2007 Outlook:

That burning smell you have is the seat of Tom Coughlin's pants. The Giants managed to back their way into the playoffs last season only to enjoy an early exit. Tiki Barber has retired at an early age, and the pressure is on Eli Manning now, more than ever. The Giants must quickly find a replacement for their All-Pro running back and believe they have that guy with big Brandon Jacobs. The defense will have to be better than 28th in the NFL for this team to have any chance. The Giants sure didn't seem too worried about it as they were silent in the NFL Free Agency, opting instead to work with what they have and draft some help. The pressure could really be on Manning and the offense to once again outscore their opponents to win games.

2007 Draft Review:

Taking Steve Smith in the second round was a great move. Smith is an underrated receiver who will become a 60-70 catch receiver in the NFL. It will be important for 1st round pick Aaron Ross to immediately join the starting unit and help a passing defense that was 28th in the NFL last season. Ross is a quality player and was a solid pick who can contribute now. Third-round pick Jay Alford was a bit of a reach as he has never really been a dominant player. If he couldn't stand out in college, how does that warrant a 3rd round choice? Kevin Boss, TE, was a good late pick who can spell Jeremy Shockey at times and has some solid speed figures. Overall, the Giants draft was O.K. They really needed more help in the off-season. Draft Grade: C+

Key Acquisition:

Running back Reuben Droughns, acquired in a trade via Cleveland, will enter the Giants camp as the No. 2 running back behind young Brandon Jacobs. While Droughns will likely have limited fantasy value, he was a must get acquisition as insurance in case Jacobs is not capable of handling the load. Droughns will be a nice complement to Jacobs as both runners will pound opposing defenses. Going from Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs to Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns has to make Giant fans nervous though.

Key Departure:

Let's take a moment to think about this one. Oh yea, Tiki Barber. With the loss of Barber, the face of the Giants franchise in the 2000's is now gone. Choosing a TV job while he still had 3 years left in his legs continues to make Giant fans cringe. You can't blame Tiki. He had done what he wanted to do with football. But the Giants are the real losers here, missing their opportunity at a Super Bowl. Now they will have to regroup, saddle up young Jacobs, and try to forget about their guaranteed 100 yards per game from Barber. Au revoir, Tiki. We all enjoyed watching you play.

Offensive Preview:

The Giants had one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL last season, ranking 7th in the NFL in rushing yardage. Their passing game was another story as they were 21st in the league. Gone now is Tiki Barber, so the passing game will have to pick things up. In order for this to be a successful season in New York, Eli Manning will have to considerably cut down on his mistakes following 18 INT's last year. Manning has yet to realize his potential and consequently, yet to satisfy Giant fans. Brandon Jacobs will prove to be a viable solution for the departed Barber and Burress actually seems to have his head in the right place during the off season. Burress attended all the voluntary workouts for the Giants this year for the first time in his career, opting against his usual alone off season work out program. Burress believes that he can help Manning reach his potential and push the Giants offense to the next level.

Defensive/Special Teams Preview:

If the Giants are to have any shot at the post season, they must improve a defensive unit that ranked 28th against the pass and 14th against the rush last season. Kawika Mitchell should be able to help the linebacker group and Rookie Aaron Ross will certainly get some playing time in nickel situations. The off season should have been focused on improving some of the interior positions, but Coach Spagnuolo believes that the talent is apparent with this unit and with the right system, they can be a good group. Strahan is aging and has asked the Giants organization to press for some help to bring a Super Bowl title to New York. We doubt that the Giants defense will be more than the 20th ranked unit this season and will focus a little more next year on improving the core unit.

Season Prediction:

This will be Tom Coughlin's last season at the helm of the NY Giants as they just didn't do enough in the off season to really make a difference this year. The defense will not be able to contend with the potent Dallas and Philly offenses leaving the Giants with a 1-3 mark against their two inter-conference rivals. The schedule is not the friendliest either as they have some very solid teams on both sides of the ball awaiting. The pressure on Manning will continue to grow as the Giants stars continue to age as they will fall short of the playoffs and be watching the elder Manning in January.

Projected Finish

8 Wins, 8 Losses (3rd in the NFC East)

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