Giant Problems in New York

The New York Giants' problems only seem to get bigger as the season progresses, and in what has been a frustrating 2009 campaign overall.

Plagued by injuries and the inability to play well consistently, the Giants are watching their playoff hopes slowly fade away.

The Giants have been fighting to stay healthy all season, but with the recent loss of linebacker Antonio Pierce it seems the harder the Giants fight the harder they fall. With the loss of Pierce, the Giants not only lose their Pro Bowl inside linebacker, but their team captain and the heart and soul of the defense.

In their past two games without Pierce, the Giants have given up 57 points.

As if losing Pierce wasn’t bad enough, the G-Men, already without strong safety Kenny Phillips who was injured in week two, are now getting word that safety Michael Johnson might be out with a groin injury against Dallas. That means back up corner Aaron Ross will get some plays in at safety if Johnson is unable to play the full game or can’t go at all.

With the Giants hurting so much on defense, look for defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora to step up as the catalysts to resuscitate the Giants defense.

The Giants offense has had a few setbacks this year as well, with injuries Eli Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw, and the receiving core.

Compared to Manning’s Super Bowl season two years ago, his numbers are actually better this year. He has more passing yards, more touchdowns, a better completion percentage, and fewer interceptions at this point than he had during his Super Bowl run.

But one key component that Manning had in 2007 was a solid defense. That means the offense will have to pick up the slack and Manning will have to play better if the Giants are going to make it into the playoffs.

However, the offensive attack shouldn’t completely rely on the shoulders of Manning. In fact, the rest of the season will be defined by the success of the Giants' backfield.

It's plain and simple. If the Giants cannot run the ball well, their season is over.

An effective running game maintains possession for your team, takes pressure off the quarterback, and keeps the defense off of the field. And with the Giants struggling at both quarterback and on defense, their rushing attack seems like their best solution.

I am still mystified by the way the Giants have shied away from the run as of late. When the Giants rush for more than 30 attempts they win (5-0), and four out of the six wins this year have come when the Giants ran the ball more than they passed.

Speaking of running the ball well, that’s exactly what the Cowboys did to the Giants in their first matchup this year. In Dallas, the Giants allowed over 250 yards on the ground and that was with Antonio Pierce and Kenny Phillips in the lineup.

Now the NFC’s leading ground attack, averaging 5.4 yards per carry, comes into Giants Stadium where the Giants have allowed a league’s best three yards per carry.

Something has to give for either team, but both have to believe that the team who runs the ball the best has the best shot at winning.  

As if things couldn’t get any worse for the Giants.

Their defense is depleted from the line to the secondary, their running game has disappeared and now the Cowboys, a team needing to win to stay on top of the division, comes into town with a high-flying pass attack and a run game that will run you out of your socks.

At 6-5, the Giants remain in playoff contention one game behind wild card teams Philadelphia (7-4) and Green Bay (7-4), and fighting with Atlanta (6-5) and San Francisco (5-6).

Having already lost to the Eagles earlier this season makes this weeks matchup against the Cowboys that much more important. If the Giants can sweep the Cowboys (they already beat them in week two), they can use that momentum for their next two games against divisional opponents Philadelphia and Washington.

The Giants must get back to their winning ways and they must do it fast. Their only month with more wins than losses happened in September and the Giants need to reenact their good fortunes in December, where they must have a winning month in order to stay in playoff contention.