Bleacher Report - Articles by Louis Giangarra

How Necessary is the Third QB for the New York Giants?

Louis Giangarra — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:01:54 -0400

When a team has as much talent across the board as the Giants do, every roster spot is important. With that thought in mind, the Giants elected to keep only two QBs active last season. Both Eli Manning and David Carr have shown to be extremely tough and durable QBs in their careers and the Giants decided not to keep a third guy.

Most pundits across the media would look at this type of move as "risky," but why? Is it because something like this is rarely done so it must be a risk? Looking at the stats what the Giants did wasn't risky at all, it was logical.

If the Giants were to do the same thing this season, they would stash their third QB on the practice squad just like last season. The "risk" here is that another team could pluck that player and leave the Giants without their third backup.

However, when you pluck a player off another team's practice squad, that team is required to activate the player to the roster immediately.

That means the only team that would ever do that would have already gone through at least two of their own QBs and possibly three or four, before taking a guy not even deemed talented enough to be the primary backup.

So who actually uses three QBs in a typical NFL season? In 2008 only three teams had three QBs throw at least 20 passes. They were:

Detroit: Kitna (120 att), Culpepper (115 att), Orlovsky (255 att)

Cleveland: Brady (89 att), Anderson (283 att), Dorsey (91 att), Gradkowski (21 att)

KC: Thigpen (420 att) , Croyle (29 att), Huard (81 att)

Of these teams, only Cleveland would have fallen under the category described as possible practice squad poachers and even they didn't do it to get Gradkowski when they needed him. Cleveland signed him off the street probably because he had some NFL experience where as practice squad players almost certainly don't.

Maybe that was just an aberration. Just to be sure, here are the numbers for 2007:

Miami: Lemon (309) Green (141) Beck (107)

Oakland: McCown (190) Culpepper (186) Russell (66)

Atlanta: Leftwhich (58) Harrington (348) Redman (149)

Carolina: Delhomme (86) Carr (136) Testaverde (172) Moore (111)

Minnesota: Jackson (294) Holcombe (83) Bollinger (50)

Of those teams, the only possible poachers would be the Panthers as they had to go so far as to pull Testaverde off the scrap heap. Just like Cleveland last year, they chose to go with a guy off the street who had NFL experience rather than take a chance on a young guy who has not taken one snap in the NFL.

Neither of those teams were successful with their choices, but that's what happens when you lose two QB's to injury in the same season. The third QB is third for a reason: he's not as talented as the other guys ahead of him.

In the unlikely event the third QB is poached and the team ends up needing him, (both of which are extreme long shots) they are just as well picking a retread off the street as they would be throwing a rookie project into the fire.

So the final question becomes, where is that roster spot best used? Would they get more from it if they kept a player like David Tyree who performs on special teams but might not make the squad due to the numbers at WR, or would they get more from that spot by keeping Rhett Bomar or Andre Woodson?

The answer to that question remains to be seen but its certainly something to keep an eye on as training camp progresses.

Does David Tyree Make New York Giants' Final Roster?

Louis Giangarra — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:28:19 -0400

It seems like yesterday he was making that catch.

You know the one: Leaping into the air as high as his legs would take him, pinning the ball with one hand against his helmet, securing it with the other hand as he came crashing to the ground on top of Rodney Harrison.

David Tyree is a New York Giants' legend, but now it seems like he's fighting for a roster spot.

Looking at the dearth of wide receivers currently on the Giants' roster, it's obvious why an uphill struggle appears ahead of Tyree this time around. Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, and Ramses Barden are locks to make the team. Sinorice Moss has been the star of every mini-camp he's been healthy enough to attend.

That's six receivers before we get to the hero of Super Bowl XLII, so is there room for number seven?

It turns out there is room; all you have to do is get a little creative.

Tyree was never expected to play wide receiver for the Giants. He wasn't drafted for his ability to catch a football or run a pass route. He was drafted for his ability to cover kicks and catch punts at the goal line.

Coming off a season full of injuries, Tyree is going to have to prove he's healthy enough to fulfill his role as a special teams ace, and that is the battle he is going to have to fight to make the team.

