Greatest concern for this season

[Lubeck]

Those 15 topics I think are the biggest problems going into this season, question marks that worry me.

 

TC is obviously a lame duck coach who would need an NFC Championship appearance to save his job, and I don't think a NFC Championship appearance is in the cards.

 

Eli is learning and his performance has gotten steadily better, just not at the rate the impatient NY fan demands. He is lacking Tiki this season, but he is also lacking Hufnagel butchering the playcalling. Toomer should be back and he is clearly Elis favorite target. Smith has shown every sign of being an immediate impact player and has drawn comparisons to Toomer as a sure-handed possession receiver who can go to the middle of the field and take the hits. Eli needs to keep progressing, preferably at a faster rate.

 

Tiki is gone and Eli needs to take charge. His apparent easygoing attitude may not be the best approach to leading a team, and without strong leadership I would expect another season of locker room troubles reaching the media.

 

Jacobs has never been a feature back. He has always been part of a tandem, which may be why the Giants traded for Droughns, not as a backup in case Jacobs can't carry the load but as a player who will split the carries and wear down a defense. I am not concerned about his much-discussed fumbling problem, I do not think it is even a problem just a pair or three fumbles that he has had that have been overblown.

 

I was not a fan of Finn going into this season. His skill set did not seem to match our RBs. So while I am glad he is not going to be our FB this season, it still leaves a big hole on the roster that we have no qualified candidates to fill, just a guy who has never started in a game despite a few years in the league and bouncing from team to team.

 

The hands in the air, the lack of effort on plays, the dropped passes, bitching to the media...the list goes on and on. Will it continue or will they finally grow up?

 

Strahan needs money. The Giants need Strahan. Strahan could easily see how he could coerce the Giants into giving him a raise. I think his final descision will come after Smith and Ross sign and he sees how much cap room the Giants have to throw around.

 

Demps was not doing well at all for most of last season. Bad angles, missed tackles, poor coverage. At the end of the season he started to show the skill set we had hoped to be getting. Hopefully he keeps that level of production up and does not revert to how he was for most of last season.

 

Madison and McQuarters are old. They may be highly experienced vets but they are losing their ability to use their physical skills to keep up with younger faster receivers. Madison gave up a number of long plays last season because he couldn't adjust after a receiver had beaten him. Webster has not developed as hoped. Ross has very limited starting experience.

 

Kiwi, an easy potential problem to identify. Going from a down player to a standing is always a difficult move, especially when you are going into a 4-3 LB position and are going to be expected to cover TEs, WRs, and backfield folk.

 

Strahan has missed a lot of games these past couple seasons. When he goes down the entire defense changes. He needs to stay healthy, especially if he is expecting more money.

 

A pet peeve of mine are those sweater things TC wears. He looks stupid. Though it doesn't take much at all to make him look stupid, especially when he gets one of those dumbfounded looks on his face.

 

I think one of the forces driving the locker rooms willingness to go to the media was Tiki. He became very outspoken the last two seasons and when the teams leader is going to bitch to the media why wouldn't other players?

 

Diehl did a fair job at the end of the season when, surprisingly, a 15 (?) year vet couldn't stop the speed rushers trying to get to Elis blind side. How he holds up for an entire season remains to be seen.

 

I loved it when Seubert would come on the field and the announcers would butcher his name. If he gets the LG spot as I expect he will I'll be missing out on one of the few things that made watching the Giants bearable at the end of last season.

 

He was Elis QB coach and we all know how that has worked out. The playcalling was better with him in, but lets see how he does when opposing teams have some tape to work with on him.

[MakeMeSomeFoodHo]

my biggest concern is that we have a list of 15 things that are agrueably our biggest concern....and more can be added

[randoff]

...make it 16. I am really concerned about guys like Egg teasing our team. But it beats having a Stripper club addicted DB, a gun toting-drunk driving DL, or a Dog fighting-dog abusing QB, or a suicidal WR.....

 

....give me 'normal' worries like the Giants have that can be corrected on field over all of the distractions the other teams have off field. Smell me?

 

But if I was to pick the 1st concern, it'll be the secondary. Second would be our LB play (last yr was ugly).

[Lubeck]

Aside from the listed Kiwi concern I am not that worried about our LBs. Spag was an LB coach, he is an aggressive DC who will attack the QB and not sit back and let our LBs get picked apart in coverage. It is becoming harder and harder for a LB to play pass defense and keep up with the increasingly athletic TEs that are dominating the league now. If we can get steady pressure from our front 4 and a LB or two plus better play from our safeties in coverage I expect our LBs to do well.

 

And you are right MMSFH it is sad that such a long list can be compiled with more that can be added, but I think that any team could have a list that long. Well not any team, but any other middle-of-the-pack team like the Giants are right now. Middle of the pack teams will have a lot of concerns, and settling those concerns is how a team becomes a top team.

[Treehugger]

Eli's progression worries me, but the LT position keeps me up at night.

[GorillaNJ]

TC is a horrible coach. With his pissing his pants antics on the sidelines on every missed call or botched play. And those sweater vest should be put in a pile and burnt. My Chest is freezing but my Arms are SOooo hot ( Last Comic Standing)

 

He was the man in charge when our D was playing Flag Football rules and When our offense was as predictable as an episode of M*A*S*H

 

The thing that is not on that list is we lost arguably the greatest rusher in NYG history. There is no way to expect BJ to step in and bring to the field what Tiki did. Tiki was a great all around RB who gave 110% every play, he was dependable on long downs and had the juevos to fight out a short gain where needed. Missing him is the number one concern for me.....

