New York Giants 2009 Season Expectations: Manning Must Step Up

Coming off a disappointing season after an early exit against the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants are looking to regain their regular season form from last year. And with their two top wide receivers, Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, gone this offseason, the team will have to rely on quarterback Eli Manning now more than ever. 
 
Manning has been considered a piece of the puzzle for the Giants during his short career. The team has emphasized defense and the running game more than anything else. This season, though, his role is likely going to be expanded.

Their top wide receivers on the depth chart at this time are possession receiver Steve Smith and rookie Hakeem Nicks. With this thin receiving corps, Manning is going to have to step up and make big-time plays. He is going to have to manage the game more efficiently, which means cutting down on interceptions and raising his completion percentage.

The running game is also going to change this year with the departure of Derrick Ward to Tampa Bay, leaving Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to carry the load behind Manning. 
 
The defense, personnel-wise, for the most part looks the same, with a few additional pieces added in. Chris Canty was added to bolster their defensive line and Michael Boley is going to slide into the linebacking situation.

The biggest change on defense is the departure of Steve Spagnuolo to the St. Louis Rams. Replacing him as defensive coordinator is Bill Sheridan, who moves up from linebacker's coach. Spagnuolo was one of the most cited reasons for the Giants' success during their Super Bowl run, and with him gone, Sheridan is going to have to prove that the system can still work without him. 
 
Even with the questions on both offense and defense, the Giants should, along with the Eagles, be considered the front-runners in the NFC East.