Aug

6

2008

Training camp for the SUPER BOWL CHAMPION NEW YORK GIANTS has started. It feels great to type those words. I have not been this excited for a season since 1990. This year’s team is deep and talented. It has a proven quarterback and a stable of running backs that is the envy of most teams. It has an offensive line that has played together for years where the whole is better than its individual parts. Of course, there are some issues that need to be resolved, but that is what training camp is for.

The first issue is who replaces Michael Strahan as the emotional leader of the defense. The likeliest candidate is Antonio Pierce. He is a natural leader and plays a leadership position at MLB. He is the captain of the defense and calls the defensive signals in the huddle. Replacing his production, while difficult, is easier because the Giants have been preparing for his retirement and have developed Justin Tuck into a rising star. Tuck could have easily been the MVP of the Super Bowl and had 10 sacks as the third DE. I expect big things from him this year.

The second big issue is Eli. If he can continue to play at the high level he showed in the playoffs, then the Giants have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Eli is a risk taker by nature. As such, he throws a lot of touchdowns and sometimes, too many interceptions. However, Eli has two atrocious games last year due to weather against the Bills and the Redskins. Take away those two games and his stats are much better. His only real stinker of a game was against the Vikings. His brother Peyton had a 6 interception game last year. So, one truly bad game a year is forgivable.

The third issue is how much the team misses Kawika Mitchell. While Mitchell was only average in pass coverage, he was a stout run defender and excelled at the delayed blitz. He was smart and was a key cog in the defense. Gerris Wilkinson is penciled in at that spot, but he began training camp with a bad knee. Again. Wilkinson is talented, but can he be relied upon to play a full season? He is better in coverage than against the run. Competing for that spot is Danny Clark who is a veteran who played for Coughlin in Jacksonville. He is solid, but unspectacular. This is a potential weak spot.

The fourth issue is whether or not Kenny Phillips starts at safety on opening day. (Can you tell that I am reaching for some issues here?) All reports are that he is the real deal. He is big, fast and smart. He could be the best safety on the Giants since Terry Kinard. James Butler is the likely candidate to lose his starting spot since Sammy Knight was signed as a free agent and is known for being a very smart player. He could be a good mentor to Phillips. Knight has experience calling the defensive signals in the secondary.

The fifth and final issue is whether Boss is ready to be the full time TE. If you were watching the last five games of that magical ride, you know that the answer is yes. He runs great routes and has soft hands. He is adequate as a blocker and seems to have Eli’s trust. Plus, the Giants have solid depth in Johnson and Matthews. This position is in good shape and should not be a major concern.

The reality is that this should be a very good team barring injuries. I can’t wait for that first preseason game against Detroit.


Categories: Preview Preview

4 Comments »

Comments merged with the forum topic: DAGlazer’s Training Camp Preview

Looks like Danny Clark is going to get the start against Detroit in the preseason opener…


My first comment: who the heck is Danny Clark ? Then I looked him up:

Career: 122 gm -481 tackles (4/gm)- grand total of 5 sacks and 2 ints. This is not the definition of “ball hawk” and certainly no Mitchell.

We’re Clark’s 5th team (and 5th in the last 6 yrs), with just 47 starts in his last 79 games (playing for the ‘03 Jags, ‘04, ‘05 Raiders, ‘06 Saints and ‘07 Texans). Just 8 starts in his last 29 games (total tackles: 80). I can certainly see why you’d take an early stance that we don’t need great LBs with Spags’ D. But we actually don’t know that yet, since this guy is also certainly no Jeremiah Trotter, either.


Clark worries me.  If we have a weakness on defense this year, it is at WOLB if Wilkinson cannot be a regular.  Either that or one of the rookies (probably Kehl) will have to prove to be ready for prime time.  Tank Daniels could be a sleeper here although he is supposed to be more of a SOLB than WOLB.


I’m not going to judge Clark until I see him play...camp reports say that he plays very much like Mitchell did, so that is encouraging.



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