Road prowess buoys Giants

Playing under pressure is nothing new to New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, and he has proven he can succeed in almost any situation.

Away from home, Manning and the Giants are at their best.

The Philadelphia Eagles are 3-point home favorites over New York today in a battle of NFC East heavyweights, and handicapper Joseph D'Amico is siding with the NFL's defending champion.

The Giants, 7-1 straight up and 6-2 against the spread, are showing their Super Bowl upset of New England was no fluke.

The Eagles, 5-3 straight up and 6-2 against the spread, need to cut into New York's division lead.

"I feel the wrong team is favored in this game. The Giants should be 1-point favorites," said D'Amico (Allamerican-sports.info). "The Giants are as good as any team I have ever seen on the road."

The Giants have hit the road with no fear the past two years, going 12-1 against the spread. They are 10-2 ATS in their past 12 games as underdogs.

Manning's play has been superb. He has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 1,735 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions. He has the support of a strong running game and a rock-solid defense.

Brandon Jacobs, a 264-pound bulldozer, is fifth in the league with 680 yards rushing. Jacobs is getting 5.2 yards per carry.

The New York defense ranks No. 3 in the league, allowing 260.4 yards per game. The pass rush has produced 30 sacks, with Justin Tuck totaling a team-high eight.

The Eagles are no pushovers, though, especially with quarterback Donovan McNabb playing at a high level and running back Brian Westbrook back in good health and making plays.

"In the two meetings last year, the Giants sacked McNabb 15 times," D'Amico said. "With Westbrook running and catching the ball out of the backfield, that will give any defense headaches. But the Giants have shut down some good offenses."

D'Amico breaks down the rest of today's Week 10 schedule:

• Baltimore at Houston (Pick): Texans quarterback Matt Schaub is out with a knee injury, leaving Sage Rosenfels to start. But Rosenfels does not have the same rapport that Schaub does with wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Ravens rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has a half season under his belt, and he's helped by a rushing offense that ranks No. 4 in the league at 148.8 yards per game.

Baltimore is 4-0 against the spread versus teams with a losing record. Houston is 1-4 ATS in its past five games.

This is a tough game to figure, and a field goal probably decides it. I would stay away from it.

• Jacksonville (-7) at Detroit: The Lions (0-8) are the last winless team in the NFL. They own the league's second-worst rushing offense, averaging 72 yards per game, and are losing the possession battle by more than 11 minutes per game.

Daunte Culpepper comes out of a brief retirement to quarterback Detroit, which is 4-12 ATS its past 16 games.

Jaguars running backs Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor will explode against a Detroit defense yielding 161.8 yards per game on the ground. The Lions lost their first three home games by an average of 19.3 points.

Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio read the riot act to his team after last week's loss at Cincinnati. The Jaguars do not want to lose to the league's last two winless teams in consecutive weeks. Take the Jaguars to cover.

• Tennessee (-3) at Chicago: It won't matter if Kyle Orton or Rex Grossman lines up behind center for the Bears.

The unbeaten Titans are 7-1 against the spread. On the road, they have outscored opponents 71-27.

Tennessee's defense allows a league-low 12.9 points per game. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (six sacks) and cornerback Cortland Finnegan and safety Michael Griffin (combined eight interceptions) wreak havoc on quarterbacks.

Titans running backs LenDale White and Chris Johnson have combined for 1,119 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns.

This game will come down to mistakes and turnovers, and Chicago will make the mistakes. Tennessee stays unbeaten.

• Buffalo at New England (-31/2): The Patriots have won the past nine straight up and are 7-2 ATS versus the Bills.

Buffalo fell apart the past two weeks by giving up the final 18 points in a loss at Miami and rushing for only 30 yards in a 26-17 home loss to the Jets.

Last year, New England spanked Buffalo in both meetings by a combined score of 94-17.

Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel will connect with wide receiver Randy Moss, and Cassel will have extra breathing room with the Bills' top pass rusher, Aaron Schobel, out with a left foot injury. Also, Bills safety Donte Whitner is out with a separated shoulder.

No coach in the league is as good a strategist as Bill Belichick. Cassel gets a confidence boost with a win and cover.

• New Orleans at Atlanta (-1): Injuries are nagging the Saints as running back Reggie Bush will sit this one out. The Falcons are a good young team, but three of their wins came against Detroit, Kansas City and Oakland, who are a combined 3-21. New Orleans is 0-3 straight up on the road.

With Bush out, the edge goes to Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner. Ryan is not playing like a rookie, and Turner (794 yards rushing) can control the clock. Go with the Falcons.

• St. Louis at N.Y. Jets (-9): The Rams' offense is scoring only 15.6 points per game, and running back Steven Jackson is out. St. Louis is 3-11 ATS versus opponents with a winning record.

Jets quarterback Brett Favre has been erratic, but the running attack of Thomas Jones and Leon Washington will exploit a Rams run defense that is allowing 155.5 yards per game.

• Seattle at Miami (-8): Teams that travel from the West Coast to the East Coast have not fared well. Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace is starting for the third time in four weeks, so the offensive burden falls on Julius Jones, who has just 197 yards rushing in his past five games.

Miami's Chad Pennington has completed 67.4 percent of his passes with seven TDs and four interceptions. The defense has been solid, and linebacker Joey Porter leads the league with 111/2 sacks.

However, with Miami 12-29-1 against the spread in its past 42 home games, I can't lay a lot of points, so I'm staying away from this one.

• Green Bay at Minnesota (-21/2): In the first meeting in September, the Packers' Aaron Rodgers played well in a 24-19 win. Rodgers has 13 TD passes and five interceptions for the season.

The problem is the Packers' 21st-ranked rushing offense averages just 101.1 yards per game. The Vikings' defense is ranked No. 2 against the run but No. 23 against the pass.

Minnesota has played well at home, holding four opponents to a combined 59 points, but defensive end Jared Allen is out.

This game probably will be settled by a field goal. Buy this line up to 3 if you can, and take the points.

• Carolina (-91/2) at Oakland: The Raiders are 9-25 ATS in their past 34 home games. Oakland ranks in the bottom half of the league in every defensive category.

The well-rested Panthers run the ball well, and Steve Smith has three straight 100-yard receiving games. Carolina covers.

• Kansas City at San Diego (-15): The Chargers (3-5) still have a good shot at winning the AFC West. They are 9-1 ATS their past 10 home games. Philip Rivers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson lead a San Diego offense that ranks third in the league in scoring at 28 points per game.

Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen turned in his second consecutive strong outing last week in a 30-27 overtime loss to Tampa Bay.

Although both games were away, the Chargers are on a two-game skid.

They might win, but they won't get the cover. The underdog in this series is 9-4-1 ATS in the past 14 meetings. Take Kansas City and the points.

• Indianapolis at Pittsburgh (-3): The story here is the Steelers' defense, which ranks No. 1 in yards allowed and No. 2 in scoring. Pittsburgh's linebackers will have a big day against a slow-footed Peyton Manning, who traditionally has trouble with an aggressive 3-4 defense.

Pittsburgh rarely loses two in a row at home, and the Colts are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 games. The Steelers get the cover.

Compiled by Review-Journal sportswriter Matt Youmans.