The trick is to not think of Tyree as a wide receiver at all. If you look at him simply as a Pro-Bowl special teams' performer, it's not as easy to let him hit the streets. Pro Bowl-caliber players don't grow on trees.

Last season, the Giants kept five running backs on the team: Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny Ware, and Reuben Droughns. Of those five, only three ever saw meaningful game action as a running back. Ward has moved on to Tampa Bay, and Droughns may be looking at retirement. Brown was drafted to replace one of the departed running back roster spots, but the other is open. Tyree may fit into that currently vacant spot.

Also, last season, the Giants kept two place kickers on the roster for the entire season. Lawrence Tynes and John Carney split the duties after Tynes suffered an injury during training camp. This season, the job belongs to Tynes alone, and that means another spot opens up on the final roster.

Ultimately, whether Tyree makes this team should come down to how healthy his legs are. If he's back at 100 percent, there is no reason to think he can't provide as much value to the team on special teams as any other starter does on offense or defense.

A healthy Tyree is a valuable commodity, and it should be comforting for Giants fans to know that if he's up for it, Tyree should be around at least another year.

The Moss Is Growing in East Rutherford

Louis Giangarra — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:45:40 -0400

Keeping in mind that training camp is still over a month away, there has been some grumblings around Giants mini-camp about a certain diminutive wide receiver playing much bigger than his size.

Sinorice Moss has been catching everything in sight and doing it while beating a group of very solid corners. To this point, he's been on a mission to prove that he's not the bust many fans and media folks have labeled him as.

"It’s very exciting," Moss said. "I had some minor setbacks my first year. I got injured. Things happen. I still had a positive attitude, and still to this day have a positive attitude every time I step in this locker room, to go out there and show these coaches why I’m here on this team."

He's on this team because of his blazing speed and ability break one every time he touches the ball. The problem with Moss has never been his talent as much as his ability to actually see the field.

Starting with his rookie season, Moss has suffered a series of injuries which have kept him off the practice field. This has led to questions about both his durability and his toughness. It's one thing to get hurt, but its entirely another to get hurt and never recover.

“I feel like I can do so many things with the ball in my hands,” Moss said. “It’s just about me getting the opportunity to show that."

Moss was never at the top of the depth chart. But the only way to climb to that status is to impress at practice and translate that success on Sunday. For the first time in his career, Moss seems determined to do just that.

This seemingly sudden change in attitude for Moss could be due to the fact that his roster spot is anything but guaranteed this year, or also because his contract runs out at the end of it. Either way, Moss has every incentive in the world to prove he can play at this level.

The time is now for Moss.

Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer are gone, so playing time is truly up for grabs to whoever wants it most. If these first couple mini-camps are any indication, it looks like Moss might be that guy.

New Digs Lead to New Routes For Giants WRs

Louis Giangarra — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:26:24 -0400

Apparently during practice in recent seasons, one of the most successful franchises in the NFL could not complete a pass over 40 yards on their own field. That was because their practice bubble was only 55 yards long, and the roof prohibited any deep balls from being thrown.

"If I was playing defensive back," Coach Tom Coughlin said, "I think I could take the underneath stuff away and count on the wall behind me in the bubble to run guys into. The quarterback is not going to run a guy into the wall."

That will not be a problem any more as the Giants have moved into a state of the art new facility with much more appealing dimensions for Eli Manning and his speedy group of wide receivers.

"In the bubble you always had to worry about running the guys into the back of the end zone," Manning said. "You'd naturally see it, and you'd be scared to let some balls fly. If you threw it on time it wouldn't be a problem, but sometimes you'd have to move around and you'd make a late read and that prevented you from doing some stuff."

The new field is a full 100 yards long and provides much more room outside the lines to allow for receivers to finish their routes without fear of bouncing off a wall.

The defense and offense used to have to share a field roughly half the size of the current one, but now they each get their own half and can even run a scrimmage should the coach request one.

"The new turf, along with being able to run deep routes, is a tremendous help," Domenik Hixon said. "If the ball is thrown to the sideline you are able to catch it and run a solid seven to 10 steps without having to slow down."

There is also another added benefit to the new field that Hixon has discovered.

"All the space for punting is there. You can catch punts, which is another big thing, too," Hixon said. "For us returners, we were talking about catching punts in there. It's great."

