The Bronx is burning. And Giants fans are burning along with it. Now, one week after the defense needed fixing, it is Eli Manning and his offense, 24-17 losers to the Cardinals, reduced to a smoldering rubble of ash.
Manning (three interceptions, two delay of game penalties) almost appeared to be hindered by his plantar fasciitis — he said the foot is fine — and his running game remains three yards and a cloud of dust more often than not.
Manning, devoid of rhythm, didn’t discover Steve Smith, his go-to guy, until late in the third quarter. His lone touchdown pass was a gift 62-yarder to Hakeem Nicks — off a Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie deflection on an overthrow for Mario Manningham.
The playcalling was often a puzzlement.
Meet the anti-Yankees.
“I gotta play better football,” Manning said.
No kidding.
Manning often saves his best for last, and now, from his 9, 2:52 and all three timeouts left, he had one last chance to force overtime.
False start.
Unnecessary roughness against Ahmad Bradshaw, who had fumbled away the previous possession.
Third-and-15 at his 4. Manning to Smith, leaping over Ralph Brown, with Antrel Rolle lurking, for 34 yards over the middle.
Manning to Nicks for 12. Two-minute warning. Two timeouts left.
Now 1:20 left, 39 yards from overtime. Manning looks right for Smith. Rolle intercepts.
“He must have read my eyes,” Manning said. “He drove on it pretty hard.”
The delay-of-game penalties?
“That’s on me,” Manning said. “I gotta see that and keep my eyes on the clock the whole time.”
Manningham, streaking down the left sideline, had dropped what should have been a 28-yard TD pass, and on fourth-and-1 at the 2, Tom Coughlin decided to kick the field goal that made it 24-17 with 8:14 left.
Earlier, on third-and-18, Manning threw underneath for TE Kevin Boss, for six yards, and here came the boobirds.
They were just warming up.
“Too many three-and-outs . . . not enough positive plays . . . not consistent football,” Manning said.
Manning, on third-and-7, looked for Brandon Jacobs in the right flat, and saw his pass deflected by 6-foot-8 defensive end Calais Campbell, and Adrian Wilson intercepted, and it was 24-14 with 2:32 left in the third quarter. An end-zone bomb for Domenik Hixon had been intercepted by Rodgers-Cromartie in the first quarter.
Justin Tuck had talked about the Yankees this way: “It’s rare to have the same identity . . . the Yankees have had the same identity since the early 1900s, and it never has changed. No matter how many people they brought in, it’s been different people over the years, every last one has had the same identity.
“If you look at [Derek] Jeter, if you look at Yogi Berra, if you look at [Joe] DiMaggio . . . you look at all these guys, all of ’em have the same type of going to work, taking that lunch pail to work . . . does Jeter have to do that? No. He’s a multi-multi-millionaire. But you wouldn’t know it by how he goes out there every day, and he runs out every groundball.
“I’m just picking on Jeter because he’s probably the most visible person on the team, but that’s one through nine, and that’s what I admire about ’em.”
Big Blue had roared out of the tunnel, had fed off its howling 12th man, bent on redemption for the disgrace in the Superdome.
First there was Tuck, stripping Tim Hightower on the opening series so Michael Johnson could recover at the Big Blue 27.
There was the blitz promised by defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan that made Kurt Warner extremely uncomfortable in the pocket.
There was Terrell Thomas darting in front of Fitzgerald for an interception with Tuck in Warner’s face.
There was Danny Clark batting down a Warner pass at the line of scrimmage and then registering his first sack as a Giant.
Warner, targeting Fitzgerald with passes of 26 and 27 yards, began shredding Big Blue when the second half began, and all of a sudden a 14-10 halftime deficit became Cardinals 17, Giants 14.
Giants Stadium was reminded of the aura of the ’86 Giants when Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson & the boys were introduced before the game. Tuck had been certain that these Giants have their own aura.
“I think we do, I really do,” Tuck said.
5-0 has become 5-2. They do not.