- Despite John Clayton apparently demanding literal perfection from the Giants, they've fared pretty well in this weeks round of power rankings. ESPN has them third while both CBS and Fox have them at #1. I think when looking at recent success (Super Bowl, followed by home field advantage last year) plus on-field success so far, I don't really understand how anyone can rank the Giants any lower than 3rd, if not 1st. I know Tampa's pretty awful, but the Giants didn't just beat them, they dominated them start to finish. It was like watching a 1-A team play a 1-AA team in college (Michigan excluded). That's gotta count for something, no?
- George Willis of the New York Post talks about the Giants brand of smashmouth football
- Ralph Vachianno writes about the Giants ability to move the ball on the ground and through the air:
Don't laugh, because the Giants' performance through the first three weeks - including their 24-0 win in Tampa on Sunday - probably has a few defensive coordinators scurrying back to the drawing board. The Giants (3-0) clearly aren't the one-dimensional, ground-based team so many thought they'd be coming out of training camp. Nor are they the one-dimensional, pass-happy team they looked like at times the first two weeks.
What they are is a dangerous, versatile offense willing to play whatever style is necessary. They're capable of doing whatever it takes to win.
- I know this discussion has occurred on this blog before, but the Jets seem to get all the attention while the Giants just go out and win football games. Brian Costello of the New York Post has a good article on the Giants perspective on this phenomenon, and it sounds like they're perfectly ok with flying under the radar. Unlike many of you, I like the Jets - I always root for them unless they're playing the Giants, and I have no problem with them getting all the attention. In a lot of ways, the Giants are boring, at least when they're off the field, and I appreciate them for it. The Jets seem to alternate terrible seasons with seasons where they rope their fans into believing this will be the year, and every year something goes heartbreakingly wrong for them. To a neutral observer, it's a much more interesting story than hearing about the best team in the NFL dismantling the worst team. So let them have their fun, and just know that deep down inside, every single one of them would trade the media love for the Giants' success.
- Super-Agent Drew Rosenhaus is probably one of the sleaziest people in sports, and I normally wouldn't trust a word he says, but I'm really hoping he's not lying when he says that Kenny Phillips' injury really isn't that bad:
"Furthermore, this injury will NOT have a significant impact on Kenny's NFL career. All the negative speculation is off base and unfounded." Drew Rosenhaus wrote on his Twitter page.
"After discussing Kenny Phillips' medical situation with several specialists, I'm pleased to say that the future prognosis is very positive!"
- Finally, let's have another "we told you so" moment: Wallace Matthews says the Giants definitely don't need Plax. We've been beating that drum here at Big Blue View since the draft, but hey, it's always nice to get another convert (even if it did take them literally 3 weeks of seeing it with their own eyes to finally believe).