The Road To '09: Giants

In my continuing series on the NFL offseason, I make my final stop in the NFC East with the New York Giants. Here are five questions that need to be answered before September and a look back at some notable draft picks from our resident draft expert, Wes Bunting.

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Click HERE to read about the Philadelphia Eagles.

Click HERE to read about the Washington Redskins.

The Road to ’09: New York Giants

1. Who’s going to replace WR Plaxico Burress?

I believe the Giants and head coach Tom Coughlin should be given credit for parting ways with Burress, especially in today’s NFL where character is often swept under the rug. But we can’t deny that he was a talent player who now must be replaced.

It’s no surprise that the Giants spent a first-round pick on a wide receiver, Hakeem Nicks. I was impressed by his tape coming out of North Carolina, but it will take time for him to adjust to not only the pro game but also to expectations that are going to be placed on his shoulders. New York drafted him as a future No. 1 in this league, but looking at the rest of the Giants’ receiving corps, they’re hoping he plays like a veteran in his first season.

There will be some definite position battles in training camp for the Giants at WR, and among Steve Smith, Domenik Hixon, Mario Mannigham, Sinorice Moss, Ramses Barden and Nicks, someone will have to step up and become the top target for quarterback Eli Manning.

2. Are the Giants better on defense this season?

The Giants lost coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to the Rams this offseason, but they promoted from within, naming linebackers coach Bill Sheridan as their new defensive coordinator. However, with veterans like MLB Antonio Pierce around — and with Coughlin still running the show — I don’t see this as a major issue. They have an entire offseason to prepare with Sheridan.

Plus, looking at this roster and the moves the Giants have made on defense, it’s hard not to get excited about this unit. In ’08, it finished fifth in total defense (292 YPG) and is clearly a more talented and more athletic group heading into 2009.

The Giants picked up DE/DT Chris Canty from Dallas, DT Rocky Bernard from Seattle and LB Michael Boley from Atlanta. They also get DE Osi Umenyiora back after he missed the entire ’08 season with a knee injury.

That’s a lot of talent to add to an already dominant defense, and to compete in the NFC East — a division that had all four teams finish in the top eight in total defense — you have to get better every year through free agency or the draft.

This is exactly what the Giants did on the defensive side of the football — and they look poised to finish as a top five defense again. Expect them to use the same attacking style we saw in ’08, and with Umenyiora back — along with Canty and Bernard to go along with Justin Tuck — we may be watching the best front four in the NFL. They can all get to the quarterback.

That’s a luxury as a defense.

3. How will the loss of RB Derrick Ward affect the running game?

I believe Ward is a special talent at running back and someone who will thrive in a feature role in Tampa, but the way the Giants run the ball, I don’t think his absence will affect this unit.

I expect Brandon Jacobs to see his carries increase, but not as drastically as we may think. Ahmad Bradshaw should step into the No. 2 role at the start of the season, but I also expect rookie RB Andre Brown, a 224-pound back from North Carolina State, to gradually work his way into the roatation.

For Giants fans, the departure of Ward had to be expected — especially after Jacobs signed his new deal this offseason. You can’t pay two running backs big money on the same team, but with the amount of talent the Giants have on the offensive line, does it really matter?

We tend to give credit for New York’s running game to the backs, but we all know that its offensive line is possibly the best in football, and as long as it continues to open gashing holes in the line of scrimmage, it doesn’t matter who’s playing behind Jacobs because they’ll be successful. Sure, there are plenty of question marks at the wide receiver position, but to win football games in December in the NFC East, you have to run the ball and move the chains on the ground.

And no one does it better than the Giants.

4. Does Eli Manning need a true No. 1 wide receiver?

This question has been asked in various media outlets throughout the offseason, and the more I think about it, the more I believe this team will carry on without Burress. But I still have my doubts about Manning’s ability to move the ball through the air without a big target on the outside.

As I said earlier, the Giants envision Nicks as that guy, and I can see it, too — in the future. But to expect that type of production from a rookie WR in this league is a big leap of faith. Then why the questions about Manning — a guy who has a Super Bowl ring?

Let’s examine his games after Burress was involved in an off-the-field issue that led to his suspension from the team:

At WSH, 23-7 W: 21-34-305-1TD-1INT (88.5 QB Rating)

PHI, 20-14 L: 13-27-138-1TD-0INT (73.5 QB Rating)

At DAL, 20-8 L: 18-35-191-0TD-2INT (43.9 QB Rating)

CAR , 34-28 W: 17-27-181-1TD-0INT (94.8 QB Rating)

AT MIN, 20-19 L: 11-19-119-0TD-0INT (76.4 QB Rating)

Divisional Playoffs: PHI, 23-11 L: 15-29-169-0TD-2INT (40.7 QB Rating)

The numbers don’t lie, folks. Outside of the Redskins and Panthers games, Manning struggled to close out the season, including his performance against Philly in the postseason. As much as we ridicule Tony Romo of the Cowboys for his late-season collapses, Manning didn’t do much to keep himself out of the same conversation.

I love this football team from a physical and defensive standpoint, but Manning needs to play consistent football for them to return to Super Bowl form. He has the talent to play with some of the best quarterbacks in the league, but until he does it every Sunday, I’ll have my doubts.

5. Are the Giants still the favorites in the NFC?

I expect the Giants to be one of the early favorites to represent the NFC in Miami, but just as I wrote last week when I discussed the Eagles, the NFC East is no joke when it comes to physical play.

For the Giants to get through the division and the rest of the NFC, they need to answer their own questions in training camp when it comes to the passing game and Manning’s ability to win and move the ball without a dominant force on the outside. I’m a big fan of TE Kevin Boss’ game, and I love this running attack to go along with the offensive line, but is it enough?

Can the Giants win the East and the NFC by playing dominant defense, controlling the clock with Jacobs and company and taking calculated risks in the vertical passing game? Sure they can, and that’s exactly what I expect them to do. It won’t be flashy, and it might not translate into multiple big plays every Sunday, but it does win.

I know one thing: When you play the Giants, it’s going to be physical and you’re going to have to beat them in the fourth quarter — something a lot of teams are unable to do. Expect this team to be there again in January.

The Giants’ Draft

Our resident draft expert, Wes Bunting, breaks down some notable New York picks:

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina (6-1, 212)

Nicks is a big, physical wideout who makes up for his lack of elite speed by running clean routes, getting out of his breaks and using his big frame to shield defenders from the ball. He does a nice job working the middle of the field and is a load to bring down after the catch. Nicks should develop into Manning’s favorite target in the coming years.

William Beatty, OT, UConn (6-6, 307)

Beatty was one of the more athletically gifted offensive tackles in the draft class and possesses the feet, body control and length to develop into a starting tackle in the NFL. He was a great value in round two and has the luxury of developing in the Giants’ system.

Andre Brown, RB, North Carolina State (6-0, 224)

New York’s offense is predicated around the running game, and Brown is the kind of tough, do-it-all runner the Giants love. He’s a physical, between-the-tackles runner who also knows how to pick up the blitz and catch the ball out of the backfield. The Giants’ backfield is loaded, but Brown should be able to find his niche in the offense this season.

Next: Tennessee Titans

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