Even the cornerbacks can feel the difference, and are benefiting from the changes.

"The field house makes it more realistic," Corey Webster said. "I like it better in the field house. In the bubble, you were not really aware of your situation. It was a 60-yard field, so you'd think, 'They can't go deep, so you can slow down.' This way you get the real feel of how it's going to be in the game."

The new digs are getting rave reviews from offense and defense alike. They will be able to be even better prepared for their weekly opponents than they were in previous seasons. Judging by their record in the recent past, that can only be bad news for the rest of the league when the come to town to play the Giants.

Super Mario Trying to Fill Some Big Shoes

Louis Giangarra — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:29:58 -0400

The first day of OTA's have been completed and among the early standouts is last year's third round pick, Mario Manningham.

Manningham was getting open with ease, especially deep down the field, and also showed a great ability to adjust to an imperfect throw.

This season, he is among the many options at the WR position that have to step up in the wake of losing both starters from last season. Manningham seems to be up for the challenge.

"I'm excited," Manningham said. "I want to go out there and show everybody what I can do, show everybody that I can compete. That's why I'm here."

When the Giants drafted Manningham, it was considered a steal at the time. He was coming off a college career in which he caught 137 passes for over 2,000 yards, including 27 touchdowns. He was supposed to be the deep threat the Giants have been looking for.

Unfortunately for him, an injury derailed Manningham's season before it even got started. In training camp last season, Manningham suffered a hamstring injury that forced him off the field during those most valuable early season practices. He never quite recovered.

This year, however, Manningham seems poised to make up for that lost season and show that he truly is worthy of his high draft status.

"I can just go out there and let my athleticism take over," said Manningham. "When you're a rookie, you're going out there trying to remember the play and getting your splits down right. You don't remember half the play. I'm better. Way better. It's just going out there and playing now."

This season the Giants have two new rookies in Hakeem Nick and Ramses Barden itching to get some time on the field.

They also have two young veterans who have established some camaraderie with Eli Manning already. In the end though, the biggest weapon of the group could very well turn out to be the forgotten man of the group.

We may well be hearing "Manning to Manningham for a touchdown!" more often than anybody might think.

NYG Rookie Preview Round 2a: Clint Sintim

Louis Giangarra — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:44:56 -0400

"You can never have too many pass rushers." - Ernie Accorsi.

The philosophy of stockpiling quality pass rushers became famous when Accorsi made that statement following the selection of Mathias Kiwanuka. The controversy surrounding the pick was not because Kiwanuka lacked talent, but instead about the position he played. With Pro Bowlers Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora as well as emerging super star Justin Tuck, it was hard to see where Kiwanuka would fit in.

Undeterred, the Giants GM made his selection and history has shown him to be correct.

Clint Sintim, from the University of Virginia, built his college career around rushing the passer. He developed a series of moves that allowed him to get to the quarterback with ease. Once again a debate raged on draft day following his selection.

As was the case with Kiwanuka, the debate was not whether Sintim was a good player, but instead about the type of system he played in at Virginia. Sintim was the pass rushing OLB in the Cavaliers' 3-4 defense. The Giants, on the other hand, run a 4-3 defense that relies on the defensive line to pressure the quarterback.

One person who is not worried about Sintim's transition is his former coach Al Groh.

“In the 3-4 defense, on regular downs, the outside linebackers are the primary pass rushers," Groh said. “On third down when we went to nickel and dime fronts, he became the equivalent to a defensive end on the outside. He’s done it both ways. He’s had a lot of his sacks as a first and second down rusher out of the regular 3-4 defense but he’s got a good awareness of how to rush the passer. He’s going to have a pretty good foundation. He’ll have a lot of things to learn about rushing in the NFL, but he’ll have a good foundation to start with.”

The early plan is for Sintim to see some specialized situations this season and not play every down. Mostly he will be on the field to rush the passer but could play himself into the starting SLB position with a solid training camp. With Kiwanuka staying put as the 3rd DE, an opening for a player of similar skills was created among the linebackers. That is where Sintim will likely step in.

When Kiwanuka was a LB, he rarely played that position on passing downs. Instead he would move up to the line and put his hand in the grass to rush the passer or he would just move to the sideline.

