You've watched NFL Live. You've seen NFL Total Access. You've read and/or seen every analyst’s 2008 NFL season predictions. They all have one thing in common...
No one seems to allow the possibility of the New York Football Giants repeating as Super Bowl Champions to enter their mind. Heck, they haven't even been given a chance to play a postseason game!
"Oh, it's the Super Bowl hangover! They're satisfied with winning it all last year."
I believe in a Super Bowl hangover as much as I believe in the Madden Curse (not at all). Yes, Super-Bowl-winning teams have been known to fall off the wagon the following year, so to speak.
However, the Denver Broncos (‘97/’98) and New England Patriots (‘03/’04) have set precedents for the opposite of that result in recent years.
The New York Giants may not repeat again, but for anyone to count them out of even having a chance to defend their title is perplexing. I already know what is coming, too.
People will say the following:
- They play in the toughest division in football, known as the NFC East.
- The Dallas Cowboys look poised for a serious playoff run.
- Michael Strahan, Gibril Wilson, Kawika Mitchell, and Jeremy Shockey have left the team.
- Plaxico Burress’s ankle is still injured.
- Eli Manning needs to prove his consistency.
These are all valid reasons as to why the Giants may not repeat.
Yet, I find it hard to believe that fans, writers, and analysts alike forget a few minor details (sarcasm).
For starters, the Giants are one of the youngest teams in the NFL. Their Super Bowl victory was not like the Baltimore Ravens' in 2000 or Tampa Bay Buccaneers' in 2002, where the winning teams consisted of a handful of veterans. Rather, the Giants are a nice combination of veterans and young talent that stepped up big time.
Offensively, the G-Men are incredibly deep at running back. The depth chart consists of Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and the returning Derrick Ward. For those that have a bit of memory loss, Ward was a former seventh-round pick that rushed for 602 yards and three touchdowns in eight games.
At Ward's rate, he would have been on pace for 1,000 rushing yards, had it not been for a fibula injury that ended his season Week 13. Ward may not have been on the Super Bowl squad, but he was a key component in the Giants winning six-straight games during the regular season and obtaining a wild-card spot.
Jeremy Shockey is noticeably absent. Despite the lack of the former Pro Bowl tight end in their lineup, Kevin Boss proved he could hang with the best during Super Bowl XLII for Big Blue.
21 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Craig Garrison Sr 10 months ago
You should be much more hopeful of Manningham getting serious playing time, he is likely on his way to being one of the steals of the 08 draft. You should also hope that S. Moss isn't needed very much, if he even makes the team, he isn't his brother.
And Eli hasn't really proven anything yet. He had a great run at the right time, along with the rest of the Giants, which is cool, I wish I could say the same in regards to the Skins, but to make it 2 years in a row will take a bit more, they have the target now, and for every "tough" game they have on the schedule, you can magnify it my 5, or 10, or a whole lot!
The NFC East is going to be VERY FUN TO WATCH, nice read.
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Vinny Gazzara 10 months ago
Santana Moss isnt very good either... he single handedly killed my fantasy team last year. And Eli did prove something. He proved he does not fold under pressure (see Tony Romo) and he proved he can be a great QB
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Craig Garrison Sr 10 months ago
If being a "great" quarterback means 4 pretty good games in a row, then, yeah, I guess he proved that. That is NOT my definition of a great quarterback however. But I would take him over Romo in a heartbeat, just don't like Romo for some strange reason(LOL), maybe the team he's on has something to do with it?
S. Moss certainly had a crappy year last year, and not so good a year before that for that matter, but when was the last time the Giants had more than ONE WR and ONE TE catch more than 50 balls? S. Moss has been more productive than all your WRs except Buress and Shockey(who is no longer on your team) since he came to Washington, including last year, which was an injury plagued year with paranoid coaching and play calling.
And if S. Moss "single handedly killed my fantasy team last year", then you must have thought he might good or you wouldn't have drafted him at all. Did you draft his brother? Or Toomer? Or Smith?
You should draft Manningham this year though, I will be shocked if doesn't have a significant impact by the end of the year. Smith could well have a break out year as well.
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
Eli threw three interceptions that were dropped on that game winning drive... not sure he proved he wouldn't fold under pressure... I think he proved the Patriots' defense would fold under pressure...
Give anyone enough chances and eventually Ellis Hobbs will fall down and he'll hit an open WR for a touchdown...
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Shaun Ahmad 10 months ago
I agree with Craig and Sean. A very good 4 game stretch is not enough to annoint someone a "great quarterback". There are only a few great quarterbacks in the leauge (Brady, Manning, Palmer and maybe Romo and Brees). Eli doesn't fit the bill.
I agree that the Giants won't have a letdown, but because of their competition and schedule, I don't see them finishing higher than 8-8. Put them in the NFC West and they'd have two to three more wins. Similar to the SEC, the NFC East teams will beat each other up to a pulp.
Good work and a nice read though!
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Vinny Gazzara 10 months ago
I didnt say Eli was a great qb. I said he can be. and Santana Moss was my 8th or 9th rd pick, which means barley anyone thought he would be good. And what you said about Sinorice Moss, If your gonna complain about Santana having injury plagued seasons.. Sinorice's whole career has been nagging injury after nagging injury, and he claims that to be behind him. I was up in UAlbany about a week or so ago, and Sinorice is looking better than ever. I would be shocked to see him be cut this year.
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Michael Schlossberg 10 months ago
Craig "ELI hasn't proven anything yet" You're kidding I hope? In front of the whole world with 2:42 left after Tom Brady did what he always does in the Super Bowl and lead his team to the game winning drive... ELI in a big spot is about as good as anyone... Think about the Packers game in the frozen Tundra and the poise he exhibits... The way to evaluate a QB is if can he lead your team to the game winning drive in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl.... You wish Jason Campbell or Todd Collins could be clutch in the big spot... Sure Eli is inconsistent and at times looks horrible but if you're gonna say he hasn't proven anything that is entirely not accurate...
