http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/giants-open-thread-whats-not-to-like-2/
The Giants’ 44-7 victory over the Raiders on Sunday gave them their first 5-0 start since their Super Bowl championship season of 1990. But more important for this season, it marked the end of the cupcake party. From now on, the Giants will be facing much more competitive teams, starting next week with the Saints (4-0). But they sure had fun while it lasted. Their average margin of victory against their last three opponents — Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland — was 24 points. The fact that they blew out three teams with one win between them shows the Giants are not playing down to their competition, a problem in previous years.
Thumbs Up: The biggest issue before Sunday’s game was how Eli Manning’s injured right heel would hold up. The answer? Very well, thank you. He planted well, threw long, threw short and showed no signs of pain or discomfort. His 8-of-10, 173-yard, two-touchdown effort before David Carr took over near the end of the first half resulted in a perfect 158.3 passer rating. If Manning remains pain-free this week, he’ll be in fine shape for New Orleans.
nytimes.com
10/12/09
