Eli's rally just short as 49ers top Giants

SAN FRANCISCO -- It looked as though there was one more rabbit for Eli Manning to pull out of his mystical football helmet. But when he reached in for yet another big reveal Sunday against the 49ers, all that was left were some chewed-up carrots and a disappointed audience that had come to expect magic.

They almost saw some, but the Giants lost, 27-20, at Candlestick Park.

Manning seemed to be casting his usual spell and was calling incantations in the huddle as the Giants headed toward what they hoped would be the tying points. Twice on their final possession -- one that started with 6:35 remaining and the Giants trailing by seven points -- Manning converted fourth-down passes. And he came agonizingly close to sawing the 49ers in half when he threw a deep post for Mario Manningham that went off the receiver's fingertips inside the 5-yard line.

But on fourth-and-2 from the San Francisco 10, Manning's final flourish was batted down by a defensive lineman who later admitted he was in the right place to make the play because he was too exhausted to be anywhere else.

Justin Smith batted down that final pass, which was intended for Victor Cruz, with 34 seconds remaining. There's no telling what would have happened had the ball reached its target -- Cruz appeared to be covered and Jake Ballard was being pushed into his route to throw off the spacing -- but the ball just fell to the ground as if it had been washed of its pixie dust.

Manning proved a week ago that he is elite. Sunday, he proved he is mortal. That's not something the Giants have been familiar with this season: a quarterback who makes mistakes -- he had two interceptions -- and cannot complete games when they are within his grasp.

"I thought we would get there, score, and send it into overtime and win it in overtime," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "We've done very well in those situations and I expected to do well again . . . I'm thinking we're going to win and so was everybody else."

The Giants (6-3) remain in first place in the NFC East, but their lead over the Cowboys shrunk to one game. The 49ers, meanwhile, improved to 8-1 and proved to much of a doubting nation that they are legitimate contenders.

The Giants had taken a 13-12 lead late in the third quarter when Manning found Manningham in the corner of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown pass. It was the first touchdown of the game; the 49ers had taken a 12-6 lead based entirely on six field goals between the two teams.

But early in the fourth quarter, the 49ers scored 15 points in 61 seconds to take a 27-13 lead with 12:21 remaining. Their first touchdown came when rookie linebacker Greg Jones -- playing for the injured Michael Boley -- seemed to be in the wrong coverage and tight end Vernon Davis was able to get open for a 31-yard touchdown reception.

Jones dropped back into coverage in the middle while Davis floated toward the left sideline. He caught the ball and leaped over Kenny Phillips at the goal line for the touchdown. The 49ers converted a pass from Alex Smith to Michael Crabtree for two points and a 20-13 edge.

On the Giants' second play after that touchdown, Manning threw a pass down the middle but Manningham cut to the outside. Carlos Rogers did not. The cornerback intercepted his second pass of the game, and on the next snap, Kendall Hunter gashed the right side of the Giants' defense for a 17-yard touchdown.

After failing to score a touchdown all game, the 49ers had scored two in just over a minute to go ahead 27-13.

This time the Giants responded positively, driving 80 yards in seven plays for a 32-yard touchdown pass to Nicks. It was Nicks' first scoring play since Week 5. And they got the ball back for their final drive with plenty of time.

It was a second-and-5 bomb from Manning that went off Manningham's fingertips inside the 5 that was the closest the Giants came to tying the score. Afterward, Manningham was kicking himself for not giving his all on the play and remaining on his feet.

"Should have come down with it," he said. "I should have laid out. I should have come down with it."

The final meaningful play was batted down by the 49ers' Smith, who admitted that he was too tired to rush the passer so he fell back into the lane and jumped up.

"If that defensive lineman doesn't tip the ball," said Cruz, the intended target, "you know, we might still be out there in overtime."