Game Time:4:25 pm EST

Location: M & T Bank Stadium, Baltimore Stadium

TV: National TV on Fox; America’s Game of the Week (FOX 5 NY,NJ, CT) and FOX 61 (CT, MA)

Announcers:  Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver

Radio: WFAN 660AM

Game Time Weather:

Opening Kick Off: 48* winds 5-10 mph SSE

Half-Time: 47* winds 3-7 mph SSE

Two Minute Warning: 44*winds 3-4 mph NNE

Current Line: Giants -2.5 with the over/under at 47.5

All-Time Series: Baltimore leads 3-1

Play-Off possibility for the Giants: clinch a playoff berth if they win out OR

1) NYG win + CHI loss + MIN loss + DAL loss + WAS loss or tie OR

2) NYG win + CHI loss + MIN loss + WAS loss + DAL tie

Feb 5, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

How do the Giants win the NFC East and get back to the Playoffs? Here are several keys to making that happen.

Get off to a fast start. The defense cannot have a two month period to get their scheme right this year. The secondary must do a better job preventing big plays. When the D line tackles a runner for a loss or gets an early down sack, the secondary cannot give up 3rd and long first downs. It’s a back breaker and gives the opposition confidence that they can stay in the game. They have a lot of high powered offensive teams on the schedule this year and cannot afford those mistakes.

Protect Eli. With McKenzie gone, the line must play together to keep Manning upright. He took way to many hits in the NFC championship game last year and that cannot happen. With the TE position being thin with talent the passing game is going to be a down the field attack and Eli will need time for the receivers to get in their routes. The backs need to pick up blitzes which could be a reason we don’t see much of first round pick David Wilson early in the year.

Eli must have another great season. This team will only go as far as Eli takes them. It’s his arm that kept the team alive and led them to a Super Bowl last year. He is the engine that runs the machine. They cannot pretend that they have a running game to rely on or a defense that can shut down opponents week in and week out. The Giants, to be great,  need Eli to be great and have the 4th quarter magic yet again.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of speaking with Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press Gazzette.  Rob has covered the Packers since 1997.  Click the link below to see the full interview

Q and A With Packers Beat Writer