Giants didn't look out for No. 1

We're always paying attention around here even if the Giants and Eagles weren't last Sunday. Man, you'd think a pair of ol' stalwarts from a rough-and-tumble neighborhood like the NFC East would know better.

First, the Giants went down to New Orleans to restore order around the NFL, and got hit in the mouth before they were able to make a single statement. Then, a few hours later, the Eagles brought their uniforms to Oakland and not their game, and were cleaned and pressed by a gang of light-weights who used to refer to themselves as the vaunted Raider Nation.

So be warned, with that kind of stuff going down in the NFL this year, it's best you keep your head on swivel, pally.
And drink up, it's gonna be a long season.

Prost!

THE STRONG STUFF

• 1 (2) New Orleans (99 proof, 5-0) Biggest mismatch of Sunday's slap-down of the Giants was on the sidelines. Giants never adjusted to what the Saints coaches were serving: Max-protect and find out who this dude named C.C. Brown is not covering.
  
• 2 (3) Indianapolis (95 proof, 5-0) Colts will get a second straight week of rest when they visit the Rams Sunday.
• 3 (4) Minnesota (94 proof, 6-0) Vikings better learn to play 60 minutes by this Sunday at Pittsburgh or clock will strike 12 on their winning streak.

WORTH A SHOT

• 4 (8) Denver (89 proof, 6-0) Do we believe? No. Are we paying attention? You bet.
• 5 (6) Atlanta (87 proof, 4-1) Had the magnifying glass on 'em Sunday night, and spotted very few weaknesses.
• 6 (1) N.Y. Giants (86 proof, 5-1) That's what happens when you get all full of yourself beating up on midgets. Next time bring some attitude, and a secondary. For now, just get on out of here.
• 7 (7) Pittsburgh (85 proof, 4-2) Need to clean up this untidy brand of football they have been playing with unbeaten Vikes looking to make a mess of their place Sunday.
• 8 (9) New England (84 proof, 4-2) After thumping Titans, 59-0, Patriots are ready for Battle of 1812 redo when they visit UK this weekend.
• 9 (11) Baltimore (81 proof, 3-3) Yes they lost, and still moved up two spots. You want to tell me why they should have dropped, pal?
  
• 10 (5) Philadelphia (79 proof, 3-2) Seriously, what was THAT?! Loss at Oakland was the worst of the year by anybody. Can top it, though, if they throw in another clunker at D.C. Monday night .
• 11 (17) Arizona (78 proof, 3-2) All of a sudden the Cardinals are looking very serious to us. Giants better watch their backs Sunday night.
  
• 12 (12) Chicago (75 proof, 3-2) Played Atlanta tough, but you always got the feeling it was going to end badly for them.
• 13 (13) San Francisco (74 proof, 3-2) Next two games on the road against Houston and Indianapolis will tell us what this team is really made of.

WATERED DOWN

• 14 (20) Houston (72 proof, 3-3) Matt Schaub threw for 392 yds., and four TDs against a Bengals' defense that shut down Baltimore on the road the week before. We told you, there is some bad stuff going on this year.
  
• 15 (10) Cincinnati (71 proof, 4-2) And because there's bad stuff all about, we'll predict for no good reason at all that the Bengals will shut down Cutler and the Bears Sunday.
• 16 (16) Miami (70 proof, 2-3) With Saints back at home for a divisional showdown with Atlanta next Monday, maybe the Saints are marching into a trap this weekend?
• 17 (18) Green Bay (68 proof, 3-2) Packers did nothing in their 26-0 win over the Lions and their third-string QB to hurt or help their cause around here.
• 18 (19) Dallas (65 proof, 3-2) Used bye week to read epic tale about the little engine that could. "I think we can. I think we can. I think we can..." Jerry's kids shouted. No, you can't.

CHEAP STUFF

• 19 (15) San Diego (61 proof, 2-3) What an annoying team.
• 20 (14) N.Y. Jets (59 proof, 3-3) Well, the bloom is officially off Buddy boys' pretty quarterback. Don't get too close, he stinks.
  
• 21 (22) Jacksonville (55 proof, 3-3) Careful, Jacksonville, you are about to get run from this place for good with another performance like the one against the Rams Sunday.

ROT GUT

• 22 (23) Carolina (49 proof, 2-3) How long can they play 'hide the quarterback' before he, and they, are found out?
  
• 23 (28) Buffalo (45 proof, 2-4) Poor, poor Buffalo fans. Jauron always seems to do just enough to give you a sliver of hope. Hopefully, you are smart enough to know by now, you don't have any.
  
• 24 (21) Seattle (43 proof, 2-4) Bye comes at a perfect time to come up with another excuse for futility. I mean, wasn't everything supposed to be different when Hasselbeck was at the helm?
  
• 25 (31) Kansas City (39 proof, 1-5) Were the latest recipients of Washington's program to lift up the disenfranchised of the league.
• 26 (30) Oakland (37 proof, 2-4) Nobody is more surprised by what happened Sunday against the Eagles than the Raiders.
• 27 (26) Cleveland (30 proof, 1-5) QB Anderson has put his house on the market, too.
• 28 (29) Tampa Bay (28 proof, 0-6) Have already been banned in London.
• 29 (24) Detroit (27 proof, 1-5) If the Lions have a bye week will anybody even know they are missing?
• 30 (27) Tennessee (22 proof, 0-6) Seriously, this has gone way past ridiculous. A good-bye for the terrible Titans this weekend.
• 31 (25) Washington (19 proof, 2-4) We admit it...This whole rotten mess is fascinating to us in the Grill Room.
  
• 32 (32) St. Louis (15 proof, 0-6) After they lose to Colts this Sunday, will have their best (only?) shot at a win this year when they travel to Detroit the following week.

(*) -- denotes last week's ranking.