[Lubeck]

Can Jacobs carry the load isn't questioning the loss of Tiki?

[GorillaNJ]

Can Jacobs carry the load isn't questioning the loss of Tiki?

Carry the load does not equal being Tiki Barber... in my mind. Playing like an All-Pro 10 year Vet in your first season is a little bit to ask of the man.

 

He can carry the load as RB and still be half the player Tiki was

[fringe]

sweater vests are cool.

[Sephiroth]

There are a lot of concerns... but I said Gilbride as OC.

 

He sucks. Don't expect an improvement from Huff's offense... Gilbrides O typically finishes in the bottom third of the league.

 

Diehl is gonna need a lot of help; good luck having Gilbride figure that one out.

[BadEgg]

As a Cowboys fan my greatest concern this season is that things don't get as boring as the mid-ninties...

[ksm7]

The Dog would have to say above all else, a slow start to the season (even an 0-2, 1-3 start) could mean things unraveling immediately...the Dog contends that it won't take much for this team to rebel against coughlin, and minimal success in terms of wins for manning ends the season early...

 

the dog also thinks that the lack of cheerleaders is always a concern, as they can really lift team spirits, and since their former cheerleader Ike Hilliard has been gone for some time, things just haven't been real peppy since...

[Sephiroth]

You know, I've changed my mind.

 

After seeing Jason Bell join Jim Finn on IR today, I've decided that the biggest concern is seeing if Jerry Palmieri can come up with a weight training regimen that doesn't put half of our team on IR before week six.

 

Seeing the bang-up job he's done here for the past three years, and in New Orleans and Jacksonville before here, I'm not holding my breath.

[Nesta]

I have faith in Diehl, but I still voted for him as my highest concern.

[Lubeck]

You know, I've changed my mind.

 

After seeing Jason Bell join Jim Finn on IR today, I've decided that the biggest concern is seeing if Jerry Palmieri can come up with a weight training regimen that doesn't put half of our team on IR before week six.

 

Seeing the bang-up job he's done here for the past three years, and in New Orleans and Jacksonville before here, I'm not holding my breath.

 

I can't believe I forgot that problem!

[BIGBLUE01]

Aside from injury, which is every teams concern, I see the biggest concern as being the secondary, CB's specifically. Our secondary and the injury bug is what killed us the last two seasons.

[njsmalls]

Who's kicking for the Giants?

 

Not the biggest problem...but we also have a "new" Special Teams coach.

[boohyah]

Simply put, that Eli Manning doesn't start taking the next step to being the stud QB people he's expected to be. People worry about making up for Tiki's offense, but you'd be wrong for assuming that Jacobs and Droghans must make up the difference. Fact is that Tiki ran the ball so much becuase Tiki made more stuff happen than anyone else. And the QB now has to try and pick up the slack.

 

If he doesn't, then this team really will be at a crossroads next season. Probable new coach, possible consideration for a different QB. People on here think this is a throwaway year, but this team is not built to have throwaway years. Eli is the key.

[UK-Giantsfan]

Bearing in mind that the last thing we need is for Eli to have more pressure , less time and to be hurried all season long ....my greatest concern remains that we dont have a proven NFL cailbre left tackle in the most important specialist position.

I like Deihl but what happens if he proves to be mediocre during camp !

[ksm7]

in light of recent events, the dog thinks that the giants should be more concerned with a max exodus of players to host television shows...

[BIGBLUE01]

Bearing in mind that the last thing we need is for Eli to have more pressure , less time and to be hurried all season long ....my greatest concern remains that we dont have a proven NFL cailbre left tackle in the most important specialist position.

I like Deihl but what happens if he proves to be mediocre during camp !

 

See, Im like Reese, I dont see this as our biggest concern. LT, OL, yes, they are important. But Diehl can do the job, and like he said, Luke was consistent for us, but not pro bowl, cant lose type player. Plus, I think BJ will do fine pickin up blitzes, and Shock helps block too. If Diehl is mediocre in camp, then we got a bit of a prob, but I dont see that happening.

[randoff]

See, Im like Reese, I dont see this as our biggest concern. LT, OL, yes, they are important. But Diehl can do the job, and like he said, Luke was consistent for us, but not pro bowl, cant lose type player. Plus, I think BJ will do fine pickin up blitzes, and Shock helps block too. If Diehl is mediocre in camp, then we got a bit of a prob, but I dont see that happening.

I'm hoping that in 2007 Shockey blocks less and has a 75-80 catch season with 5-7 TDs.

[BIGBLUE01]

I'm hoping that in 2007 Shockey blocks less and has a 75-80 catch season with 5-7 TDs.

 

Yeah, we talk about that all the time. When they say we gotta use Shockey more, Im like fuck, we want to but he's gotta help block all the time!lol

 

Well, his TD's are in that range, but if he got more catches, imagine what range it would be in then. He's great in the Red Zone.

[randoff]

Yeah, we talk about that all the time. When they say we gotta use Shockey more, Im like fuck, we want to but he's gotta help block all the time!lol

 

Well, his TD's are in that range, but if he got more catches, imagine what range it would be in then. He's great in the Red Zone.

True dat True dat!

...I was assuming that Toomer (a healthy Toomer) would get some of those Tds too...5-7 Td range.

 

Who's the 'third' TE? Giants should run Two TE (Shockey and ???) since we have NO FB (yet). That second TE could help block and allow Shockey to do what he can do as a reciever.

[randoff]

Who's kicking for the Giants?

 

Not the biggest problem...but we also have a "new" Special Teams coach.

Lawrence Tynes, brought in from the Chiefs...don't know much about him.