New York Giants: Justin Tuck, Eli Manning and the Team MVP Power Ranking
The New York Giants have compiled a 7-4 record this season and they stand in the Top 10 of nearly every statistical category league-wide.
Sure, they've had some hard-luck losses this season due to mistakes and inconsistency, but they must be considered one of the best teams in the NFC.
It hasn't been due to just one player, either; they have seen contributions come from all over the field, from team veterans to new acquisitions.
That being said, it only makes sense to rank New York's Top 10 Most Valuable Players.
What follows is the Week 13 edition of the Giants MVPs.
10. Mario Manningham
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After a freshman campaign in 2008 that saw Manningham log limited minutes, he emerged last season as a consistent target for Eli Manning.
This year, it's been more of the same.
He's grabbed 41 balls for 561 yards and five touchdowns this season as he's been forced into the role of No. 1 receiver.
The University of Michigan product is essentially the last man standing when it comes to the wide receiving corps that the Giants began the season with.
Injuries have momentarily derailed the seasons of Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith, so Manningham's value cannot be overstated. He's not as talented as Nicks or Smith, but he's got great hands and runs crisp routes.
Let's just hope he doesn't catch the injury bug that seems to have bitten the rest of his fellow receivers.
9. Brandon Jacobs
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The beginning of the season was tumultuous for Jacobs as he lost his starting spot in the backfield, and further ostracized himself by tossing his helmet into the stands at Lucas Oil Stadium in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Much has changed since Week 2 for the bruising halfback.
Jacobs has reclaimed his starting job due to Ahmad Bradshaw's serious case of fumble-itis, and he made the most of it in Week 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He rushed for 87 yards on 14 carries as the primary ball-carrier, rather than filling the role of third down/goal line back that he was used in for much of the season.
On the year, he has 92 carries for 474 yards and five touchdowns. Recently, he has been running with the physical style that makes him so dangerous.
At 6'4", 264 pounds, it only makes sense for him to hit the hole hard and bull rush the tacklers who are, oftentimes, smaller than him.
He has averaged 5.2 yards per carry this season and he has been a major contributor to this team.
8. Antrel Rolle
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The offseason acquisition of Antrel Rolle has paid immediate dividends for the Giants, as he has established himself as their most dangerous blitzer out of the defensive secondary.
He may not always get the sack, but on 3rd-and-longs, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell often elects to send Rolle off the edge to rush the quarterback into a bad decision.
The University of Miami product is tied for the team lead in solo tackles with 52, and he's one of the hardest hitters on the team.
This cornerback-turned-safety has proven himself as a defensive leader in a much-improved secondary; the Giants are letting up only 186.4 passing yards per game, a mark that's good for first in the NFL.
While it's been a team effort, Rolle has been one of the major factors in this unit's resurgence.
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7. Deon Grant
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While the acquisition of Rolle got all the press, Deon Grant has been a more valuable member of this team thus far.
Antrel has more tackles, but the 11th-year veteran out of Tennessee has been more of a well-rounded player this season.
Grant has put up a sack, two tackles for loss, six passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries.
In short, he has been all over the field this season for the Giants as a playmaker and game-changer. At the strong safety position, he's been backing up Kenny Phillips and actually outplayng him in some respects.
Phillips is the young talent with loads of potential, so Grant is happy to fill the role of veteran leader who contributes in nearly every facet of the game on the defensive side of the ball.
6. Ahmad Bradshaw
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Sure, he's fumbled the ball six times this season, but there's no denying the overall impact he's had on this team.
Bradshaw's a small guy, but he runs with power and speed. He's eighth in the NFL in rushing at 916 yards and he leads the league in runs of 20-plus yards with 11.
He earned the starting job in the preseason and proved to be one of the most productive and explosive backs in the league, even now as he surrenders his starting spot to Jacobs for the time being.
Bradshaw has been a pro about the situation and he realizes that he must hang onto the football in order to continue getting carries.
Head coach Tom Coughlin was able to straighten out Tiki Barber's fumbling problems, and I expect him to do the same for No. 44.
