You wouldn’t expect Eli Manning to embrace the pressures of playing quarterback in New York. But to hear Manning talk, it’s all about being himself.

Rob Gronkowski‘s sprained left ankle continues to be the most talked about body part on the Patriots.

There they go. Four men with nine Super Rings between them, packed into a rollicking, pimped-out golf cart bursting at the seams.

The Patriots have lost three straight playoff games since their run to Super Bowl XLII. NFL Network’s Michael Lombardi breaks down what the Pats have to do to stop the skid Saturday night against Tim Tebow and the Broncos.

Eagles QB Michael Vick and Panthers WR Steve Smith joined NFL Network’s “Total Access” for the show’s “Open Locker Room” segment, and the open-ended conversation quickly turned to the Panthers’ record-setting rookie quarterback.

NFL Network’s second-half schedule of Thursday night games kicks off at 8 p.m. ET with an important divisional showdown, as Carson Palmer’s Oakland Raiders battle Philip Rivers’ San Diego Chargers for first place in the AFC West.

The Tim Tebow era got off to a memorable start in Miami Sunday, where the former Florida Gator looked terrible for three and a half quarters before rallying the Broncos to turn a 15-0 deficit with 2:39 left into an 18-15 overtime win.

Friday is the last chance to have your say in who wins top honors for last weekend’s games by voting for the NFL’s Hardest Working Man award, the Rookie of the Week, Air & Ground Player of the Week, and Never Say Never Moment of the Week.

The momentum of a previous week’s stirring comeback and opening at home in front of a raucous Monday Night Football crowd aren’t enough to convince our experts that the Cowboys will hand the Redskins their first loss of the year.

Week 2 Playbook picks

Cleveland Browns runningback Peyton Hillis poses for a portrait while visiting the NFL Network on Tuesday.

Cleveland Browns TE Ben Watson poses for a portrait while visiting the NFL Network studios on Tuesday.

Desmond Bishop, Jarrett Bush and Charlie Peprah pose for a portrait while visiting the NFL Network studio on Tuesday

Plaxico Burress poses for a portrait in the NFL Network Studio on Thursday.

Plaxico Burress sat down with Fran Charles on “NFL Total Access” Thursday to talk about his time in prison and the long road back to the NFL.