Sintim will not be asked to provide much in terms of pass coverage or run stuffing in his first season, but he will be asked to show off some of the moves he learned to bring down some of the shifty QBs that play in the NFC East.

In a couple seasons, Sintim will likely develop into a very solid SLB. Fortunately for him, and the Giants, there is no rush for his development. With a tremendous group of talented defenders around him, he will only be asked to do what he does best: kill the QB.

NYG Rookie Preview Round One: Hakeem Nicks

Louis Giangarra — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:45:35 -0400

When the Giants' first turn to pick came up on draft day, there were a couple of appealing options to choose from.

They needed a LB, and there were certainly some of the big names still on the board, but instead they picked the best player available: Hakeem Nicks.

Of all the wide receiver prospects in the draft, Nicks was widely considered the most NFL ready. This of course stems from the type of offense Butch Davis runs at North Carolina.

While most college teams have turned to the spread offense to score points in bunches, North Carolina has stuck with a more traditional NFL offense where they run the ball and receivers run the same routes the pros do.

Davis has seen his fair share of stud receivers during his time as a coach. He was at the University of Miami when Andre Johnson, Santana Moss, and Reggie Wayne were catching everything in site and was the position coach for Michael Irvin. He thinks Nicks stacks up with any of them.

"He’s a mature kid. He’s got excellent work ethic. He loves to play, loves to complete. And he’s got just terrific hands. He’s got as good a set of hands hands catching the ball as anybody I’ve ever been around," Davis said.

Of all the guys hes coached, Davis compared Nicks most favorably to Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.

"You don’t want to put the burden on a kid coming in his rookie year, but a lot of his physical attributes are very similar to Michael Irvin. He’s big, he’s physical, he catches the ball over the middle, he’s got the ability to play physical when people are draped all over him as they’re going to be in the National Football League."

Nicks put himself in the national spotlight with an epic performance against West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

After gaining 217 yards and three TDs, Hakeem Nicks was a house hold name.

Through all the workouts, the combine, and pro days the one constant characteristic about his game was that he did not drop many passes—always a nice skill to have as a wide receiver.

From his first mini camp, the ability to catch the football was on display. Over the three days of camp, Nicks only missed one ball while pulling down a couple of highlight reel catches to make up for it.

Though it was only one camp, the results were promising and Nicks stood out as one of the best players on the field.

What most scouts labeled as his biggest flaw was the lack of top end speed. Nicks ran a respectable time at the combine, but certainly not the blazing number that a guy like Darius Heyward-Bey put up.

In the NFL, though, its not all about speed. If you're fast enough you can still be effective and Nicks is certainly that.

Scouts complained about Jerry Rice's and Anquan Boldin's speed as well, but it didn't seem to effect their performance on the field too much.

Nicks will have some big shoes to fill. The team is going to look to Nicks to step up right away and by the end of the season should be starting in the spot vacated by Plaxico Burress.

It's hard for any rookie to step into the NFL and have success, particularly at the wide receiver position, but if anybody has the talent and the preparation to buck the odds it's Nicks.

The Giants will be counting on him.

A Team and a Season We Will Never Forget

Louis Giangarra — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:16:13 -0400

My father was 30 years old when I was born. Until then, he had never seen the New York Giants play in a Super Bowl, let alone win one. It was an excruciating time to be a Giants fan.

In the 26 years since then, the Giants have played in four Super Bowls and won three of them.

You're welcome, Giants fans.

Having to pick one team out of so many seemed like a much tougher task than it turned out to be. While I loved so many of the teams over the past 26 years, one stood out.

Of all the Giants Super Bowl teams, the 2007-08 version was not the most talented, that honor goes to the 1986 team.

They were not the best coached, that was the 1990 team. What they were, however, were the most memorable and remarkable Super Bowl team in Giants history and their legacy started before the playoffs did.

When the undefeated New England Patriots pompously strolled into Giants Stadium for their regular season finale, they offered their opponent a choice. The Giants were going to the playoffs, had their seeding all locked up, and presumably resting their guys would do the team some good.

Why on earth would they want to risk injury just to try and win a meaningless game? They would because Tom Coughlin is smarter than the rest of us.

