EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants are this year’s New England Patriots — so far.
In a nearly flawless performance, Eli Manning threw two touchdowns, Brandon Jacobs ran for two more and the unbeaten Giants scored on their first five possessions in a 44-6 victory that embarrassed the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
The win was the eighth straight for the Giants (4-0) dating to last year’s playoffs, and it gave the Super Bowl champions their best start since 1990, when they posted a 13-3 record and also won the NFL title. The Giants rolled up 523 yards in total offense, their most since collecting 524 yards against Green Bay on Jan. 6, 2002, and limited Seattle to 187.
“You want to win every game,” Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce said. “That’s not very realistic. It’s only happened twice in the NFL, teams went to the postseason undefeated. If we can go undefeated in the division, that could be the best undefeated record we could have.”
When pressed about a comparison with last year’s Patriots, whose only blemish was their Super Bowl loss to the Giants, Pierce downplayed the unbeaten record.
“We’re one of the top five, 10 teams in the league,” he said in self-deprecating manner. “Some other guys have better special teams, better name players, better coaches, a lot of things. We’re just one of the teams that is lucky to get to 4-0.”
Not only did the Giants get to 4-0, but they did so with leading receiver Plaxico Burress suspended for a game for missing a team activity on Sept. 22.
They even did it after a bye week. New York had been 4-15 in post-bye week games.
“We have been kind of soft after our bye week but we knew we had to come out here and play ball, because this team beat us pretty badly the last two times we played them,” said Jacobs, who rushed for 136 yards on 15 carries.
For the Seahawks, this was another dreadful trip east. They are 1-6 in their last seven cross-country flights and are 3-8 in their last eight road games overall.
Making matters worse for the four-time defending NFC West champions, they are now 1-3, their worst start since 2002.
“Well, that was a good, old-fashioned, you know what,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. “I believe we are a better football team than that, but the Giants really took it to us.”
Seattle was limited to two field goals by Olindo Mare despite getting receivers Bobby Engram and Deion Branch back in the lineup for the first time this season.
Branch, who had three catches for 31 yards, left in the second half with an injury to his right heel. He left the stadium in a walking boot, saying he was OK.
“We didn’t make any big plays and gave up too many big plays,” said Engram, who had eight catches for 61 yards. “That’s a recipe for disaster.”
The only break Seattle seemingly got was that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck only hyperextended his right knee after being hit on the fourth play from scrimmage. He limped to the sidelines and finished 11-of-21 for 105 yards and an interception before being relieved late in the third quarter with New York ahead 37-6.
The Giants had nine plays of 15 yards or more in the first half in building a 27-6 lead, and they added two more long ones on the opening drive of the second half.
“We have to do a better job. That was embarrassing,” Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. “As one of the leaders of this defense I take that very personally.”
Manning, who was 19-of-25 for 267 yards, threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Domenik Hixon — Burress’ replacement — on a four-play, 91-yard opening drive. He added a 23-yarder in the third quarter to Sinorice Moss, who stepped in when Hixon sustained a concussion in the first half.
Moss also caught a 5-yard touchdown from David Carr in garbage time.
“We were clicking,” guard Chris Snee said. “You’d like to play every game like this. It’s not very realistic but it’s one of those days. You enjoy it.”
Jacobs set the tone for the game on the opening series, going 44 yards around left end to set up Hixon’s score, and the bruising halfback’s 3-yard run gave New York a 14-3 lead.
After Hixon’s 41-yard catch set up the first of John Carney’s three field goals, Jacobs pushed the lead to 24-3 with his short touchdown run.
Carney, who has been perfect on all 12 of his field goal attempts this season filling in for the injured Lawrence Tynes, added a 33-yard field goal late in the first half. A 44-yard interception return by Kevin Dockery set up his last one.
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