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By ERNIE PALLADINO
THE JOURNAL NEWS
http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...RTS01/711060365
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It took Amani Toomer about a minute Sunday night to realize that his bye week would end in a difficult, though abbreviated viewing of the Giants' next opponent.
"I watched a little bit of it," the wide receiver said of the Cowboys' 38-17 destruction of the Eagles in Philadelphia. "I was pretty disappointed. It was hard to watch. It wasn't the type of game you could really judge a team on. Dallas kind of had their way with them."
Perhaps it was better for Toomer and his teammates to shut off their TV sets around halftime. With the Cowboys (7-1) coming in Sunday and a share of the NFC East lead at stake, the last thing the Giants (6-2) want on their minds are lingering thoughts of the squads' first matchup.
Sunday's prime-time game looked eerily like that season-opening game, at least from the perspective of the Cowboys' offense. The Eagles' defense could not stop either Terrell Owens or tight end Jason Witten. From that standpoint, Dallas resembled the same team that pounded what was then a hapless Giants defense for 478 total yards and 45 points in a 45-35 victory.
Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's group has come around since then, of course. The difference between the defense that gave up 80 points to Dallas and Green Bay and the defense that helped engineer six straight wins is worlds apart, even though it has faced decidedly inferior competition.
But with the Cowboys making a huge statement by going into Philadelphia, a traditionally tough place to win, and not only beating the Eagles but dismantling them - well, let's just say the Giants noticed.
"I went to bed right at the start of the third quarter," guard Chris Snee said. "You could just tell the way Dallas was playing they're going great.
"That's a tough place to play. Any time you play a division opponent at their place and you win the way Dallas won, that's very, very impressive."
What might make it downright scary for the Giants is the way their own offense has played lately. Aside from a strong game against Atlanta, Eli Manning has thrown the ball with little authority. He has totaled fewer than 200 yards passing in four of the last five games, and has thrown five interceptions against seven touchdowns in that same span.
The running game has been outstanding in that stretch, with six touchdowns and a 157.6-yard average. But for the Giants to beat the Cowboys, they might need a well-managed, run-based game from their offense.
Especially after watching Tony Romo fry the Eagles' secondary for 324 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-25 passing Sunday night.
"Our defense has been playing really well the last couple of weeks. Hopefully, they can get us some turnovers and good field position," Manning said. "But we're going to have to do our part. We can and expect to score against them, but we're going to have to put up some points."
At least there won't be any need for added motivation. Defensive end Justin Tuck didn't need to watch Cowboys-Eagles to understand what's ahead for him. Just home from having his high school No. 80 retired at Central Coosa County High in Kellyton, Ala., he was too busy doing other things to turn on the game.
But he left the locker room with what should be an enlightening DVD of the Cowboys' offense.
"We're not the same team as back then," Tuck said. "We're not playing at the same caliber as we were when we played them last time.
"Look, I'm as even-keeled as can be. It's important to win this next game because it's a division game. I won't get overzealous about it and say, 'Oh-h-h, it's Dallas.' "
Snee wasn't going to let that drive him crazy, either, even though his dreams might have included a scene or two featuring pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.
In fact, there's plenty coming up in the second half of the season that could haunt his slumber: a surging Lions team; a Vikings squad with a rookie running back in Adrian Peterson who churns yardage like butter; rematches with Philadelphia and Washington; and a season ender with a Patriots team that looks unbeatable.
"We're really taking just one opponent at a time," Snee said. "You look at the next eight games, you'll get no sleep at all."
The Giants had their chance to sleep during the bye week. It's back to business now.
Notes: Coach Tom Coughlin said he'd love to get wide receiver Plaxico Burress back to practice this week after he's sat idle during the week since re-spraining his right ankle in Week 2 against Green Bay. However, he said it probably won't happen this week. "But that's all based upon medical things," Coughlin said. "Right now, it's not going to happen." ... Six of the eight teams the Giants play in the second half - Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota, Washington, New England and Buffalo - won their games Sunday. And Chicago had a bye.
