Against the Colts a week ago, Giants quarterback Eli Manning didn't get sacked once the entire game. In the first half alone of Sunday's Eagles-Giants game, Manning was sacked five times by a relentless Eagles defensive line.

Defensive ends Trent Cole, Jevon Kearse, Juqua Thomas and defensive tackles Darwin Walker and Mike Patterson all got their hands on Manning, early and often, which contributed to a shaky first-half performance by the third-year quarterback.

Unfortunately, the continued pressure from the eight-man rotation wasn't enough to stop the Giants in the end as they won the game in overtime.

"I'm not going to fall into that, trying to pinpoint a play or anybody," said Darwin Walker after the 30-24 loss. "I feel as though we lost this game completely as a team and we've got to rebound from it as a team and that's the way we have to move on with it."

DT Mike Patterson celebrates a sack with the defensive line.

Pressure from the defensive line came from all angles and Manning had very little time to get his passes off. Manning, however, was able to fire for 94 first-half yards, most of them on the Giants' first drive, which resulted in a 37-yard touchdown pass to Amani Toomer.

Things changed a bit in the second half as the Giants switched up their protection and made it a little more difficult for the Eagles pass rush, not to mention the defense as a whole. Despite the changes, the Eagles were still able to reach Manning three times.

Defensive tackle Mike Patterson said that the defense just didn't keep up in the second half.

"Their offense started clicking and the 'D' wasn't doing things right," said Patterson. "But, we're going to find out. We're going to watch the film and see what happened, but this is only the beginning. We're going to keep our heads up and keep on fighting."

Second-year defensive end Trent Cole continued his quick start to the season, with another multi-sack game. Cole's two sack performance won't be what most people remember from this game, but his personal foul late in the fourth quarter that helped set up the Giants game tying field goal.

The loss is a stinging one for the Eagles, one that left a sour taste in the defense's mouth because of how well they played for the majority of the game.

"Yea, of course," said Patterson, when asked if he felt sick after the game. "Of course it's tough. But it's a game of football. Things like this happen."

Despite the loss, the eight-sack performance by the Eagles defense was quite impressive, and it marks the most times Manning has been sacked in one game in his three-year career.

During the off-season, the improved line was the talk of the defense, and so far in 2006, they are definitely living up to expectations. With 13 sacks already this season, they are on pace to eclipse their total of 29 from last year, and regain their place among the NFL's elite pass-rush units.