EAST RUTHERFORD – Eli Manning threw some great passes Sunday.

That's been about the extent of the positives from his performance in the Giants' 17-0 loss to the Titans at MetLife Stadium.

Without Odell Beckham Jr. and with the Titans geared up to stop Saquon Barkley, Manning struggled to get anything going consistently. He threw an interception to end a potential scoring drive that had reached the red zone, and then fumbled away a sack inside the 20-yard line.

The Giants (5-9) are now assured of a losing season and the Redskins' victory over the Jaguars officially knocked them out of playoff contention.

So much of the talk Sunday morning centered on Manning's future with the Giants, with an NFL Network report suggesting that the team was likely leaning toward bringing him back for next season. The Giants were coming off their most complete game in several seasons, scoring 40 points in a blowout of the Redskins last week and the playoffs were still a possibility, albeit a slim one.

Maybe Manning could recapture his magic from previous miracle runs, proving that despite being just weeks away from his 38th birthday, the two-time Super Bowl MVP could ride a strong running game, an improved offensive line and an opportunistic defense to more success.

Problem is: none of that stuff was there Sunday, leaving Manning to try and swing for the fences and making something happen. That's when the inconsistency in his game - greater than ever before - began to show up. Especially without Beckham, who missed his second consecutive game due to a bruised quad.

Sure, Manning threw some great passes Sunday. There were also a handful of drops by his receivers and missed assignments by linemen, which never helps. But yet again, Manning was unable to raise his game above that; instead, he turned the ball over at the worst possible time, leaving open questions about what comes next.

Third quarter

From offensive juggernaut to woeful ineptitude in a matter of a week.

That's what happens when you go from 40 points to zero.

Saquon Barkley has 19 yards on seven carries, essentially bottled up by the Titans, who have clearly made stopping him the focus of their effort. The dreary weather has prevented the Giants from getting much down through the air.

And there have been drops and missed opportunities, too.

Challenge was risk not worth taking

Pat Shurmur took a risk that was not worth taking with his second challenge, and it backfired when - inexplicably - the review center in New York did not see the replays the way they should have.

Derrick Henry clearly stepped out of bounds after getting a first down in the second quarter. Shurmur challenged the spot at the end of the Henry run, but even though it looked like the Giants would win the challenge and get one back, gaining 9 yards wasn't worth it. Then, somehow, officials let the play stand as called, and the Giants lost their final challenge.

Derrick Henry rolling again

Derrick Henry is at it again.

The former Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama is pounding away at the Giants, who had numerous chances to get off the field on the second series, but failed, allowing Henry to cash in on a 1-yard touchdown run.

Henry rushed for four touchdowns in a 238-yard performance last week.

The Giants allowed the Titans to convert a third-and-9 and a third-and-12 on the possession.

Kyle Lauletta inactive, Alex Tanney backing up

Kyle Lauletta made his professional debut in last Sunday's 40-16 blowout victory over the Redskins.

A week later, the Giants took away Lauletta's uniform on game day yet again.

Lauletta is inactive for Sunday's game against the Titans with the Giants elevating Alex Tanney to be the backup quarterback to Eli Manning in a must-win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

Lauletta was 0-for-5 with an interception in the fourth quarter last week. Those struggles, combined with the notion that the Giants do have something to play for with regard to the postseason, likely led Pat Shurmur to go back to Tanney, just in case something were to happen in-game to Manning.

For the sake of giving themselves the best chance to win Sunday, the Giants are putting any further in-game development for Lauletta on hold.

Check back for updates throughout the game.

Here are the inactives for both teams:

Giants: Odell Beckham Jr., Lauletta, Kamrin Moore, Tony Lippett, John Jenkins, Garrett Dickerson, Evan Brown

Titans: Brian Orakpo, David Fluellen, Cole Wick, Aaron Stinnie, Austin Pasztor, Matt Dickerson, Jeremy McNichols

Email: stapleton@northjersey.com

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