In his second season for the New York Giants, $33 million Bermudian linebacker Antonio Pierce made an 11-tackle start to the new campaign.

But his team-leading tackle count wasn?t enough to stop the Big Blue going down to Indianapolis Colts 26-21 in a match dubbed the Manning Bowl, with quarterback brothers Peyton and Eli going head-to-head.

Strong defence from the Giants often held the Colts to a third down, but Peyton Manning somehow managed to find a way through to keep his team moving forward.

And Pierce was one of a number of Giants defensive players to miss interception opportunities late in the game that might have saved their team from an opening day defeat.

?Third downs killed us,? said Pierce, who joined the Giants from the Washington Redskins.

?It?s as simple as that.?