NFL

Manning’s three TDs, defensive pressure carry Giants to blowout win vs. Green Bay

Eli Manning and the passing game were humming along, finding the way into the end zone. The pass rush was back to its familiar menacing ways. The Giants were rocking. The Giants were rolling.

They were operating and feeling as good as they’ve felt in, exactly when?

“Um, going back to last year, maybe,’’ linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. “We’ve had good quarters, halves but as a complete game this is probably the best this year.’’

Just like that, the Giants last night bid adieu to the November swoon and said hello to command position in the NFC East.

They embarked on what they are calling their “six-game season’’ in resounding fashion, putting to rest so many questions and failings they’ve displayed for much of this uneven season. They came off their bye and welcomed the return of Manning and their potent air show and spun the revolving door to allow their pass rushers to suffocate Aaron Rodgers. The result was a throwback performance as the Giants walloped the Packers 38-10 in a one-sided NFC showdown at chilly MetLife Stadium, ending a two-game slide.

“I think we definitely played like world champions,’’ Victor Cruz said.

Manning awakened from a month-long passing slumber to toss three touchdown passes, the dormant rushing attack finally dominated at the point of attack — although valuable Andre Brown was lost for the season with a broken leg — and the previously-sluggish pass rush became emboldened at the first sight of Rodgers, sacking him five times. The Packers (7-4) were intent on coming in and showing last year’s playoff loss to the Giants was a fluke. Instead, they limped back to Green Bay after being humbled by the defending Super Bowl champs.

“When you get in the playoffs it’s live or die, it’s one game, you have your chance,’’ said Kiwanuka, who had two sacks. “If you do it, you do it; if you don’t, that’s it, we don’t want to hear from you.’’

This overpowering display puts the Giants (7-4) in strong position in the NFC East. They have a two-game lead on both the Cowboys and Redskins (both 5-6) and head to Washington next week for a Monday Night Football meeting with Robert Griffin III.

After two straight losses, the Giants were 13-20 in November under Tom Coughlin before dismantling a Packers team that came in riding a five-game winning streak. The Giants via the Make-A-Wish Foundation were paid a visit on Friday from Adam Merchant, a 15-year old cancer patient from Barre, Vt., a Giants fan who players said inspired them. Merchant was also on the sideline last night and in the locker room following the game.

“He said to our team, ‘Play like world champions,’ ’’ Coughlin said. “The message was loud and clear.’’

Manning had gone three games without managing to pass his way into the end zone — his longest touchdown-less stretch since his 2004 rookie year — but he rebounded in a big way. When Hakeem Nicks stretched over the goal line with his right arm on a third-quarter pass that was first ruled down and then changed to a 13-yard TD, Manning had the 200th touchdown pass of his career. That moved him past Phil Simms as the franchise leader.

By halftime, the Giants had piled up 31 points to take a 31-10 lead, operating the way they did during last year’s six-game closing stretch to capture the division title, the conference crown and eventually the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Tied at 7, the rare sight of Manning pulling the ball down and running highlighted a 55-yard scoring drive that ended with rookie Rueben Randle’s first career TD catch. On third-and-7, Manning spotted an open expanse of turf and took off. Instead of sliding, though, he did what he never does, lowering his right shoulder to give as much as he got to cornerback Tramon Williams. The 13-yard scramble set the stage for the 16-yard strike to Randle to make it 14-7.

“I wish he used his other shoulder,’’ Nicks said, smiling. “Just goes to show the effort. Eli’s all-in right now.’’

On the next drive, Rodgers got sloppy and didn’t see Corey Webster sliding in front of Randall Cobb for an interception on the Green Bay 38-yard line. That led to a Lawrence Tynes field goal for a 17-7 Giants lead.

In the second quarter, Osi Umenyiora came up with one of his trademark strip-sack momentum swingers, nailing Rodgers from behind to force a fumble that Jason Pierre-Paul recovered on the Green Bay 23. Two plays later, Bradshaw was taking an inside handoff 13 yards for a touchdown and the Giants had themselves a 31-point first half.

paul.schwartz@nypost.com