Giants Journal
Ernie Palladino keeps you up-to-date as the Giants prepare to take on the Cowboys at giants.lohudblogs.com
By ERNIE PALLADINO
THE JOURNAL NEWS
http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...RTS01/711060365
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It took Amani Toomer about a minute Sunday night to realize that his bye week would end in a difficult, though abbreviated viewing of the Giants' next opponent.
"I watched a little bit of it," the wide receiver said of the Cowboys' 38-17 destruction of the Eagles in Philadelphia. "I was pretty disappointed. It was hard to watch. It wasn't the type of game you could really judge a team on. Dallas kind of had their way with them."
Perhaps it was better for Toomer and his teammates to shut off their TV sets around halftime. With the Cowboys (7-1) coming in Sunday and a share of the NFC East lead at stake, the last thing the Giants (6-2) want on their minds are lingering thoughts of the squads' first matchup.
Sunday's prime-time game looked eerily like that season-opening game, at least from the perspective of the Cowboys' offense. The Eagles' defense could not stop either Terrell Owens or tight end Jason Witten. From that standpoint, Dallas resembled the same team that pounded what was then a hapless Giants defense for 478 total yards and 45 points in a 45-35 victory.
Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's group has come around since then, of course. The difference between the defense that gave up 80 points to Dallas and Green Bay and the defense that helped engineer six straight wins is worlds apart, even though it has faced decidedly inferior competition.
But with the Cowboys making a huge statement by going into Philadelphia, a traditionally tough place to win, and not only beating the Eagles but dismantling them - well, let's just say the Giants noticed.
"I went to bed right at the start of the third quarter," guard Chris Snee said. "You could just tell the way Dallas was playing they're going great.
"That's a tough place to play. Any time you play a division opponent at their place and you win the way Dallas won, that's very, very impressive."
What might make it downright scary for the Giants is the way their own offense has played lately. Aside from a strong game against Atlanta, Eli Manning has thrown the ball with little authority. He has totaled fewer than 200 yards passing in four of the last five games, and has thrown five interceptions against seven touchdowns in that same span.
The running game has been outstanding in that stretch, with six touchdowns and a 157.6-yard average. But for the Giants to beat the Cowboys, they might need a well-managed, run-based game from their offense.
Especially after watching Tony Romo fry the Eagles' secondary for 324 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-25 passing Sunday night.
"Our defense has been playing really well the last couple of weeks. Hopefully, they can get us some turnovers and good field position," Manning said. "But we're going to have to do our part. We can and expect to score against them, but we're going to have to put up some points."
At least there won't be any need for added motivation. Defensive end Justin Tuck didn't need to watch Cowboys-Eagles to understand what's ahead for him. Just home from having his high school No. 80 retired at Central Coosa County High in Kellyton, Ala., he was too busy doing other things to turn on the game.
But he left the locker room with what should be an enlightening DVD of the Cowboys' offense.
"We're not the same team as back then," Tuck said. "We're not playing at the same caliber as we were when we played them last time.
"Look, I'm as even-keeled as can be. It's important to win this next game because it's a division game. I won't get overzealous about it and say, 'Oh-h-h, it's Dallas.' "
Snee wasn't going to let that drive him crazy, either, even though his dreams might have included a scene or two featuring pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.
In fact, there's plenty coming up in the second half of the season that could haunt his slumber: a surging Lions team; a Vikings squad with a rookie running back in Adrian Peterson who churns yardage like butter; rematches with Philadelphia and Washington; and a season ender with a Patriots team that looks unbeatable.
"We're really taking just one opponent at a time," Snee said. "You look at the next eight games, you'll get no sleep at all."
The Giants had their chance to sleep during the bye week. It's back to business now.
Notes: Coach Tom Coughlin said he'd love to get wide receiver Plaxico Burress back to practice this week after he's sat idle during the week since re-spraining his right ankle in Week 2 against Green Bay. However, he said it probably won't happen this week. "But that's all based upon medical things," Coughlin said. "Right now, it's not going to happen." ... Six of the eight teams the Giants play in the second half - Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota, Washington, New England and Buffalo - won their games Sunday. And Chicago had a bye.
Giants Journal
Ernie Palladino keeps you up-to-date as the Giants prepare to take on the Cowboys at giants.lohudblogs.com
