2006 NFL Season Preview: New York Giants
Tom Coughlin is known around NFL circles as being the “on edge’ coach who rides his players into the ground from day one of organized team activities through the season. He’s an old-school coach who believes that you practice like you play, hard and full-contact. Some people may believe that he’s too rough on today’s players, that with the conditioning and specialization of players, Coughlin should concentrate more on being preserving with his players. However, when you think about Coughlin’s record as an NFL coach then you’ll realize that he’s had success with his system. It wasn’t much of an improvement early on, but the Giants were the NFC East Champions last season. There is more improvement to be done, as evident by the team’s unceremonious exit from the 2005 playoffs, a 23-0 embarrassment handed by the Carolina Panthers. With the pressure on and every team in the NC looking to improve, can the Giants keep the status quo by winning the very tough NFC East?
Offense
Big names headline the offense for the Giants. At his disposal are quarterback Eli Manning, running back and MVP candidate Tiki Barber, Pro-Bowler Jeremy Shockey, and receivers Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer. But Head Coach Tom Coughlin and Offensive Coordinator John Hufnagel are still at a complete loss to explain how such a high-powered offense performed so miserably in the playoffs. They will be working to make the unit even more dynamic, but at the same time working to make sure that Manning and Co. are consistent through the season. Hufnagel led the offense to some great production during the regular season, as they were ranked 4th in the NFL in total offense. With Hufnagel at the helm, the offense remains supremely balanced, as the 2005 Giants became only the 5th team in NFL history to have 5 players with at least 7 touchdowns. Barber had 11, while Shockey, Burress, Toomer, and Brandon Jacobs each scored 7.
QB: Eli Manning showed the NFL what made him the top pick in 2004 as he showed considerable improvement from his rookie season. Manning threw for 3,763 yards and 24 touchdowns. Offensive Coordinator John Hefnagel has previous experience working with quarterbacks in the NFL, having tutored Tom Brady, Mark Brunell, and Eli’s older brother Peyton during his time in the NFL. Eli Manning has shown the ability to gain confidence each week, as was evident by his improvement in 2005. Manning looked to be more comfortable and showed shadows of his brother in making good audible calls on the line and able to inspire his teammates. We all knew that Manning possessed the physical talents to succeed with the Giants, and he’ll only be getting better. He can make the tough throws and actually has more mobility than his brother. Can make a decent amount of plays on the run but has to work on his pocket awareness. With the type of weapons he has at his disposal, we can expect nothing less than even more improvement this upcoming season.
RB/FB: There is a reason that Tiki Barber was an MVP candidate in the 2005 season. Barber set a franchise record for the second season in a row in rushing yards, accumulating 1,860 yards. He’s easily one of the elite running backs in the NFL and gives the Giants an effective runner and a pass-catcher out of the backfield with the capability to break any play for the distance. Tiki is incredibly consistent as a pass-catcher, with 2005 being the 7th consecutive season in which Tiki has had at least 50 receptions. Barber scored 11 total touchdowns, scoring 9 on the ground and 2 more through the air. Barber is elusive and has a good mix of speed, skill, and power. He has also improved his ball-handling, limiting the fumbles that troubled him early in his career. He will split goalline carries with Brandon Jacobs, who has been mostly a short-yardage back and a special teams contributor in his rookie season with the Giants. He did, however, scored 7 touchdowns in only 38 carries. Jim Finn will serve as the team’s fullback, a rugged, hard-nosed blocker who works hard and may not be the strongest fullback but gives it his all on every down. Finn can be reliable as a receiver if needed.
