Rich Hofmann: Stopping the run key for both Eagles and Giants

THE NEW YORK GIANTS' offense has scored 226 points this season and the Eagles' offense has scored 220. The Giants have run 511 plays and the Eagles have run 510. The Giants gain 371 yards per game and the Eagles gain 368 yards per game. The teams are even in turnover ratio at plus-6.

Rarely has such similarity looked so different.

The Giants are playing this season with a three-headed monster backfield (Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw and Derrick Ward). As always, the Eagles are led by two mad scientists instead (Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg). The Giants are balanced in every quarter, every game, every time. The Eagles come out throwing to get a lead and end up running to protect it, and nobody is ever going to change that. Oh, and it works - the Eagles have outscored the Giants in the first half this season and have led at halftime in seven of their eight games.

All of that said, the strategies in stopping these teams are the same. It is about the running backs. Stopping the Eagles' Brian Westbrook is no guarantee for the Giants just as stopping the three-headed monster is no guarantee for the Eagles. But that is where it has to begin.

Yes, wide receiver Plaxico Burress can beat them in the end. But if the Eagles get run over by Jacobs and the rest, it will not matter. If they get run over, they cannot win.

"You have an offensive line that's been there together now at least 4 years, and you have three of the better running backs in the NFL, probably three guys that could play for anybody and start for a lot of teams,'' said Jim Johnson, the Eagles' defensive coordinator. "They know exactly what they want to do with that offensive line as far as picking up stunts, run stunts and stuff like that. [They have] a very solid offensive line, and they have good running backs and they are committed to it.''

You go up to various Eagles and talk about the Giants' running backs, and you get somewhat different takes. Ask linebacker Omar Gaither and he says that the three of them really aren't that different, except that Jacobs is huge (6-4 and 264 pounds). Gaither says that what you do is worry about recognizing the formation and just take it from there, regardless of who is carrying the ball. "It's just that the one guy has a lot of size,'' Gaither says.

Talk to strong safety Quintin Mikell and it sounds a little bit the same and a little bit different. Mikell says, "[Jacobs] is a big guy, strong, powerful. But it's football and you do what you've got to do.''