Giants Still the Team to Beat in NFC

At 7-1 after eight games this season, the World Champion New York Giants have picked up where they left off this past February...winning games.
There was a bit of controversy in Giants' camp coming into this season, such as the loss of Michael Strahan, and how New York was planning on filling that void.
Was the end of last year just a fluke for Eli Manning, or had he finally come into his own?
Manning has thrown for more than 3,000 yards in each of the past three seasons, including over 3,700 in '05, and this year is no different. Through eight games played, Manning has thrown for 1,735 yards, which projects to nearly 3,500 for the season.
He is also enjoying his most accurate season, completing over 61 percent of his passes. Manning has never completed 60 percent in a season.
Manning has also thrown 24, 24, and 23 touchdowns over the past three seasons. This year he has 12, which is right on pace for 24.
And, finally, Manning is throwing less interceptions than ever. Again, since 2005, he threw 17, 18, and 20 picks, respectively. This year Manning has thrown just five, which would put him on a pace for 10 on the season. Quite a step up from the previous three seasons.
The loss of Strahan was bad enough, but when New York's other defensive end, Osi Umenyiora, went down in week 1, the doubters were out again.
Hence, the arrival of Justin Tuck. Although Tuck had a fine season last year as the G-Men's third DE, there were questions as to how he would play as a starter.
As he has shown , Tuck has had no problem settling in as a regular, posting 8.5 sacks, 36 tackles, an interception, and a TD, and the Giants' defense has been outstanding this season, even without Strahan and Umenyiora.
The Giants are at 7-1 on the 2008 campaign, and it seems as if they are making it look easy (tossing out the Cleveland game) by routing teams, as they did to the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday.
New York may not have the best record in the NFL (see Tennessee's undefeated 8-0 mark), but they do seem to be the best in the NFC, and ready to not just defend their crown, but to annihilate anyone that stands in their way.