Receivers honored to play a role in special day

They were as much essential pieces to a 36-20 Giants victory over the Dolphins that ended a franchiserecord-tying nine-game losing streak as they were souvenirs.

The 20 completions Eli Manning made on his 28 pass attempts in what’s certain to be his final start with the Giants were collectors’ items to the receivers who caught them.

Sterling Shepard got nine of them, for 111 yards. Golden Tate got only one, but it went for a 51-yard touchdown. Rookie Darius Slayton got two, one for a touchdown.

Moments after Tate crossed the goal line with his touchdown to tie the game 7-7 in the first quarter, he made a beeline to Manning and handed him the football. At the time, it was possible that would be Manning’s final NFL TD pass.

“It’s my honor to even play with him for the little time that I did,’’ Tate said. “I’ve been a fan of him, and I felt like that was the least I could do. He deserves it. Whatever he chooses to do with it or how he remembers it is up to him. I didn’t know how many more he would throw.’’

Manning would throw his second and final TD, a 5-yarder to Slayton in the third quarter to give the Giants a 13-10 lead they’d never relinquish.

“It’s probably something I won’t be able to appreciate until I get older and look back fully, but it’s definitely a special thing for me,’’ Slayton said.

It was Slayton’s eighth TD of the season, which leads all NFL rookies. The ball? “It will be kept,’’ Slayton said. “If he wants it, he can

have it. But if he doesn’t ask for it, it will go home with me.’’

Shepard didn’t catch a TD, but he did lead all receivers with his nine catches for 111 yards, and all of that production came after he dropped a pass and was called for a pass interference penalty that nullified a 24-yard reception.

“It was a special day all the way around,’’ Shepard said. “Saquon [Barkley] and I at the beginning of the game looked at each other and were like, ‘Hey man, let’s send him out the right way.’ It’s been a blessing to have Eli in my life, because he’s done a lot for me in my career. I’m grateful to be a part of this and to be able to send him out the right way — with a W.’’

When Manning was pulled from the game in the final seconds to a standing ovation from the fans, it moved not only Manning, but every one of his teammates.

“I got goose bumps,’’ Slayton said.

“To have that standing ovation, it gave everybody chills,’’ Shepard said.

“It kind of brought tears to my eyes,’’ Tate said. “We don’t know what the future holds … It was special to be a part of something like that’’