What Coughlin knew was that this game was not about finishing 11-5 vs 10-6. This game was about instilling confidence in his troops. It was about Coughlin telling his team and the rest of the football watching world that HIS team was better.

He believed it, and after his decision, so did the Giants.

Super Bowl XLII was supposed to be the celebration of the first undefeated team in a 16 game NFL season. It was supposed to be where Tom Brady and Bill Belichick took their places among the greatest of all-time. Even the sports books were giving the Patriots two touchdowns, which ranked as the second widest point spread of any Super Bowl.

It was as if everybody quickly had forgotten what happened just one short month ago.

The Giants didn't forget.

From the opening possession, the Giants showed they belonged. They marched down the field converting third down after third down, consuming most of the first quarter all by themselves and ended the drive by putting points on the board.

After a Patriots touchdown on their first drive, the teams played to a standstill until the fourth quarter started.

The Giants were pounding Brady in a way he had never been pounded. The offensive line of the Patriots, widely considered one of the best in the league, were being manhandled by the front four of the Giants. They simply could not block Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Michael Strahan.

In the end the Giants needed a last second two minute drill, including the greatest play in Super Bowl history, to make the team one of the most improbable champions of all time. Celebration raced across the country from everybody who loved the Giants to everybody who just hated the Patriots.

It was a moment that any fan of the New York Giants will never forget.

This team is my favorite team for a few reasons. They were counted out long before the playoffs even started. Some thought they might not even qualify for the playoffs in the first place. They took their criticisms, they took all the bad press, and they used it to their advantage.

They didn't run away and hide; they faced it head on and became immortal because of it.

Coughlin etched himself in Giants lore by declaring they would give their best effort to beat the Patriots in the regular season. He felt he owed it to the other teams in the league and to the sport itself to make this a real game.

He is an old school coach with old school principles like this. Not many coaches, if any at all, would have made that decision, but those coaches would not have ended the season by holding the Super Bowl trophy proudly over their heads either.

Coughlin, who had almost been fired before the season even began, could now say he was the best coach in football for at least one year. Manning, who had been booed and screamed at by opposing fans and Giants fans alike during his up-and-down career, put together a playoff run in which he was at his absolute best.

They would not have won that Super Bowl if any other player had been their QB during those games. Strahan and Amani Toomer, two eternal New York Giants in every sense of the phrase, finally got to say they were Super Bowl Champions.

After all those years playing when the team was horrible, they had earned this title as much as anybody. Nobody was happier for them than the Giants fans across the nation who had the privilege of watching them play the game for all these years.

Watching Brady and Belichick and all of the Boston fans writing the Super Bowl off as a foregone conclusion was irritating at best. I had hoped the Giants felt as angry about this nonsense as I did and as it turned out they did.

They played that game with a fire and determination that was two full weeks in the making. Being told over and over again that you have no chance to do something will motivate just about anybody to go above and beyond anything they have ever achieved before.

That's exactly what happened to this team. They rose to the occasion in the face of everybody in the world who doubted them. That's why they are special and that's why they are my favorite team.

For Giants Offense, Looking to the Future Requires a Blast From the Past

Louis Giangarra — Thu, 21 May 2009 13:40:09 -0400

The loss of Plaxico Burress is going to affect the New York Giants offense. The results of the last five games played without Burress speak for themselves. In order to overcome this obstacle, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride is going to need to make some adjustments to his schemes and play calling. He won't have to look far to see the blueprint for what should be a very successful and high powered offense.

In 2007 the Giants fielded and up and down offense. At times they looked unstoppable and other times they could not get out of their own way. Then, in Week 15, something happened that changed the course of the offense and propelled Eli Manning into the most successful stretch of his career: Jeremy Shockey broke his leg.

Now, Shockey was one of the most dangerous offensive weapons on the field. Losing him was likely to hurt the Giants, not help them. However, in order to compensate for the loss of one of their biggest play makers Gilbride and the Giants had to revamp their offense on the fly. No longer was the passing game being used to pick up huge chunks of yards at a time. They couldn't continue with that offense because they didn't have a presence in the middle of the field. Instead they started to use the passing game to move the chains and relied heavily on the run.

