New York Giants Subdue Redskins, Take a Giant Stride Towards the Playoffs

Despite all the fall-da-rall that is Plaxico Burress, illegal handguns, and such, the G-men once again showed why they are the team to beat in the NFC, pasting the Redskins yesterday 23 - 7.

Today' column is a Plaxico free zone, so if you're looking for that look elsewhere. It's time to give credit where it is due, namely to the 53 guys that suit up every week and have made the Giants 11 - 1.

Yesterday was just another in a season long showcase of a team on a mission. The offense, defense, and special teams all rose to the occasion to keep the Giants division record perfect and to move within one game of clinching the NFC East.

Eli Manning was 21 out of 34 for 305 yards and a touchdown. Earth and Wind (Jacobs and Ward) rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, with a 51 yard scamper by Ward in the fourth quarter called back for holding.

The defense held the Redskins to just seven points for the second time this season, along with an interception, two forced fumbles, and four sacks. Most of the yardage they gave up came during garbage time late in the fourth quarter and came via the feet of Jason Campbell, as league rushing leader Clinton Portis was held to just 22 yards on 11 carries.

So perhaps it's past time we recognized the guys who suit it up every week, go out on the field and get their jobs done without any fanfare. It's time to focus for once on the hero's instead of the zeros.

So here's to Domenik Hixon, a guy who steps into every breach and contributes any way he can to help this team win.

Here's to Danny Clark and Chase Blackburn, two guys much maligined at the start of the season as being part of the weak link of the Giants' defense, but who go out every week and make plays that help their team win.

Here's to Sean O'Hara, Dave Diehl, Rich Seubert, Kareem McKenzie, and Chris Snee who open the holes for the running game and keep Manning on his feet in the passing game. Not a single pro bowler among them, yet the best rushing offense in the league. I leave that for you to figure out.

And what about Madison Hedgecock? Madison who you say? Is there a better lead blocker in the game today? Maybe, but you'd have to show him me.

Here's to Jay Alford, Dave Tollefson, John Carney, and Jeff Feagles. To Kenny Phillips, Terrell Thomas, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Fred Robbins. To Amani Toomer, Kevin Boss, Brandon Jacobs, and Derrick Ward. To Corey Webster, Justin Tuck, Aaron Ross, and Mathias Kiwanuka.

To all the men who leave it all on the field every week, the men who have made this team great this year, here's to you.

These are the guys the media should be talking about, these are the men whose stories we should hear.

It's a sad fact that in this car-crash mentality media circus we call America, we focus only on the spectacle and not the substance. Like ADHD children we turn from one sad tragic-comedy to the next, never acknowledging those who toil and never seek the limelight.

So sadly, we deserve what we get. All the TO, Ocho Cinco, Plax, and Pac-man antics we can take all the time. Or as I like to describe it, having our noses rubbed in our own shit.

There is a beauty to being a Giants' fan though. It's that we know this latest episode won't last long. Anybody out here remember Jeremy Shockey? How's that hissy-fit of his working out for him so far?

Plax, it was nice while it lasted.