EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The hope around the New York Giants was that last week's five-interception game from Eli Manning would turn out to be a fluke. A blip. A "step back," as offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo called it from a ball-security standpoint. The Giants have a thorny decision to make with Manning in one of the next two offseasons, and their hope was that the final six games of the season would look more like the first nine, in which Manning threw a total of six interceptions, than the ugly 10th.

Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Cowboys helped fuel that hope, as Manning returned to his efficient early-season form. Manning completed 29 of 40 passes (72.5 percent) for 338 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. He had a third-quarter lull when the pressure was clearly getting to him and his footwork got messy. The interception was a back-breaker, as it came within a few yards of the goal line. And boy, oh boy, did he get away with a terrible throw into end zone coverage right before the first touchdown pass of the game.

But the totality of Manning's game -- aided by another spectacular Odell Beckham Jr. effort -- was encouraging for a Giants team that wants to believe he's going to be comfortable and careful in McAdoo's offense heading into next year and years to come.

"I thought we made some plays," Manning said. "Guys protected well up front and gave me plenty of time to make throws down the field. I'm just disappointed we couldn't finish them off."

Manning was 12-for-14 for 130 yards and 2 touchdowns on third-down plays. The Giants had the ball for 35:07 against one of the top time-of-possession teams in the league. Manning took two sacks, including one on third down, and but for the couple of exceptions noted above seemed comfortable and in control -- especially during the portions of the game when his protection was holding up.

The Giants have five games left in this season, and the way they perform in them will help answer a lot of the questions on a lot of people's minds about this team and its future. Manning's performance -- and the extent to which the Giants believe they can continue to trust him as their franchise quarterback for the next half-decade -- will be among the most scrutinized aspects of the Giants' December. As discouraging as last week's performance was, Sunday's offered refreshed reason to believe there are more good days than bad still ahead.