By Tony Moss, NFL Editor -- (Sports Network) - It has been so far, so good for the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants, who travel to Cleveland Browns Stadium on Monday night as one of the NFL's two remaining unbeaten teams.

The "Super Bowl hangover" that has plagued previous champs, including the Giants' winning entries in 1986 and 1990, has not trickled down to the 2008 version of the team, which joins the 5-0 Tennessee Titans as the only unblemished units in the league.

Last week, Tom Coughlin's club made yet another statement of their dominance by routing the Seattle Seahawks, 44-6. The 38-point margin was Big Blue's most decisive in a regular season game since Nov. 26, 1972, when they put a 62-10 beat-down on the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Giants have now won eight consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2007 playoffs, the team's longest winning streak since the 1990 squad began the year at 10-0.

The '08 club's 4-0 start is also the franchise's best since 1990, when New York finished 13-3 and defeated Buffalo in Super Bowl XXV.

The Browns, meanwhile, enter Week 6 trying to shed their reputation as one of the league's most disappointing teams.

A popular selection to win the AFC North following last year's 10-6 campaign, Romeo Crennel's club started the year with three consecutive losses, and had to rally to defeat a beaten-up Cincinnati team (20-12) for win number one back in Week 4.

An offense that was predicted to be one of the league's best in 2008 has sputtered, with quarterback Derek Anderson (49.9 passer rating, 3 TD, 6 INT) and wide receiver Braylon Edwards (11 receptions, 1 TD), a fellow Pro Bowler a season ago, both failing to build upon last year's individual and team success.

Complicating matters for Cleveland is the possible absence on Monday night of tight end Kellen Winslow, who has been the Browns' most reliable offensive weapon to date.

Winslow was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness on Thursday night, and is officially listed as questionable heading into Monday night's contest.

SERIES HISTORY

In a series that dates back to the 1950 season, the Browns hold a 25-19-2 edge over the Giants. The two have not met since the 2004 season, when New York won its fourth consecutive game over Cleveland by prevailing, 27-10, at home. The Browns last defeated the Giants in 1985, a 35-33 triumph at the Meadowlands. The G-Men are 2-0 in Cleveland since last losing there in 1973.

The Browns and Giants have met twice in the postseason, with Cleveland winning a 1950 NFL Playoff and New York returning the favor with a victory in a 1958 Conference Playoff.

Coughlin is 8-2 in his career against the Browns, including 7-2 while at the helm of the Jacksonville Jaguars (1995-2002). Cleveland's Crennel, an assistant with the Giants from 1981 through 1992, will be meeting both his former employer and Coughlin for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE GIANTS HAVE THE BALL

Though Eli Manning (1032 passing yards, 6 TD, 1 INT) and troubled receiver Plaxico Burress continue to generate most of the headlines, the Giants' engine room is a rushing attack that ranked No. 1 in the league in both yards per game (181.2) and yards per carry (5.8) as Week 6 began. The team's three backs - Brandon Jacobs (380 rushing yards, 3 TD), Ahmad Bradshaw (119 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 3 TD), and Derrick Ward (217 rushing yards, 8 receptions) - are collectively averaging a whopping 6.2 yards per carry. Jacobs was high man with 136 yards and two touchdowns on just 15 carries against Seattle. Manning enters Monday's game with a solid 99.7 passer rating on the season, and threw for a productive 267 yards and a pair of touchdowns with Burress serving a one-game team suspension last week. Special teams ace Domenik Hixon (10 receptions, 1 TD) had a big day, catching four balls totaling 102 yards and a touchdown. Former second-round pick Sinorice Moss also had his most productive outing as a pro, scoring the first two touchdowns of his career in the game. The Giants are sixth in NFL passing offense (249.8 yards per game), and Manning has been sacked only five times all year.

The Browns enter Week 6 ranked just 22nd in the league against the run (126 yards per game), but have nonetheless been talking tough in the days leading up to the Giants game. Mostly disappointing offseason acquisition and defensive tackle Corey Williams (14 tackles) made disparaging remarks about Jacobs and the Giants o-line in comments published on Friday, and will have to back up that chatter. Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers (18 tackles, 2 sacks) and linebackers D'Qwell Jackson (36 tackles, 1 INT) and Andra Davis (21 tackles) will be among the team's other primary run-stuffers. Cleveland ranks 10th in the league in passing defense (187 yards per game) thanks to decent play in the secondary by the likes of cornerbacks Eric Wright (23 tackles, 2 INT), Brandon McDonald (18 tackles), and safety Mike Adams (23 tackles, 2 INT). The pass rush has generated just six sacks, however, including only one by top pass rusher Kamerion Wimbley (13 tackles).

WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL

If the Browns are to have a chance to pull the upset, a passing attack that ranks dead last in the league (123.8 yards per game) must get going. Anderson (543 passing yards) and Edwards showed some signs of arising from their mutual slumber against the Bengals in Week 4, connecting on a four-yard touchdown pass to put Cleveland ahead in the fourth quarter. The presence of Stallworth, who has missed the first four games with a quadriceps injury, will theoretically help open things up for Edwards. The speedster caught 46 passes for 697 yards and three touchdowns as a member of the Patriots last season. If Winslow (19 receptions, 1 TD) is unavailable, Steve Heiden (1 reception) could see his minutes increase. In addition to their passing struggles, the Browns are just 25th in NFL rushing offense (87 yards per game), with Jamal Lewis (235 rushing yards, 1 TD, 9 receptions) averaging a mere 3.4 yards per carry. Lewis did score his first touchdown of the year against the Bengals, however.

The Giants have been dominant at times defensively in 2008, ranking second in the league against the pass (154 yards per game) and sixth against the run (82 yards per game). The pass rush that was supposed to be a trouble spot when Michael Strahan retired and Osi Umenyiora was lost for the season due to injury has risen to the challenge, with end Justin Tuck (17 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT) proving to be a matchup problem and tackle Fred Robbins (13 tackles, 4 sacks) bringing the lumber on the interior. The secondary has not produced a wealth of turnovers, but cornerbacks Aaron Ross (23 tackles) and Corey Webster (13 tackles, 1 sack) have been solid in coverage. In the run-stopping game, Robbins and Barry Cofield (13 tackles, 1 sack) have been exceptional at the point of attack, and middle linebacker Antonio Pierce (23 tackles, 1 sack) has been effective working behind them.

FANTASY FOCUS

The Giants have a number of solid fantasy options, with Manning, Burress, Jacobs, kicker John Carney, and the team's defense all appearing as starters in most leagues. Anyone who jumped on Hixon after his 100-yard week will probably be disappointed, however, since Burress' presence will take away some opportunities from all of the other New York pass-catchers.

If you built your fantasy team around one or several members of the Browns, you're in big trouble. Anderson looks to have turned back into a pumpkin, which has negatively impacted Edwards, Winslow, and even Lewis. The presence of Stallworth in the lineup this week could change things a bit, however, so keep an eye on the Cleveland offense moving forward. Stay away from the Browns defense as well, but think about using reliable kicker Phil Dawson.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Giants aren't completely invincible, as less-than-stellar halves of football against the Redskins, Rams, and Bengals, will attest. But New York always seems to wake up at the appropriate time, and has yet to be sunk by the truly glaring mistake that can turn a ball game. Don't expect the Giants to make that type of mistake on Monday, either. The Browns will come in fresh and rested following the bye week, and should be hyped to play the defending champs in primetime, but simply lack the playmakers on either side of the ball to finish the job against the Giants.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Giants 23, Browns 16