In any case, this former seventh-round pick has made a name for himself as one of the most valuable parts of this team.
5. Eli Manning
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Eli Manning, he of the 90.5 QB rating, is the fifth-most valuable player on the New York Giants this season.
He's near the top of the league in touchdown passes with 23, and he's benefited from the great play of guys like Nicks, Smith and Manningham.
Even with two of them out, Eli has managed to control the damage and win games for Big Blue in the clutch.
He leads the ninth-best passing attack in the league as he throws for nearly 250 yards per game, spreading the ball around to a bevy of receivers.
He may have his momentary lapses in concentration and judgment, but there's no denying that without Eli, this team would not be what it is today. Manning makes the team better with his quiet leadership and strong arm.
4. Hakeem Nicks
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In only his second season in the NFL, Hakeem Nicks has proven himself to be one of the most dangerous receivers in the league.
His monstrous hands allow him to catch anything and everything, and he has great run-after-the-catch ability. This former first-rounder out of UNC sheds tacklers as easily as he makes one-handed snares on the sidelines.
Nicks has been Eli's favorite receiver this year as he's been targeted an astounding 101 times, despite missing the last game against the Jags with a swelling problem in his leg.
All No. 88 has done this season is catch 62 balls for 800 yards and nine touchdowns, leading the team in all three categories.
The Giants are hoping for a swift recovery from Nicks as his quick hands have become the focal point of the offense. He is one of the most valuable members of this team.
3. Osi Umenyiora
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Osi Umenyiora has plenty to smile about these days as he helps lead one of the best defenses in the National Football League.
Big No. 72 has put up video game stats this season as a true playmaker and force on the edge of the line.
He's only got 35 total tackles, but his 8.0 sacks and seven forced fumbles set him in a class almost by himself. In a word, he is disruptive.
Though last year was trying for Osi as he got benched due to a perceived lack of effort, he has been a completely different player under Fewell.
As half of the most dominant tandem of defensive ends in the league, Osi has even mixed in two passes defensed as Fewell often gets creative with zone blitzes. His athleticism allows him to be used in a variety of ways and he's been integral to the Giants' success thus far.
2. Justin Tuck
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Meet the other half of that defensive end tandem.
Justin Tuck is, quite simply, one of the best defensive players in the NFL today.
I rank him ahead of Osi due to his fiery leadership qualities and his supreme talent in stuffing the run, aside from pressuring the passer.
He's got 7.5 sacks this season, and his seven tackles for loss speak to his ability to sniff out screens and wrestle down halfbacks in the backfield.
The Notre Dame DE has also forced four fumbles, recovered four and defended three passes.
Like his linemate Osi, Tuck has the ability to be dropped into coverage on zone blitz schemes, allowing Fewell to be infinitely creative when designing blitz packages.
Without No. 91 patrolling the edge for the Giants, they'd be in extremely rough shape. He's definitely one of the most valuable members of this team.
1. Terrell Thomas
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Meet the New York Giants MVP to this point in the season: CB Terrell Thomas.
Thomas, the 2008 second draft pick out of USC, may not be a shutdown corner like Darrelle Revis, but the impact he has on this team is undeniable.
He'll never be mistaken for a corner who's afraid of contact because this guy brings hammer like a strong safety when he tackles.
Most may consider Tuck to be the MVP, but I feel that Thomas has done enough to warrant wearing the crown.
His stats jump off the page. He leads the team in tackles with 65, interceptions with four and passes defensed with a whopping 16.
Besides that, he's blocked a field goal this season and forced two fumbles.
Simply put, Thomas has been the most impactful player on the team thus far. His contributions are felt on defense as well as special teams, and he has completely outplayed the corner the Giants drafted before him in 2007, Aaron Ross.
Ross has been a bust while Thomas has established himself as the most valuable player on one of the best defenses in the league.
Mike Osterberg is a student at Penn State University and Featured Columnist for the New York Giants. Follow him on twitter @Mike_Osterberg.
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