Somehow, the Giants were significant underdogs at San Francisco. We all should have known better.
The Giants are masterful at this. Just when it looks like the Giants are slipping into mediocrity and everyone falls in love with the new hot team, they rise up and remind everyone that they are one of the elite teams in the NFL whenever they want to be.
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The Giants were plodding along at 3-2, not bad but not looking like a favorite to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. San Francisco on the other hand looked like the best team in the NFC. The 49ers had beat their last two opponents 79-3. And they were looking for revenge from last year's NFC Championship Game.
Of course the Giants won. That's what they do.
The Giants forced Alex Smith into three interceptions. Smith didn't even have two interceptions in a game all of last season or the first five weeks of this season. He had thrown one interception all season before Sunday.
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The 49ers seemed overmatched the whole game. The Giants trailed 3-0 in the first quarter and then scored 26 unanswered points to finish the game. Victor Cruz gave them the lead with a touchdown and a salsa dance early on. Ahmad Bradshaw had 116 yards, and his 1-yard touchdown early in the third quarter gave New York a 17-3 lead, which was more than enough.
And we should probably prepare for what happens next. The Giants will look ugly a few weeks, particularly at home, lose a few games, and other teams will get all the bandwagon buzz throughout the second half of the season. Then the playoffs will come, and the Giants will be just as good as they want to be.
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