EAST RUTHERFORD -- Eli Manning is not having a very good season. He knows this. The Giants know this. I've written it enough that I should keep the column on a save string.

But every now and then, he'll make the kind of throw that makes you remember that he still can be one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. This was one of those times.

To be clear: That throw did not come on the touchdown pass that clinched the Giants' 17-6 victory over the Lions on Sunday. No, that was a bad throw, one that receiver Odell Beckham Jr. somehow caught with his left hand before pushing it over the goal line with his right hand. Wow.

Manning, who completed 20 of 28 passes in the victory, was bailed out on that play. But the throw that really solidified the Giants' 10th victory of the season came earlier on the drive, and it was ...

1. A thing of beauty. It was third and 10 from the Giants 39. The offense had done nothing since a perfect 75-yard touchdown drive to start the game, and it looked like head coach Ben McAdoo might again try to win a home game against a good opponent with just 10 points.

That's when Manning dropped back to throw and lofted a perfect spiral over the head of Detroit cornerback Asa Jackson -- who had decent coverage on the play -- and into Beckham's arms.

It was a 25-yard gain, and it looked a little like another good over-the-shoulder throw to a receiver near the sideline. That one, to Mario Manningham in Super Bowl XLVI, was a wee bit more significant. This was one a beauty, though, and it helped seal a huge win.

2. Just Wing it. How about some love for the punter? The Giants played the field-position game against the Lions, counting on their defense to hold a slim lead in the second half for the second straight week. The player who made that possible: Punter Brad Wing.

Wing is so good at dropping kicks inside the opposing 5-yard line, it's almost ridiculous. He did it twice in the fourth quarter, and given how this defense is playing, there was no way the Lions were going to go 95 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Wing is quietly becoming one of this team's MVPs.

3. Snacks is huge (again). The Giants batted 1.000 with their offseason spending spree, with Olivier Vernon emerging as one of the league's best pass rushers and Janoris Jenkins just as good as a lock-down corner. But is it possible that Damon Harrison was the best free-agent signing of them all?

It isn't that much of a stretch to suggest this. The defensive tackle nicknamed Snacks again devoured an opponent's running game, turning the Lions into a one-dimensional offense. Harrison so effectively clogged the middle of the field that Detroit -- ranked 30th in the league in rushing yards -- was forced to rush to the outside. Didn't work.

Harrison leads the NFL in run-stop percentage, according to ProFootballFocus.com, which added that it is "a statistic that may as well be renamed in his honor at this point in his career."

4. Cancel the committee. It was clear in the first half that Paul Perkins was the Giants better running back. He hit the holes (and there were plenty) with more authority and speed than Rashad Jennings, and the stats bore that out. Both rushers had eight carries, with Perkins leading his veteran counterpart in yards, 37-23.

So why keep the committee approach? Perkins has had his share of rough moments during his rookie season, but given the overall struggles of the running game, it seems foolish not to ride the best back.

5. DRC saves a TD. Here is Reason No. 57,918 that you should never give up on a play, kids. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was badly beaten on 67-yard pass to Golden Tate in the second quarter, one that would have been an easy touchdown had Matthew Stafford not under thrown the pass.

But the veteran cornerback turned on the afterburners to catch Tate at the 11-yard line. The payoff: Detroit running back Zach Zenner fumbled on the next play, Giants defensive Olivier Vernon recovered in the end zone, and the Giants had the ball back at their 20.

Again: Effort matters. For more proof, kids, please turn your textbooks to "Jets, New York."

Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevePoliti. Find NJ.com on Facebook.