First person fan reaction: Giants overwhelm Seahawks and cruise to 41-7 win

35-0. It was the largest halftime lead for the New York Giants since a game in 1959 against the Washington Redskins. The second half was all but an afterthought, and the Giants went on to win over the Seattle Seahawks 41-7. It was their largest road win since 1993, also against the Redskins.

By the second quarter, with the team up 28-0 and dominating in all phases without seeming to work up a sweat, I was already thinking, alright guys, let's save some for next week. Never want to use all of your bullets when you don't need them. But that's just fan speak for wow, we're doing so freaking awesome and I don't want this to end, ever!

The Giants improved to 6-2 and first in the NFC East, bringing in their fifth straight win after a stumbling 1-2 start that included the Manning Bowl that Wasn't and a debacle against the Titans. Eli Manning(notes) went 21 for 32 and finished with 290 yards, 3 touchdown passes and a 125.8 QB rating.

One of those touchdowns came on a great 46 yard completion to Hakeem Nicks(notes), who continued his breakout season with another 6 catches and 128 yards. Nicks broke free on the left side of the field and ran in towards the hash marks, unchecked on his front due to a blown coverage. Eli left the ball out for him on the open side and Nicks came back for it, falling into the end zone to complete the play.

That put the score at 14-0, and the Giants followed up with a second touchdown just 15 seconds later, when Leon Washington(notes) of the Seahawks fumbled the kickoff, Jonathan Goff(notes) recovered it back to the four yard line, and Ahmad Bradshaw(notes) went right on in for the TD on the next play. It was 21-0, and the game seemed all but locked up already.

The Giants running game was firing on all cylinders, as the combination of Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs(notes) and D.J. Ware put up more than 200 yards. Jacobs accounted for 78 of those yards, including a 38 yard run, the kind of long play that he had been unable to produce as of late.

The Seahawks couldn't generate anything offensively, with first-time starter Charlie Whitehurst(notes) calling the shots. The blame can't be placed at his feet though, with a banged up offensive line, a running game that never got moving, and a would be touchdown pass being bobbled by receiver Mike Williams and turning into a Giants interception by Terrell Thomas(notes).

Before Giants fans get too lathered up by the big win, the five straight victories, and the 6-2 record, there are a few things to keep in mind. The week before, the Seahawks got crushed in similar fashion against the Oakland Raiders, 33-3.

More importantly though, the Giants have been kings of fast starts leading to mid or late season meltdowns. In 2009, the team started 5-0 before losing four straight games and finishing 8-8, out of the playoffs. In 2008, the Giants steamrolled to an 11-1 start, but lost three of their last four and then lost their first playoff game, to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. When the Giants won the Super Bowl after the 2007 season, they started 0-2, won six straight to move to 6-2, barely made the playoffs by going 4-4 in the second half, but found the momentum they needed in a hard fought contest against the undefeated Patriots in the season's finale.

The 2006 season? A 1-2 start was followed by five straight wins for a 6-2 record, which sounds pretty familiar. It was followed by four straight losses, a season ending streak of 2-6, and a first round playoffs loss to the Eagles.

So let's not get too excited about 6-2 and five straight… and let's watch out for those darn pesky Eagles.

Sources: Stats and Records from Giants.com

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