GLENDALE, Ariz. — No one knew quite what to make of a game and a break-neck closing run that produced a stunning comeback victory replete with Eli Manning heroics, last-gasp defensive stops and an improbable play that could have gone either way but didn’t.
That it came in the same venue where 1,336 days earlier the Giants somehow won Super Bowl XLII made a hard-to-believe game even more surreal as the Giants, trailing 27-17 with barely more than five minutes remaining, got two Manning touchdown passes in a span of 58 seconds and needed a late pass-breakup to beat the Cardinals 31-27 at University of Phoenix Stadium, now unofficially the most favorite place for the Giants to visit.
“I love this building,” an ear-to-ear grinning co-owner John Mara told The Post in the same visitors’ locker room where the Giants rejoiced after knocking off the Patriots following the 2007 season. “And I love this room.”
PHOTOS: GIANTS COME BACK TO BEAT CARDINALS, 31-27
That the game-winning touchdown catch, a 29-yarder from Manning to Hakeem Nicks with 2:39 remaining — came in the same left corner of the north end zone where Plaxico Burress scored for the decisive points in Super Bowl XLII turned a wild ride into a reminiscent one.
“It’s a nice spot for us,” general manager Jerry Reese decided.
This looked to be a wasted trip to the desert for the Giants (3-1), but instead it turned into another springboard after last week’s emotional victory in Philadelphia.
The Giants, outplayed most of the afternoon, led 10-6 at halftime but trailed 20-10 after three quarters. They looked done when Beanie Wells, who ran through the Giants for a career-high 138 yards, scored his third rushing touchdown of the game with 5:16 remaining to put the Cardinals ahead 27-17.
“These guys never budged, they never folded and never hung their head, never doubted for one second,” safety Antrel Rolle said.
Instead, Manning dipped into his bag of magic tricks and came up with not one, but two defining drives down the stretch as he completed 14 of 17 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. He hit tight end Jake Ballard to cut the deficit to 27-24 with 3:37 left and, with two time outs left, coach Tom Coughlin entrusted the game to his defense, which forced a three-and-out and used up only 27 seconds.
Manning, operating expertly out of the no-huddle offense, took over on the Cardinals’ 48-yard line with 3:10 to go and no timeouts. Two plays and 31 seconds later, the Giants were in the end zone and regained the lead, but not without some angst and luck.
A pass over the middle to Victor Cruz picked up 19 yards but in his haste to get down and save time, Cruz — untouched by a Cardinals defender — went to the ground and put the ball down. Cardinals cornerback Richard Marshall scooped it up for an apparent fumble recovery as the Cardinals rejoiced and Manning in disbelief put his hands to his helmet.
But referee Jerome Boger ruled that Cruz had given himself up, the play was over and the Cardinals could not challenge the ruling.
“We got a break on that one, I think,” Manning said.
The Giants then made the break pay off. Manning had been harassed by the Cardinals’ pressure but this time, as they came on a blitz, he had the protection he needed as he looked for and found Nicks deep down the left sideline, Nicks beating rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson for a 29-yard touchdown and the lead with 2:39 to go.
The Giants still had to play defense as the Cardinals took over with 2:35 remaining. They got a sack of Kevin Kolb by Osi Umenyiora — playing in his first game of the season — for a 10-yard loss and finished the grand comeback when cornerback Corey Webster on fourth down deflected Kolb’s pass intended for Larry Fitzgerald.
“We just kept playing, we hung in there, we found a way to finish,” Coughlin said. “We won the fourth quarter again, which we absolutely had to do.
“For us to come back and play like we did . . . it’s a real testimony to the guys for just keeping on playing.”
It was a wild finish and a dramatic victory for the Giants, who after losing their season-opener are 3-1 and tied with the Redskins for first place in the NFC East.
“We have a long way to go,” Reese said, “but we’re in good position right now.”