WR/TE: Plaxico Burress came over from the Pittsburgh Steelers last season and responded with an excellent first season in New York. Burress is an incredible athlete who uses his size to make some of the tougher catches simply by being in the right position and “boxing out” smaller corners. Burress has very long arms and very good acceleration, able to make a move and lose corners with the same tenacity that he uses with his size. Led the Giants with 76 receptions for 1,214 yards and also tied for the team lead with 7 touchdown receptions. On the opposite side is Amani Toomer, a longtime New York Giant who has been solid throughout his career and could be considered the best receiver in Giants history. Became a possession receiver in 2005 with 60 catches for 684 yards, but was still solid in the red zone and had 7 receiving touchdowns. Tim Carter will start the season as the team’s third receiver, but keep an eye on 2006 draft pick Sinorice Moss, brother of NFC East Rival Washington’s Santana Moss. He is a smaller, explosive receiver who could do well on underneath routes and give defenses trouble with his speed. Tight end Jeremy Shockey is one of the game’s best at the position. An athletic tight end that can go deep or catch the underneath route, 3-time Pro-Bowler Shockey provides the Giants and quarterback Eli Manning with a security blanket in the offense. Shockey makes the tough catches and has soft hands to make athletic and tough grabs with ease. He should be prominent in the Giants’ offense in 2006.
OL: One of the many strengths of this team, the offensive line has gone from a maligned unit to one of the league’s elite. In the middle of the line is center Shaun O’Hara, who has been the Giants’ center for the past two seasons. Originally from Cleveland, O’Hara is a versatile player on the line who can play and be effective at either center or either guard position. To his left will be tackle Luke Petitgout and David Diehl at guard. Petitgout uses his ability well in both aspect of blocking, for the running game and in pass protection, equally well. He’s got the strength to dominate linebackers on the run but can also close in a rushing defensive end. Guard Diehl was thrown to the wolves as a rookie and made it through very well, having started every game since joining the Giants as a draft-pick in 2003. Diehl Is another versatile player, having spent time at both tackle positions before moving into play guard permanently. On the right side of the line is tackle Kareem McKenzie and guard Chris Snee. McKenzie is a mammoth tackle who uses his brute strength to overpower most defensive ends who come at him regularly. He’s got average agility but it’s usually not necessary because of his ability to just engulf people off the line. Snee has been a regular on the line since he was drafted in 2004, having started 28 games in those first two seasons. He’s an agile guard who’s got the ability to get out and attack the defense before they get a chance to attack him.
Overall Grade: A
Defense
The first assistant that Head Coach Tom Coughlin hired after taking the job in New York was Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator Tim Lewis. Lewis has seen measurable success with the Giants’ unit, having led them to a 40-point turnaround in points allowed from 2003 to 2004 and another 33-point turnaround from 2004 to last season. With Lewis it’s about small improvements and taking little steps towards being the best defense on the field. He’s got quite the track record, leading some outstanding defenses in Pittsburgh before finally coming to facilitate the improvement of the Giants’ defense. He’ll have some more pieces to add to the overall puzzle with some key free-agent signings, but the defense doesn’t enter camp and 2006 without some questions.
DL: The Giants have what is probably the best defensive end tandem in the NFL in Pro-Bowlers Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. Strahan is easily one of the NFL’s best, the single-season sack record holder and a consummate teammate and professional. Strahan has anchored the Giants defense for the past decade and a little more. Strahan and fellow end Umenyiora combined for 26 sacks, tops for defensive end combinations in the league. Strahan’s 11.5 sacks made him for 3rd in the NFC and 7th in the NFL. Umenyiora benefited from Strahan’s presence, himself recording 14.5 sacks to lead the entire NFC. Umenyiora is a speed rusher who has incredible quickness in his own right and makes their line formidable on a weekly basis. Of course, the interior is a different story. The Giants are having problems with their two current starters, Fred Robbins and William Joseph, have stiff competition because of their lack of performance for the Giants. We could see any number of players factor into the position as it is one of the biggest remaining questions surrounding the Giants going into 2006.
