Mathias Kiwanuka News

Eli Manning must play better in order for the Giants to beat the San Diego Chargers on Sunday at the Meadowlands.

Can the Eagles force Eli Manning into turnovers Sunday at the Linc? I got a chance to re-watch the Giants' loss to the Cardinals from last Sunday night.

Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan says he doesn't know anything about any communication problems on his defense.

This is obviously a critical moment for the Giants, and it's understandable why Giants fans would be anxious.

"It is a matter of the timing of getting it communicated and being lined up confidently and being ready to go," Coughlin said on Monday.

N.F.L. coaches and players like to say that all opponents are the same, that a win against the 2009 Raiders is no different than a win against the 1972 Dolphins.

If there were ever a time when Tom Coughlin would chase a media member around the interview room, this might be it.

Winston Justice will acknowledge the game. Barely. But the Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle wants nothing to do with revisiting his debut Sept.

Giants tight end Kevin Boss should be benefiting more from the extra attention defenses are giving wide receiver Steve Smith.

What gnaws at the Giants, as much as Donovan McNabb picking up the phone on their sidelines at the end of their playoff loss last January at Giants Stadium, is this sickening reality: McNabb dropped back to pass 106 times in three games last year against them, and wasn't sacked a single time.

It's no surprise there have been down days for Eli Manning, Mario Manningham and the rest of the Giants' passing game, as they were bound to experience growing pains.

WHEN coach Tom Coughlin promoted Bill Sheridan to follow Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator, he was certain this would not be Ray Handley following Bill Parcells, Rod Rust following Bill Belichick, Barry Switzer following Jimmy Johnson, Phil Bengston following Vince Lombardi.

The operative word in the Giants' locker room this week: aberration. Coming off a 48-27 humiliation in New Orleans , where the previously unbeaten Giants were hopelessly overmatched against the Saints, there was a not-so-quiet insistence that it wouldn't happen again.

You play defense for the New York Football Giants and you know the minute you pull up to Giants Stadium about the tradition, because it happens to be the very fabric of the franchise.

The Cardinals have played in the 33-year-old structure that serves as home to the Giants and Jets 17 times since the move and won twice a ' both against the Giants.

Fresh off a historically bad defensive performance, the Giants yesterday put aside the debacle in New Orleans that resulted in 48 points for the Saints and vowed to clean up their act for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.

After watching videotapes of the game against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan kicked himself a little.

Don't say that the Giants' defense didn't touch Drew Brees . "I touched him," Mathias Kiwanuka said with mock defiance.

NFL owners and players threw a block on conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh's attempt to become part owner of the St.

Paul Schwartz ranks the Giants' performance after their 44-7 rout of the hapless Raiders on Sunday.