes than Eli.
Manning is the Giants' career record-holder in all the significant passing categories.
Manning has been sacked a career-high 38 times this season, increasing his career total to 251 sacks for losses totaling 1,786 yards. The 251 sacks he has absorbed tie him with Brad Johnson for 61st on the all-time list.
In Detroit, Manning started his 150th consecutive regular-season game. He is the third quarterback in history to make at least 150 consecutive starts; Brett Favre holds the record with 297 straight starts, followed by Peyton Manning with 208. Eli Manning has the longest active streak, followed by Rivers at 126.
Manning is 84-66 in the regular season, 43-32 at home and 41-34 on the road
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When Jerrel Jernigan scored his first career touchdown on a 20-yard pass against the Lions, he became the 30th different player to catch a regular-season scoring pass from Manning. The leader is Plaxico Burress with 33, followed by Hakeem Nicks with 26. Manning has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 123 of his 150 starts.
- The Giants finished 3-5 on the road for the second season in a row. It's the first time they were under .500 as visitors in back-to-back seasons since 2003-2004. Despite that, they're all-time road record is 294-292-17. The Giants are the only NFL franchise with an all-time record of .500 or better on the road.
- This season, the Giants are 4-0 when leading at halftime and 5-0 when they lead after three quarters.
- On Sunday, the Giants had a positive turnover differential for just the fourth time this season. They are 4-0 in those games.
- The Giants used their seventh different starting offensive line configuration Sunday in Detroit. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the second-highest total in the NFL; Oakland has used eight.
Overall, the Giants have started 46 different players this season. That is also the league's second-highest total, behind Tampa Bay's 47. The Giants have used 63 players, which are not among the five-highest totals in the league, but are the most for the Giants since they used 66 in 2010.
- In their last two games, the Giants rushed for 25 yards vs. Seattle and 41 at Detroit. The two-game total of 66 yards is their lowest since…well, never. According to Elias, it is the lowest two-game rushing total in franchise history.
The Giants are averaging only 80.7 rushing yards a game, the NFL:'s second-lowest total.
- In the last two games, the Giants were out-rushed 134-25 by Seattle and 148-41 by Detroit. It's the first time their opponents had at least 107 more rushing yards in back-to-back games since Nov. 20-28, 2011, when the foes were Philadelphia (136-29) and New Orleans (205-73).
- Conversely, the defense has allowed at least 134 rushing yards in each of the last four games, the first time that's happened since a five-game streak from Sept. 25-Oct. 30, 2011, when the opponents were Philadelphia, Arizona, Seattle, Buffalo and Miami.
- The Giants scored 17 of their 23 points in Detroit off turnovers, including an interception that Will Hill returned 38 yards for a touchdown. The Giants have 25 takeaways this season and have scored six touchdowns and 60 points off of them.
- Jeremy Ross' 50-yard punt return on Sunday was the fourth at least that long allowed by the Giants this season. That is the league's second-highest total after Washington's five.
- Bear Pascoe's two-yard run in Detroit was the first rushing attempt by a Giants tight end since Dec. 6, 2009, when Kevin Boss had a 16-yard run vs. Dallas.
- Josh Brown kicked field goals of 41, 52 and the 45-yard game-winner in Detroit. He is the first kicker in Giants history with three field goals in a game longer than 40 yards.
- The Giants' final two 2014 opponents will be determined this week. We do know they will have home-and-home series with NFC East foes Dallas, Philadelphia and Washington, plus home games against Arizona, San Francisco, Houston and Indianapolis, and road games at St. Louis, Seattle, Jacksonville and Tennessee.
Because the Giants will finish third in the NFC East, they will host the third-place team in the NFC South. Atlanta and Tampa Bay are tied and if they remain so through the final weekend, the Falcons will finish third and visit MetLife Stadium in 2014.
The Giants' last road game will be at the third-place team in the NFC North, which could be Chicago, Green Bay or Detroit. If Chicago defeats Green Bay and Detroit beats Minnesota, the order of finish will be Bears, Lions and Packers and the Giants will go to Green Bay. If Green Bay and Detroit win, the Packers will win the division at 8-7-1 and Chicago and Detroit will be tied at 8-8. The Lions would be the second-place team because they twice defeated the Bears and the Giants would go to Chicago. If the Lions lose to the Vikings, they will be the third-place team and the Giants will return to Detroit next season.