LB: The addition of LaVar Arrington has people in New York excited, but it appears as though Arrington’s risk is beginning to show a bit. There are recent reports that his knees have been bothering him during camp and through the preseason, forcing him to miss practice time. The Giants would love to get him healthy and on the field because he presents a mismatch for any offensive line when he lines up with Strahan or Umenyiora. They would be forced to single block each of them and leave the offense will little choice but to move a tight end over to Arrington’s side or chip block with a running back. Antonio Pierce will be in the middle of the unit, and his return from an ankle injury should be vital to their success at linebacker. He’s a very physical linebacker who positions himself well in the middle position, making plays from tackle to tackle quickly and imposing his size on smaller running backs in the middle. Carlos Emmons is slated to fill the other outside linebacker position. Emmons is one of the better strongside linebackers in the NFL, giving the Giants a playmaker that can cover tight ends and attack the line of scrimmage if necessary.
DB: Corner has been solidified by the Giants; having brought in Sam Madison and continuing to develop 2005 2nd-round pick Corey Webster. Webster started his rookie season as the team’s nickel corner but then worked his way into the starting lineup before the season finale, giving him the start there and in the Giants lone playoff appearance in 2005. Webster is athletic and is a playmaker that always seems to be around the ball. Madison is one the NFL’s elite but was released by the Dolphins as a cap casualty, leaving him free to come over to the Giants. Madison is a very agile corner who covers receivers tight and has good closing speed, something that can be an asset to the Giants as they may not drop linebackers in coverage very often. Gibril Wilson led the team in tackles from the strong safety position and is a sure tackler. He will be helped by free-agent pickup Will Demps from Baltimore. Often overshadowed in Baltimore by his partner All-Pro Ed Reed, Demps was reliable and incredibly productive for an elite defense in Baltimore despite being an undrafted free-agent out of San Diego State.
Overall Grade: B+
Special Teams
K: Jay Feely is known for his strong leg, one of the better ones in the NFL, but his consistency with his accuracy shouldn’t be overlooked. One of the more accurate kickers in the NFL, Feely has carved out a nice home for him in New York after starting off his career in Atlanta. Feely will give you a solid kicker who can boom the ball down the field on kickoffs, something which helps in the field position battle.
P: Veteran Jeff Feagles is going into his 19th season, his fourth with the Giants. One of the most durable and consistent punters in NFL history, Feagles ahs never missed a game in his career, playing 288 games in a row, which stands as an NFL record. He will provide a consistent force as a punter.
Overall Grade: A-
Coaching Staff
Tom Coughlin has been criticized for his tactics and his ideals in practice, but he’s got the players believing in him for this upcoming season. It’s a lot easier to have the confidence of the team when you win the division a season ago and have a good relationship with some of the team leaders. Coughlin has been running them ragged, and I personally think that this season will be the barometer as to whether or not this approach will ultimately be successful in the NFL. His Offensive Coordinator John Hufnagel and Defensive Coordinator Tim Lewis are both solid Coordinators who have impacted the Giants in positive ways.
Overall Grade: B+
Position Battles to Watch
DT: You have to believe that both of the defensive tackle positions are open for competition. The coaching staff hasn’t been pleased with the performance of Fred Robbins and William Joseph. They say that the Giants have contacted veterans Brenson Buckner and Grady Jackson in regards to their line openings and are entertaining the rookies Jonas Seawright and Barry Cofield in camp for the starting positions.
WR: The third WR in camp has pretty much been solidified, at least for now. The Giants believed that Sinorice Moss would come and be an immediate factor for the Giants, but it hasn’t happened, and Tim Carter has entrenched himself as the third receiver. But if Moss can get healthy and begin to contribute, you could see a longer battle for the permanent position.
Player to Watch
Mathias Kiwanuka, DE: The rookie has made quite the splash in training camp and the preseason, impressing the coaches with his ethic and playmaking ability on the field. He will be hard-pressed to see consistent time on the field with Strahan and Umenyiora on the outside of the D-Line, but you have to believe that he’s the long-term solution for the Giants and will warrant some time this year.
Bold Predictions
Record: 12-4, NFC East Champs
Offensive MVP: Tiki Barber
Defensive MVP: Osi Umenyiora.
