Justin Pugh is in his third NFL season. He's seen a lot and experienced the ups and downs of pro football in that time. Monday, though, was the first time in his career that he woke up as a member of a first-place team.
"That's crazy," he said when he thought about it for a moment. "But I want to keep it that way."
For the young Giants to do just that, they'll have to learn to handle their newfound status as front-runners. Only seven active players in Sunday night's victory over the 49ers were on the team the last time the Giants were atop the NFC East standings in late 2012.