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Craig Garrison Sr 10 months ago
Toomer had 59 last year, and 60 in 05, but my point remains, to say S. Moss isn't good, is a bit of an exaggeration, and certainly not worth comparisons with his brother who is yet to do NOTHING yet. He may, but as of yet, nothing.
He may not even make the Giants roster this year.
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Steven Resnick 10 months ago
The Giants will be lucky to go 8-8. Last seasons team was a fluke and they were lucky to make the playoffs. I'm just glad the Patriots lost, but Eli Manning is an average qb. He's nothing special in fact I believe in last years Superbowl it was a case of who cares if the Patriots win or if the Giants win it? Manning is a disgrace for how he acted, like a little girl when the Chargers wanted to draft him and the Patriots for the spy scandal. So, please keep your dreams to yourself because even if you're the most dieharded Giants fan, you do realize that it was a fluke superbowl win.
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Vinny Gazzara 10 months ago
No Super Bowl win can be a fluke.
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Fred Richani 10 months ago
Excuse me if I sound like a Homer, but last time I checked, the Giants beat the No. 1 and 2 seeds in the NFC Playoffs along with probably the greatest offensive unit football had seen in the New England Patriots. Fluke? I don't know about that.
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Sean Crowe 10 months ago
The Super Bowl win wasn't a fluke. Their defense was playing better outer-worldly in that game. They deserved to win.
Eli not blowing the game for them was the fluke.....
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Brian 10 months ago
"He's nothing special in fact I believe in last years Superbowl it was a case of who cares if the Patriots win or if the Giants win it?"
Maybe for you that was the case, but that comment is really just stupid... that Super Bowl received the highest television ratings of any Super Bowl, ever!
I would hardly call Eli a "disgrace" for acting upon a preference as to where he wanted to play professional football for many years, but I do agree that the situation wasn't a very fair one. He probably shouldn't have entered the draft if he was unwilling to play anywhere he was drafter to.
He's also not the only person in sports to ever do this, if anything his situation was handled much better than other similar situations (Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee Bucks/ JD Drew Philadelphia Phillies).
There is no such thing as a fluke Super Bowl win.
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Craig Garrison Sr 10 months ago
Vinny, list the Giants 5/6 wide receivers staying on the roster. You will likely see what I am talking about. Moss will be lucky to make the team.
And I hope like crazy the Giants think the way you do, cuz if they convince themselves that S. Moss "is no good", then he can start off his season on a very healthy note against your G-Men.
Appreciating/respecting/understanding realities doesn't mean being a fan, it's called being realistic. And BTW, everyone(almost everyone)already knew Eli "can be" a great quarterback, that means nothing. With you needing to phrase that in that manner, why bother saying it? Eli has proven nothing yet, he had a great run, the team joined him in that run, just enjoy it. It won't carry into this year, such runs never do. That's history, not hyperbole.
Do you REALLY think that since the Giants beat the Patriots in one game, that creates a matter of fact: the Giants are BETTER than the Patriots? If so, the Redskins are BETTER than the Giants cuz the Skins beat the Giants the last time we played. Take a more realistic view of your team, and you'll likely see that they are a good team, but there is no single player that differentiates himself from the rest of the division. These teams will enter the season very evenly matched, it will be intangibles that make the difference.
Don't be so freaky, if you write opinions here, you will be challenged, and I haven't yet read a solid response. Come on, you can do better.
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Vinny Gazzara 10 months ago
Let me rephrase myself. I did make it sound like Santana Moss sucked, which he doesnt, hes quite good, especially if you add hes ST value.( by the way when you say S.Moss i have no clue who your talking about lol). Also, where are you coming from saying that I said the Giants are better than the Pats? Its very obvious they are the best, but any team can beat any team on any given day (The Ravens should have beat the Pats, but lost due to a blown call, then went on and lost to Miami).
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Craig Garrison Sr 10 months ago
There are way too many Moss's in the NFL, LOL.
Sorry if I misread your post, but I had the impression that you were saying that with the run they went on last year, they had reached that level, and would stay there this year.
it's going to be fun one way or the other, that's for sure.
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Vinny Gazzara 10 months ago
Yeah all 4 teams in the NFC East are going to be pretty good. My bet is that 3 of them go to the playoffs again. It will be great to watch.
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Steven Resnick 10 months ago
No one in their right mind believes that the Giants will even make it back to the Super Bowl.
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Michael Schlossberg 10 months ago
please tell me why they can't make the super bowl? the NFC is absolutely wide open.. which team do you think is gonna make it... the cowboys? wake me up when Tony Romo doesn't choke in the big spot.. you think the vikings will be there? what about when Adrien Peterson shows how injury prone he is and Tavaris Jackson just shows how terrible he is?
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Fred Richani 10 months ago
Exactly, Michael. The NFC is still wide open. While the Cowboys will be a great regular season team, frankly, I don't think they have enough leadership and cohesiveness. When a coach named Wade Phillips talks about having a ring finger without even winning a playoff game...well I'll leave it at that. No disrespect to fans and their favorite NFC teams of choice either. The Redskins have a lot of potential, so do the Vikings, Bucs, and Seahawks.
Personally, whichever teams come out of the NFC East SHOULD be the favorites. In my opinion, it's going to be the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, along with the Redskins. If you asked me to pick my favorite out of those three, I'm going with the champs.
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Fred Richani 10 months ago
This article was written before Osi Umenyiora's injury. Very discouraging for a faithful Giants fan.
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