By Larry Fine

(Reuters) - The New York Giants finished the season with an emphatic 42-7 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday but lost any chance at repeating as Super Bowl champions when they were eliminated from the playoffs.

The Giants (9-7) were ruled out of the postseason when the Chicago Bears (10-6) defeated the Detroit Lions (4-12) 26-24.

New York, which squandered a 6-2 start to the regular season, had the inside track to a playoff berth before absorbing one-sided losses to playoff-bound Atlanta and Baltimore by a combined 67-14 in the previous two weeks.

Responding to coach Tom Coughlin's call to show their pride in the finale, quarterback Eli Manning threw four touchdown passes in the first half as the New Yorkers stormed to a 35-7 lead by intermission.

The lopsided loss may have signaled the end of a long run for Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, who was challenged by the team owner to post a winning mark this season.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York, Editing by Gene Cherry)