Eli, No-Distraction Giants Roll Over 'Skins 23-7

The New York Giants have shoved every distraction aside, including a shooting incident involving their star receiver, to become as dominant as, say, a Chicago Bulls team with Michael Jordan.

New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs (27) rushes against Washington Redskins defensive end Demetric Evans (92) during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

(AP)

Perhaps that's no coincidence.

At one of the first meetings of training camp, coach Tom Coughlin discussed the 1991-92 Bulls as a team for the Giants to emulate in the bid to repeat as Super Bowl champions. That was the first season that MJ won a back-to-back, and the Giants remained solidly on pace to keep up with His Airness after Sunday's 23-7 victory over the Washington Redskins.

"That really kind of set our whole season going and focused in the right direction," receiver Amani Toomer said. "And we've been answering every call ever since."

Added defensive end Justin Tuck: "Maybe everybody wants to have something to do with Michael Jordan."

Jordan would certainly approve of the 11-1 record, as well as the way the Giants aren't letting anything — on or off the field — get in the way. Two days after Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself at a Manhattan nightclub, the Men in Blue braved a dreary mid-Atlantic rain to hold Clinton Portis to a season-low 22 yards and produce Eli Manning's first 300-yard game of the season.

"We can't fly yet," Tuck said. "But on the football field, we're playing pretty well. Obviously you try your best to stay grounded and stay humble about it, but right now we're playing good football."

Burress' injuries are not serious, but he is expected to deal with a criminal charge over the shooting, his latest misstep in a season of fines and suspension. Coach Tom Coughlin said he addressed the team concerning Burress — then it was back to football.

"Come Sunday, 1 o'clock, when the whistle's blowing in between those lines, and you're in the stadium, that's the only focus you've got," said linebacker Antonio Pierce, who reportedly was with Burress at the time of the shooting. "That's the only thing this team ever does is focus on our opponent and the challenge that's at hand. We had a lot of challenges obviously going into this game."