New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning had never defeated Los Angeles Chargers slinger Philip Rivers — the two were swapped during the 2004 draft — entering Sunday afternoon.
After Sunday afternoon, he still hasn’t as the Giants dropped to 0-5 this season in a 27-22 loss. New York has not beaten the Chargers (1-4) since 1998.
This is the Giants’ worst start since the 2013 season. The team also went winless in their first five games in 1987 and 1979.
Philip Rivers hit Melvin Gordon for the running back’s second receiving touchdown of the game with 3:04 remaining in the game to get the win.
The game-winning score was set up by Melvin Ingram’s strip sack of Eli Manning deep in Giants territory with New York up two.
The loss was even more costly considering the Giants lost wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall, Sterling Shepard and Dwayne Harris to injury.
Beckham was carted off the field in tears just a play before Manning’s costly fumble after his ankle rolled.
Having trailed for 67.7-percent of their time on the field this season, a good start was imperative for the Giants.
They got just that with 8:53 to go in the first when a bad snap deep in Chargers territory hit the ribs of Rivers, who was calling an audible and fell into the end zone. The quarterback batted the ball out of the back of end zone for a safety for what was the Giants’ first points scored in the first quarter this season.
The run game suddenly came to life late in the first when Orleans Darkwa had runs of 15 and 23 yards, the latter going for a touchdown to put the Giants up 9-0 with 2:24 remaining. Darkwa had just 53 yards in his first three games this season.
It was needed considering the Giants lost wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard to ankle injuries in the first half. Neither would return.
Los Angeles punched right back with a touchdown on their first possession of the second quarter. Rivers hit running back Melvin Gordon for a six-yard screen pass for the score.
They went into halftime with a one-point lead after nabbing a field goal with six seconds to go.
It could have been worse if not for safety Darian Thompson, who picked off Rivers in the end zone after the Chargers had driven down to the Giants’ 14-yard-line with their first possession of the third quarter.
The offense made the most of the turnover, going nine plays, 80 yards to take the lead. Manning hit Roger Lewis Jr. down the left sideline for a 29-yard touchdown to go up six with 6:46 left in the third.
The Giants quarterback recorded all 80 yards through the air, completing 6-of-7 passes in the process.
New York’s defense gave it right back, giving up a pair of huge third-down conversions as the Chargers went 92 yards in just over six minutes to re-take the lead. Evading pressure and throwing off his back foot, Rivers completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Henry.
Manning responded on the very next drive, facing down a blitz, stepping up in the pocket and hitting a wide-open Beckham, who meandered past the pinching secondary, for a 48-yard strike less than two minutes into the fourth.
