Why The NY Giants Will Make the 2008 NFL Playoffs

The NFL season is about to get underway and the defending Super Bowl champions the New York Giants are already being picked to miss the playoffs. The Giants made their remarkable run based on the strength of the defensive line. With the retirement of Michael Strahan and the preseason injury of Osi Umenyiora people are already counting the Giants out for the 2008 season. However, I wouldn't be so quick to follow these predictions, the Giants may surprise everyone again in 2009.

Last year the strength of the Super Bowl Champions was there defensive line. Strahan retired, everyone saw that coming, and Umenyiora is injured, were these the only two guys on the team? As good as Umenyiora is the Giants will still host a good pass rush. Justin Tuck came on strong last year and Mathias Kiwanuka is looking to fill the other defensive end position, so barring any more injuries the Giants won't suffer horribly from Umenyiora's injury. The key to this season may not even lie with the defense. As always in the NFL it's hard to win without a good defense but this year the Giants strength will most likely be their offense.

We've all seen that Eli Manning has the skills to be a great quarterback, but at times it seems he has lacked the leadership. With the trade of Jeremy Shockey and Strahan's retirement there is now only one leader of the team and it is Manning. The Giants offense last year ranked 16^th in the league, in a 32 team league it's pretty easy to see that's mediocre. This season the Giants will improve on that. Every season Burress and Manning seem to get more in tune with each other. Besides Burress the Giants are now hosting a wide variety of talent at wide receiver. Opposite of Burress will be the dependable Amani Toomer, and behind Toomer there is a lot of young talent. Steve Smith showed glimmers last year that he is on his way to being a dependable NFL receiver. Sinorice Moss has still yet to reach his full potential and with rookie Mario Manningham right behind Moss they should split playing time until one steps up.

The Giants still will have the hard hitting and dependable running game they had last year. Brandon Jacobs will still deliver his down your throat style of running, but the Giants also have Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw. Both ran well in 2007 and both are very complimentary to Jacobs' power game. By mid season one of these two may emerge as the starter with Jacobs coming in to spell them. The Giants running game will not be game breaking but it will be consistent. It should provide enough pressure on the opposing defense to allow Manning to use play action passes.

Although much has been make about the Giants 2007 Super Bowl run, they are getting no respect before the 2008 season has even started. Yes the defense lost their two best defensive ends, but 2008 will be about the offense. Eli Manning now has the confidence and leadership role that he needs to succeed. The offense is primed to match up with other top offenses in the league and if the defense can do an adequate job the Giants will be back on their way to the playoffs.