INDIANAPOLIS -- Put this one down in the pro-Eli column, even if the New York Giants fell short on Sunday afternoon. Every one counts these days, as a decision on Eli Manning’s future looms.

Manning had one of his better games this season in a 28-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He threw for 309 yards on 25-of-33 passing with a touchdown and interception, which came when he needed to take a shot downfield in the final seconds.

It goes right up there with his three-touchdown performances against the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins and his near-perfect completion percentage in a win over the Houston Texans. This performance against the Colts will work in Manning’s favor when general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Pat Shurmur cue up the film to make their determination of whether Manning can still play at a consistently high level.

“He did a heckuva job,” Shurmur said afterward. “I think Eli did a good job, but I think it was still coordinated. We had the run/play-action going. He did some good things.

“We didn’t do enough at the end. None of us did.”

The Giants (5-10) finish another disappointing season next Sunday, when they host the Dallas Cowboys. Then they have a decision to make with their soon-to-be 38-year-old quarterback, who has one year remaining on his contract.

Manning is set to count $23 million against the salary cap and has 19 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions this season. It isn't enough in the big picture, given that only two quarterbacks who started 15 games (Dak Prescott and Case Keenum) have fewer TD passes. Manning also has a strange home/road split of 14 touchdowns and four interceptions on the road compared to five touchdowns and six interceptions at home.

But the Giants can look at this as almost two different seasons: pre-bye and post-bye. Manning and the offense struggled badly in the first half of the season with the offensive line in shambles. They played significantly better most of the second half, with the line somewhat solidified.

Is it enough? Can Manning lead them to a winning season next year? The Giants have gone 4-3 in the second half of their season, but they have missed the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.

“Something to build off. The whole second half of the season we’ve been doing well,” Manning said. “Last week obviously didn’t do well in tough circumstances, but besides that have been moving the ball and doing a lot of good things.”

The Giants have been monitoring the Manning situation closely. They have been especially careful with how they have handled it all after the botched benching last season. How Manning performed in the second half of this season was always going to go a long way in determining whether they cut the cord. With each strong performance, the likelihood that he comes back seems to increase, and the final decision could even be swayed by the finale against the Cowboys.

No concrete proclamations have been made by the front office to date. One more solid performance from Manning could be the determining factor.

There were moments in Sunday’s game that could make this week the Philadelphia game, which cemented Gettleman’s opinion that Manning still had years left last offseason. Manning slid to his left in the first half against the Colts and fired deep downfield to an open Sterling Shepard for a 55-yard gain. It was one of several quality plays he made in the first half.

“He was spot-on,” said Shepard, who finished with six catches on seven targets for 113 yards. “He was hitting open guys, getting the ball out quick to guys and letting them make plays. That is all you can ask for.

“He shows that all the time. It’s nothing new.”

It is new compared to the first half of the season and most of the previous two years. This is what the Giants have to factor into the equation, which includes if there are better bridge options at quarterback. It isn't an easy decision for an organization that doesn’t want the career of the best QB in franchise history to end badly. After Sunday, the matter seems to be trending in Manning's favor.