Giants rip Panthers behind RB Andre Brown

Eli Manning didn’t need a scintillating fourth-quarter comeback Thursday night.

The two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, running back Andre Brown and the rest of the New York Giants were too good for the first three quarters to need one.

Brown ran for a career-high 113 yards and two touchdowns in his first NFL start and the Giants routed the Carolina Panthers 36-7 in Charlotte, N.C.

Four days after rallying from 14 points down to beat Tampa Bay, the Giants dominated the first half, scoring on their first four possessions to build a 20-0 lead.

The defending champion Giants (2-1) were without three starters but it hardly mattered.

Brown got the start in place of Ahmad Bradshaw, who sat out with a neck injury. Ramses Barden caught nine passes for a career-high 138 yards in his first NFL start in place of Hakeem Nicks.

Manning completed 27 of 35 passes for 288 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Cam Newton struggled all night and was pressured into three interceptions. The Panthers (1-2) had five turnovers, including two by returner Joe Adams.

Mixing run and pass, the Giants dominated the opening half, outgaining the Panthers 303-125.

The Panthers didn’t get on the board until midway through the third quarter when Newton leaped over the pile from a yard out.

Jets’ Revis cleared, says ‘I’m playing’ vs. Miami

Darrelle Revis is back in action for the New York Jets.

The All-Pro cornerback was cleared Thursday for contact in practice for the first time since suffering a concussion in the team’s season opener. And, as far as Revis is concerned, there’s no doubt whether he’ll be on the field against the Dolphins in Miami.

“I’m playing,” Revis said after practice. “The doctors cleared me, so I’ll be playing Sunday.”

He has no more restrictions, and just to show how ready he is, Revis jokingly added: “I can bang my head on a wall if I want to.”

Coach Rex Ryan was also optimistic about Revis’ chances of playing Sunday, but said before practice that he’ll lean on the team’s doctors before saying the cornerback will definitely be on the field in Miami.

“If it’s not the final hurdle, I don’t want to be saying something that isn’t true,” Ryan said.

Young: ‘Betrayal’ caused financial problems

Former NFL quarterback Vince Young is downplaying what he calls “unfortunate” financial problems caused by the “betrayal” of trusted advisers.

“Yes, I need a job, who doesn’t. Yes, I want to be out there playing the game I love and earning a paycheck, who wouldn’t?” Young wrote on his Twitter account Wednesday.

Young has been out of a job since he was cut by the Bills in August. The tweet came after an Associated Press story detailed a series of legal entanglements over his finances and quoted his attorney as saying of the former Texas star’s financial status: “I would just say that Vince needs a job.”

Quick kicks

Chris Johnson doesn’t believe he is solely to blame for the Tennessee Titans’ rushing woes. The former 2,000-yard rusher, who signed a $53 million extension last season, has gained only 21 yards on 19 carries this season. “I’m only going to be as good as my line is going to be,” he said. “We’ve got to work together and get better.” … Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren plans to meet with Jim Brown in the next few days in hopes of patching up his rift with the Hall of Fame running back. Brown has been at odds with Holmgren since he was relieved of his duties as a senior adviser to owner Randy Lerner, who is selling the team to Jimmy Haslam III.