This past season, it seemed the Giants entered the year running the same offense they had previously used before the Shockey injury. Only this time the running game was so much stronger than the passing game was complimentary at best. When they needed a big play, though, they could always toss one up to Burress and usually he would come down with it. Defenses had to respect that presence and the running game thrived because of it.

When Burress was lost for the season, there was no threat on the outside. Domenick Hixon performed admirably and did the best he could, but Plaxico Burress he is not. Teams could load up on the running game and man up on the receivers that the Giants put out on the field. This situation desperately cried for the same adjustment they had previously gone to. Namely short quick passes to move the chains while the running game moved the ball. This time the adjustment never came and the Giants season ended sooner than it should have.

The Giants are entering the 2009 season with a very solid stable of wide receivers but no unstoppable presence. That's why the adjustment needs to happen. They need to do away with long bombs which are hard to complete and easy to defend when you don't have a guy like Burress on the field. Gilbride will need to look deep into his bag of tricks and pull out the Super Bowl game plan he put together in 2007. He needs to put Manning and his receivers in the best position to win. That means short passes, easy completions, and long sustained drives for points.

A simple tweak in the offensive game plan could be the difference between the Giants fielding one of the most potent offenses in football and just having and up and down erratic group that sometimes can't get out of their own way.

Twenty Questions I'd Like to Ask Osi Umenyiora

Louis Giangarra — Wed, 20 May 2009 13:33:23 -0400

Seriously, who's the better pass rusher you or Demarcus Ware?
What has it been like going from being great friends and teammates with him to now being rivals in the same division?
You were born in London where the word football means something completely different, did you ever think about a career in American football while you were growing up?
The NFL has had internal discussions about playing a Super Bowl in London at some point. What do you think about that possibility?
When did you first decide to strap on the pads and how did you come to that decision? Did anybody influence you?
In high school, who would you say was your favorite player to watch?
Every year you try to make a trip to Nigeria, what do you do while you are over there and why do you make it an annual trip?
Everybody agrees that the best game of your career so far was in 2007 when you sacked McNabb six times, but what would you say is your most memorable game?
Whenever the cameras catch you on the sidelines or during warm ups you seem to be smiling and having fun. Are you really having as much fun as it seems like you are when step out on the field?
You're coming off a pretty serious knee injury, how has the rehab gone and are you 100 percent yet?
Was this the first major injury of your career?
What sort of personal expectations do you have for the 2009 season?
What about for the team? What do you expect from them?
Between yourself, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, and now Chris Canty the Giants have four very talented players at that position. How do you expect everybody to get enough playing time?
Has there ever been any discussions in regards to playing time in the past between teammates?
The defense last season was among the best in the league. With the additions of Canty, Boley, Bernard, Sintim, and yourself how good can this defense be next season?
The Giants also had to replace their defensive coordinator. Have you had a chance to meet with Bill Sheridan yet and what if anything have you heard will be different with his schemes?
You were able to learn from one of the best DE's to ever play the game in Michael Strahan, what are some of the things he was able to teach you? Besides of course skip training camp every chance you get.
Strahan has made a smooth transition to television and while you were rehabbing we couldn't help but see you on ESPN a few times. What advice has he given you about life after football and do you see it as a possibility for your career after you hang them up?
Be honest, are you going to watch his new sitcom titled "Brothers" this fall? Do you think he will be able to remember all those lines?

Giants, Eagles Class of the NFC East

Louis Giangarra — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:47:30 -0400

The toughest division in football just keeps getting tougher every year. The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants have improved on teams that made the playoffs last year, the Dallas Cowboys are only one year removed from what many considered to be the best team in the league going into the season, and the Redskins took their fifth ranked defense and added the best defensive player in the NFL to it.

This has all the makings of a blood bath, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Playing in a tough division is both a blessing and a curse. Certainly its easier to win your division if the teams you're facing are not exactly elite, but once you get to the playoffs every team is good. Teams coming out of the NFC East are battled tested. They beat up on each other every season and whoever is left standing is fully prepared for the brutal playoff battles that await them.

This season the best two teams in the NFC may well both be in this division. The Giants earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs last season and have improved on that team in a number of different areas.

The loss of Plaxico Burress will be felt, but the additions on the defensive line, as well as to the receiving corps will more than make up for that loss. The Giants come into the season as the favorites in the NFC once again and will now have to live up to that billing on the field.

