These New York Giants Have Arrived

Well, they did it. The New York Giants got a convincing win on the national stage, against a good team, against an NFC East team.

It was more than a win. It was a beatdown for the ages—one of the most satisfying games of the season, and of my life.

You can say all you want about Tony Romo being gone, but Tony Romo being there wouldn't have stopped Eli and Co. from laying an awful beat on a Dallas defense that was supposed to be rock-solid.

Now, I know the secondary was weak, but Eli has struggled with "weak" secondaries in the past. This time? Well, he threw three TDs, and, save for one miscommunication with Plax, he played a flawless game.

Steve Smith has become one of the most dangerous slot receivers in the NFL, especially on third down.

After the glorious Super Bowl run of last year, I purchased the 15-minute iTunes recap videos, and when you watch them, one thing strikes you: Anytime, and I mean anytime there is a key third down, Steve Smith made a catch, and more often than not, he made a great move around the cornerback to get the first down.

But this was a performance that should send chills down the rest of the NFL. It's easy to get excited when the G-Men lay 44 on the Seahawks. It's quite another thing when five (!!) different players find the end zone for the Giants.

And unlike the past few Eli-led years, they're not finding ways to lose, they're finding ways to win. Sure, the Steelers gave them a safety, but to be completely honest, I had little or no fear that the Giants would drive for the winning touchdown at the end.

That's a confidence I haven't felt since the Phil Simms days. Ask any Giants fan who suffered through the Dave Brown/Danny Kannell/Kent Graham years.

Sure, Tennessee is unbeaten, but guess what? I would love to play them. The Giants can stop the run, which worried me going into the Cowboys game.

And if the run isn't working, the Giants can lay the pressure on Collins, something which hasn't been done for most of the year.

The Giants have so many weapons that have emerged in the last year, and they have superstars that are relegated to the bench.

Mario Manningham has one catch. And the depth has allowed him to learn from fellow Wolverine Amani Toomer, so by the time he has to get out there and carry a load, he can make a difference.

Ahmad Bradshaw has all the talent in the world, and he has proven that it will carry over to the NFL, but he's buried behind Jacobs and Ward.

While he shouldn't be getting Jacobs carries, it's also understandable that Ward is getting touches, because he is moving the ball.

God help the opponents when Big Blue decides to throw passes in the flat to Bradshaw. He will leave a trail of scorched egos and broken ankles in his wake. It's only because Manning has been so successful that he hasn't become a necessity, which is a nice problem to have.

So look out NFL, the Giants are here. And with a 27-year-old Manning coming into his prime, it could be a long run.

Add that to a Brady-less Patriots, a stagnant Colts team, a banged-up Steelers team, and an imploding Cowboys team, and the Giants are looking as good as anyone.

Of course, now that I've written this all, I fully expect the Giants to end up 7-9.

I guess some things never change.