After starting the season 0-6, Big Blue has put together back-to-back wins to keep their hopes in the NFC East race alive. Here is a taste of what the experts are saying around the league about the Giants, who sit two games back of the division lead after beating the Philadelphia Eagles, 15-7, on Sunday:
*Defensive Player of the Week: Antrel Rolle, safety, New York Giants. *
"Maybe it's not the greatest accomplishment anymore, holding the Eagles to 200 yards. But the Giants did, and Rolle was a huge reason why. The Giants' defensive leader had five tackles, a sack of Mike Vick, an interception of Mike Vick, and a forced fumble. His two biggest plays of the day came in succession in the first quarter, and both led to Josh Brown field goals. He intercepted a Vick pass three minutes into the game and, after Brown's first of five boots made it 3-0, strip-sacked Vick on the first snap of the next series. Ten plays later, Brown's second field goal made it 6-0. When you're struggling as much as the New York offense is, it's important for the defense to win some games. Which this one is doing."
*Special Teams Player of the Week: Josh Brown, kicker, New York Giants. *
"Not a great fan of the field goal per se (see Stat of the Week), but in the first 55 minutes at Philadelphia, these were the only points: Brown, 40-yard field goal; Brown, 44-yard field goal; Brown, 33-yard field goal; Brown, 46-yard field goal; Brown, 27-yard field goal. Those would have been the game's lone points if Zak DeOssie hadn't fired a snap to Harrisburg with 4:11 to play, allowing the Eagles to score a touchdown on a strange play."
"Special Teams Game Ball: Josh Brown was the Giants' offense in a 15-7 victory at Philadelphia. He was 5-for-5 on field goals, making three from between 40 and 46 yards."
"A win is a win, but Eli Manning couldn't get into the end zone Sunday. The Giants scored just 15 points -- thanks, Josh Brown! -- and it helped that Michael Vick was hurt and Matt Barkley was Matt Barkley. Two ugly wins in a row still count, and the Giants are creeping into pack."
"New York Giants defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins heard the cheer and ran to the training room, where the TV showed a replay of Matthew Stafford's last-minute touchdown plunge in Detroit. The Detroit Lions had rallied to beat the Dallas Cowboys, with Stafford surprising everyone — including his line — by eschewing a clock-killing spike for a quarterback sneak with no timeouts and seconds to go. And the Giants, who had just topped the Philadelphia Eagles for their second win in a row after a 0-6 start, saw another sign they have a chance for an unprecedented comeback in the wide-open NFC East."
"The unforeseen bliss of a two-game winning streak has not exactly gone to the Giants' heads. On Sunday, in the waning moments of their second victory in seven days, their sideline was not a party zone. The sting of six losses to start the season remained. But in the Giants' locker room after a 15-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, there were relieved, if sheepish, smiles. It is one thing to finally win a game; it is another to prove that the first victory was not a fluke."
