By Kevin Armstrong / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

YESTERDAY'S WIN OVER THE NINERS WAS ESPECIALLY SWEET SINCE NO ONE PICKED THE GIANTS TO DO THAT!

BOTH PANELS OF SO CALLED EXPERTS ON THE FOX PRE-GAME SHOW AND NFL NETWORK ALL PCIKED THE NINERS TO WIN.

MANNNING WAS SPOT ON IN HIS PASSING, BRADSHAW DID A GREAT JOB RUSHING, WILSON RAN WILD ON RETURNS AND THE DEFENSE PLAYED LIKE A TEAM POSSESSED!

AND NOT ONLY DID THE GIANTS WIN, THEY CRUSHED THE NINERS! WITH THE COWBOYS AND EAGLES LOSING IT PUT US AT THE TOP OF THE NFC EAST! NOW ON TO THE REDSKINS.

VITO

By PAUL SCHWARTZ

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By Ralph Vacchiano / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

By PAUL SCHWARTZ

Of course there was so much praise and exultation for what was accomplished, but amid the back-slaps there continue to be reminders the Giants — specifically their offensive linemen — would rather forget about one aspect of one of their proudest moments.

“It seems like that’s all I hear about, other than the Super Bowl, ‘You guys almost got Eli killed against San Francisco,’ ’’ guard Kevin Boothe said yesterday.

It is a great Monday to be one of the five starting linemen in a unit that kept Eli Manning nice and clean a day earlier, as he threw 37 passes, wasn’t sacked and was hit only one time by the Browns in a 41-27 victory. Protecting Manning hasn’t been a problem this season but running the ball has been, which is why the offensive line’s show of force in amassing 243 rushing yards is another reason why the line is riding high.

Anthony J. Causi

OH, MANN, NOT AGAIN: After Eli Manning’s beating at the hands of Patrick Willis and the 49ers’ defense in the Giants’ NFC Championship Game victory last year, Big Blue’s offensive line vows to keep its quarterback safe on Sunday.

There are always pitfalls up ahead, though, and awaiting the Giants in San Francisco is the NFC’s most dominant team in a rematch of last year’s NFC Championship Game. The 49ers pounded away with abandon, sacking Manning six times, hitting him 12 times, giving him the full, painful rag-doll treatment. The Giants won 20-17 in an overtime classic filled with defensive bludgeoning. Manning threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns and was most widely heralded for repeatedly picking himself off the soggy grass.

“I guess in an ideal world you guys would still be questioning his toughness because he wouldn’t have gotten hit,’’ Boothe said. “He’s a tough guy, we know he’s a tough guy but we’d like for him to hide his toughness. Hopefully he doesn’t get hit like that every game.’’

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By PAUL SCHWARTZ

One play in, Ahmad Bradshaw was trotting off the field, having lost the ball on a fumble. Two plays later, the turnover was turned into points and the Giants trailed 7-0.

“Everybody was telling me on the sideline that they have my back,’’ Bradshaw said.

A moment later, newly starting safety Stevie Brown was “taking the bait’’ as he described a blown coverage, leaving linebacker Chase Blackburn exposed and helpless to prevent a 62-yard Brandon Weeden to Josh Gordon touchdown pass. The Giants were down 14-0 to the winless Browns and five minutes had not yet run off the clock.

Jason Szenes

TOUCHING DOWN: Victor Cruz (above, left) beats Trevin Wade in the third quarter for one of his three touchdowns during the Giants’ 41-27 victory over the Browns. While Cruz danced in the end zone, rookie David Wilson (left) did flips after scoring his first touchdown.

“My pregame talk was all about starting fast and that obviously got thrown out the window pretty early,’’ Eli Manning said. “They didn’t listen to me on that.’’

As a motivational speaker, Manning might need some work, but yesterday at damp MetLife Stadium he was part of an uncharacteristically diversified attack that responded by scoring 41 of the game’s next 47 points to restore order and steer the Giants to a 41-27 victory, keeping the Browns winless and somehow thrusting the still-inconsistent Giants (3-2) into the same record as the Eagles atop the NFC East.

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IT REALLY STUNG LOSING THE WAY WE DID TO THE EAGLES THE OTHER NIGHT, BUT I HAVE TO SAY I FEEL A LITTLE BETTER THIS MORNING SEEING THAT DALLAS LOST TO CHICAGO.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET BACK ON TRACK AND GET A WIN AGAINST THE BROWNS THIS SUNDAY. AND DOWN THE ROAD WE'LL REALLY NEED TO AVENGE THE LOSSES WE HAVE HAD TO THE COWBOYS AND THE EAGLES.

GO BIG BLUE!

VITO

By Ralph Vacchiano / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

By PAUL SCHWARTZ

Eli Manning recalls whenever the Giants meet up with the Eagles “it always seems like it’s a tight game.’’ Justin Tuck says the mark of a “true rivalry’’ is based on the significance of the games to the rise and fall of a season.

“Going forward, I see it the same way,’’ Tuck said.

Going forward arrives tonight at Lincoln Financial Field, as the Giants and Eagles, both owning 2-1 records attained in very different manners, renew what recently has been a one-sided duel in the Eagles’ favor, in what usually is a battle for NFC East supremacy. The Eagles got blown out last week in Arizona, and the Giants overwhelmed the Panthers in Carolina, so the perception pendulum has swung to the Giants heading into this affair, with the Eagles eager to swing it back around.

Manning, who is on a major roll, described the atmosphere as “tough’’ and “loud’’ and called the Philadelphia fans “unique.’’ But, Manning added, “It can be a fun place to play.’’

Or a house of horrors.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of animosity between the two teams because of the way some of the games have turned out,’’ Osi Umenyiora said. “They’re desperate for a win right now, obviously we’re more desperate for a win ourselves, so it’s going to be a great game.’’

Once again, the Giants are missing key players. Receiver Hakeem Nicks (foot/knee) will miss his second straight game, putting the onus on Domenik Hixon and last week’s revelation, Ramses Barden, to make plays down the field. Valuable rookie cornerback Jayron Hosley (hamstring) is also out, and as a result, Prince Amukamara makes his first NFL start. The Giants have to deal with Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy and a whole bunch of Eagles weapons thus far derailed only by their own mistakes.

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