The Giants' Jeff Feagles, left, celebrates after kicker Lawrence Tynes, right, converted the game-winning field goal. (Bill Kostroun / The Associated Press)

Eli Manning and the New York Giants were just happy to celebrate a victory again. It had been six frustrating weeks, not that they were counting or anything.

"It's been a long time, 42 days since our last win," Manning said. "It felt like it, too."

Lawrence Tynes kicked a 36-yard field goal 3:54 into overtime to make up for an earlier miss and lead the Giants past the Atlanta Falcons 34-31 on Sunday. The win snapped a four-game skid and came after the defense blew a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter.

"It's nice to win," coach Tom Coughlin said. "We were miserable around here for a month."

Manning threw for a career-high 384 yards and three touchdown passes, including two to Kevin Boss, as New York kept pace with NFC East-leading Dallas, which beat Washington to maintain a one-game division lead.

The Giants can't savor this one for long, though: They play at Denver on Thanksgiving.

"There are not many better feelings than in a locker room after a win," Manning said. "It was good to see the high-fives and the smiles, especially when you haven't had that feeling for a while."

Manning set up Tynes' winner when he connected with Mario Manningham for a 29-yard pass that put the Giants at the 23. New York hadn't won since beating Oakland 44-7 on Oct. 11, but this one didn't come easily.

The Giants' defense -- without injured linebacker


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Antonio Pierce indefinitely -- couldn't hold a 31-17 lead against Matt Ryan and the Falcons.

"I am concerned," Coughlin said of his defense.

New York also lost running back Brandon Jacobs to an injured right leg late in the third quarter. Coughlin had no update on the injury, but Jacobs was on the sideline during the fourth quarter and overtime.

Ryan threw a 4-yard scoring pass to Eric Weems with 6:01 left in regulation, then found Tony Gonzalez for 11 yards with 28 seconds remaining to tie it.

"It's disappointing because we didn't come out with the outcome we wanted," Ryan said. "We had a lot of great contributions and great efforts from a lot of guys in the second half to come back from 14 down. But with that said, there are no moral victories."

Chargers 31, Eagles 23
Philadelphia06314--23
San Diego77143--31

First Quarter

SD » Tolbert 20 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 7:52.

Second Quarter

SD » Tomlinson 3 run (Kaeding kick), 11:01.

Phi » FG Akers 18, 6:38.

Phi » FG Akers 25, :08.

Third Quarter

SD » Tomlinson 20 run (Kaeding kick), 8:01.

Phi » FG Akers 25, 5:51.

SD » Naanee 20 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 1:13.

Fourth Quarter

Phi » Maclin 5 pass from McNabb (Akers kick), 14:12.

Phi » Celek 6 pass from McNabb (Akers kick), 7:12.

SD » FG Kaeding 29, :30.

Attendance » 68,879.

Phi SD

First downs2622
Total Net Yards462331
Rushes-yards13-2928-119
Passing433212
Punt Returns3-133-13
Kickoff Returns6-1296-147
Interceptions Ret.0-01-0
Comp-Att-Int35-56-120-25-0
Sacked-Yards Lost2-172-19
Punts4-40.04-50.0
Fumbles-Lost0-00-0
Penalties-yards9-703-31
Time of Possession29:3730:23

Individual Statistics

Rushing » Philadelphia, Westbrook 6-28, McCoy 3-5, Weaver 2-2, Buckley 1-0, Maclin 1-(minus 6). San Diego, Tomlinson 24-96, Sproles 2-14, Naanee 1-10, Rivers 1-(minus 1).

Passing » Philadelphia, McNabb 35-55-1-450, Vick 0-1-0-0. San Diego, Rivers 20-25-0-231.

Receiving » Philadelphia, Avant 8-156, D.Jackson 8-91, Maclin 6-76, Celek 6-47, McCoy 3-18, R.Brown 2-36, Westbrook 2-26. San Diego, Gates 7-78, Sproles 4-31, Floyd 3-45, Naanee 3-42, Tolbert 2-25, Jackson 1-10.