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| Tuesday, September 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pro Football Weekly | |||||||||||||||||||||
A year ago, the New York Giants were intent on proving their 1997 NFC East championship was no fluke. This year, they are just as determined to prove that last season was.
The Giants seethed in '98 when critics suggested their surprise title run the previous season was built on a soft schedule, a weak division and good fortune. But their protests seemed hollow when New York stumbled to a 3-7 start against better opponents. The Giants did rally to win their final four games and five of their last six to finish 8-8. But they landed third in the division and out of the playoffs, and their division title appeared to be a one-year aberration. Now the Giants are committed to confirming last year's slip was the accident and their standing atop the NFC East was life the way it should be. "We can be better than last year, even better than we were two years ago," said two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Armstead. "We've got all the guys that have been here and played at a high level, and it's time to step it up and play at an even higher level. "We always got something to prove. We really got something to prove that it wasn't a fluke when we won in '97." To do that, the Giants must improve on offense. Over the last five years, their "attack" -- and that word is used generously -- has ranked 28th, 29th, 30th, 27th and 29th in the NFL. The last two seasons, that disappointing offense has been under the guidance of Jim Fassel, who was hired as head coach in part because of his reputation as an offensive master. The Giants dedicated their offseason to upgrading their offense, and early in the preseason, when they were scoring points and piling up yards in bunches, they looked like a different team. But the real test begins Sept. 12 at Tampa Bay. This time, the Giants believe their offense will earn high grades. As always, they should have a solid but unspectacular rushing attack. But the passing game, where the Giants haven't ranked higher than 20th since 1988 and haven't had a quarterback throw for 300 yards since 1993, should improve. Quarterback Kent Graham has the arm strength to throw the deep pass, a component virtually ignored by the Giants in recent seasons. Chris Calloway, the team's leading receiver the last four seasons, was released to give more playing time to the younger, faster, more dangerous players behind him. His replacement, Amani Toomer, has blossomed into an outstanding wideout and should team with Ike Hilliard, Joe Jurevicius and Brian Alford to give the Giants their most lethal passing attack in memory. Fassel also brought in free agent Pete Mitchell to give his offense a weapon it has lacked: a tight end who can catch passes. Fassel is dusting off parts of his playbook he hasn't used since arriving in New York. Defensively, the Giants should again have one of the NFL's better units. Armstead and defensive end Michael Strahan are among the best players in the league at their positions. If Jason Sehorn recovers from his knee and hamstring problems, he adds speed and coverage ability to an already formidable unit. If they are to return to the playoffs, the Giants must upgrade their special teams, which have been awful the last two seasons. The Giants have spoken of their resolve to prove they're legitimate championship contenders. Now they have to play the part. Here's a position-by-position look at New York's roster:
Quarterbacks Collins also had a strong camp, but it wasn't nearly good enough to unseat Graham. Now in his eighth NFL season, Graham understands the intricacies of Fassel's offense and has the coach's backing. Barring an injury, that should keep Graham in the job for a while. Grade: C+
Running backs The Giants still need speed in the backfield and are looking to veteran LeShon Johnson and rookie Sean Bennett to provide it. Tiki Barber is the third-down back. Veteran Charles Way is an above-average fullback, but his statistics declined last season. Grade: C
Receivers Jurevicius is a tall target who can outleap defensive backs. Alford should provide much-needed speed. Mitchell, kept under wraps in the preseason, will be a major contributor when the season opens. Grade: C+
Offensive linemen Former center Lance Scott moved to left guard, but he suffered a knee injury that could open the door for top pick Luke Petitgout. Roman Oben is developing into a terrific left tackle, Ron Stone is a fine right guard and Scott Gragg is inconsistent at right tackle. As always, depth is a concern. Grade: B-
Defensive linemen Strahan has 29 sacks over the last two seasons and might be the NFL's best defensive player. DTs Robert Harris and Keith Hamilton are above average. Grade: A-
Linebackers The weakest position on the defense is strong-side linebacker, where Marcus Buckley has made little impact. Third-year man Ryan Phillips is being given every chance to unseat Buckley. Scott Galyon is a smart, effective nickel linebacker. Grade: B+
Defensive backs Sam Garnes, Percy Ellsworth and Shaun Williams give the Giants three solid safeties. Grade: B
Special teams
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