The Eagles squeezed into the playoffs last year but made a ton of noise once they got there including taking out the top seeded Giants. They have since added a Pro Bowl Left Tackle in Jason Peters and drafted two new weapons for Donovan McNabb to use in Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy.

There are still some question marks on defense and the loss of their leader, Jim Johnson, to his battle with cancer may hurt them more than anything else, but this team will be loaded and ready to win each and every week.

The Cowboys came into last season with Super Bowl dreams dancing in their heads. What they got was a dose of reality. They learned the hard way that preseason rankings do not mean a thing in this division. Instead of cruising through the season, they suffered big losses and eventually found themselves looking up at both the Giants and Eagles in the division.

The Cowboy still have a lot of talent on the squad and will be a tough opponent, but for right now they are stuck looking up at their two rivals.

The Redskins had a very strong defense last year but their offense just could not score enough points to win games. So obviously the first order of business would be to go out and spend $100 million on a Defensive Tackle. Albert Haynesworth will be a force in the middle of that defense but he does not solve any of the problems on offense that plagued the team all year.

They have also managed to alienate their quarterback Jason Campbell by continuing to try and trade or replace him at every turn. When the worst team in the division fields a top five defense that has only gotten stronger since the end of the season, you know you're talking about a loaded group.

The NFC East should bring at least two teams into the playoffs this season and both of those teams, whoever they are, will be among the favorites to make it to the Super Bowl. That's the nature of playing in this division.

If you make it out alive, you know you're on of the best in the conference and maybe the league. It won't be easy getting through this muder's row of teams, but in the end the pain and sacrifice will be worth it as they embark on the second season in search of the ultimate prize.

2009 Offers an Opportunity for Greatness

Louis Giangarra — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:57:40 -0400

For the 2009 New York Giants, the goal is simple: Bring back the Lombardi Trophy. This team is loaded both offensively and defensively, having only improved from last season's team. Though the loss of Plaxico Burress is a big one to overcome, there is enough talent on this team to pick up the slack. This team should be aiming for a Super Bowl, and they have the talent and the coaching to make it happen.

On offense the key to the season is going to be Eli Manning. He struggled at the end of the season after losing his favorite target. No QB-to-WR combination had more touchdowns over the past four years than Manning and Burress.

Manning is going to have to develop the same type of chemistry with the fresh young faces that now make up his receiving corps. There is not a shortage of talent, just a shortage of name recognition. Domenick Hixon, Steve Smith, and first round pick Hakeem Nicks out of North Carolina should provide a very stellar 1-2-3 punch.

Behind them are Mario Manningham, Sinorice Moss, and another rookie Ramses Barden of the football power house at Cal-Poly. Those guys won't figure to see the field as much, but Barden's incredible height (6'6") will almost force him out there in the Red Zone.

Then, of course, the Giants are also bringing back one of the best rushing offenses in the league led by the best Offensive Lines in all of football and the battering ram they know as Brandon Jacobs. With that combination of running and passing, this team has the capability of putting out a top five offense each and every week.

Defensively the Giants are replenishing their defensive line across the board. They went out and added Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty to a defensive line that was already a strength. The return of Osi Umenyiora cannot be overlooked either.

Osi missed the entire 2008 season with a knee injury but is back to 100 percent and dying to get back at it. His last season, 2007, he finished with 15.5 sacks to lead the team and finish in the top five of the entire NFL. Bernard and Canty were brought in to develop the type of rotation on the defensive line that the Giants were able to ride to a title in 2007.

The old adage "You can never have too many pass rushers" certainly applies to this team. The Giants were also able to sure up the biggest weak spot on the team by adding second round pick LB Clint Sintim from Virginia and signing free agent LB Michael Boley from the Atlanta Falcons. What was a weakness before, should now be a strength and opposing offenses will feel that strength first hand when they face this group.

With a top level offense, and a top level defense the expectations have to be high. Very few teams can boast two sides of the ball as strong and as deep as the New York Giants. They should be setting their sites on the ultimate prize at the end of the season and working every day to make that dream a reality. The only team that can prevent them from achieving that goal is the New York Giants. If they want it, its their's for the taking.