Top 25 Most Overrated New York Giants in Franchise History (Modern Era)

[Allstarjim]

I know some fans overrate Manningham but right now, out of the receiving corps, Cruz is getting the most unwarranted hype, IMO. He's good, but some are putting him in a class of elite receivers. I agree with critics of Manningham. He has terrific wheels but his hands are STILL a work in progress. I'm glad Mario got his first TD this week but in all honesty he could have had at least 4 TD's at this point if he just secures the football immediately, and that's not including the one that got called back by a penalty in the Buffalo game.

 

I do think we have a nice trio of receivers. But I won't put our receivers on the level of Philadelphia's, Dallas', Green Bay's, or even New Orleans' groups of receivers. Some people may take issue with that, but I think it's a fair critique. I will say that Hakeem Nicks is in an elite class that only a few can claim. He may be, and probably is, the best receiver in the division, and that's saying a lot in a division of Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Jeremy Maclin, and DeSean Jackson.

 

It's Nicks who has been key in drawing that safety to his side or a linebacker over that is leaving a lot of stuff open in the middle of the field for Cruz and Ballard, not to mention a lot of one on one's for Manningham. His play, coupled with Eli's, is elevating the play of the other receivers on this team. That's not to say that the others aren't talented, that they aren't good players, because I'm not saying that. But to put Cruz or Manningham in someone like Nicks' class at this point is pretty homerific. I like what Cruz has done overall and he's seized opportunities, and I'll leave it at that. But if folks are saying Manningham is all that right now, then yes, he belongs in the overrated discussion... but I see more of that happening with Cruz. I think all this overrated talk is overrated, though. Just play, just produce, and just win. All the accolades and overrated/underrated discussion takes care of itself if you just keep winning.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Eh, the negative stuff was forgotten already. Life's too short to hold grudges, especially on the internet.

 

The funny part is your argument for Armstead is exactly why I think he's a bit overrated. He was the best linebacker we had for years, and the years beyond when he left. But where you consider that entirely to his credit, I think it speaks a bit to his competition on this team. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

 

It's hard to grow up watching a 4-3 with linebackers like Brian Kelly, Harry Carson, and Brad Van Pelt; watch that morph into what that 3-4 became; and see guys of the quality of Danny Lloyd, Steve DeOssie, and Byron Hunt as backups. All three of the latter group could have been starters on other teams. I mean, we had Pepper Johnson as a backup at one point--we were that strong at the linebacker position. That kind of experience makes one very critical of linebackers showing signs of being mortal.

 

Wasn't Manningham dropping into the third round about him smoking pot in college and attitude issues, and had nothing to do with his ability as a wide receiver? No matter, I couched that by saying that it was still pretty early in his career, and the things I was criticizing him about were all correctable. Again, you're equating being overrated with being a bad player--he's a good wide receiver--just not as good as some give him credit for. Now, if he was on some of those Phil Simms' teams, he'd be a legend...and geezers like myself would be comparing Nicks to him.

 

 

Admit it Gut...we were spoiled...Giants used to be Linebacker University....GOD to have a pick of three or four of those guys in their prime...and I am just talking about the backups....it would be a better squad than what most teams could field today.

[Chuck Wagon]

Admit it Gut...we were spoiled...Giants used to be Linebacker University....GOD to have a pick of three or four of those guys in their prime...and I am just talking about the backups....it would be a better squad than what most teams could field today.

 

Right on T.....Hunt, Headen, ... the 4th and 5th LB on the Giants would have been the 1 or 2 on most NFL teams...Gary Reasons....if there was ever an "most underrated" Giant thread I'd have to go with Reasons as number 1.

 

I feel bad for the guy playing in the shadow of Banks, Carson and LT. ...same same for Pepper when he got there.

 

The NFL Channel did a "Best Linebacker Corp" Top Ten....if was fucked up of course as the 86' crew was number 3 on the list behind the Saints Pat Swilling foursome in the late 80's and the Steelers from the mid 70's.

 

Both were EXCEPTIONAL groups.....but lets be real....the Saints D sucked and they didn't win shit.....and Russell, Lambert, and Ham had the Steel Current in front of them and Blunt, Shell and Wagner behind them.

 

Also fucked up in their tally was the Early 80s' Gman crew (VPelt/Kelley/Carson/LT)...the Crunch Bunch who reintroduced the 3-4 back into the NFL.....didn't even make the list....WTF?

 

Anyway...what bothered me most was when the did the 86' crew....Reason was mentioned once....just at the beginning.....even though they played a 3-4 .

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-top-ten/09000d5d807480b8/Top-Ten-Linebacking-Corps-Bill-Parcells-Giants

 

But no love for this guy...

 

 

50% of any of the 1977 to 1995 groupings would be better then what we got now.

 

C. Wagon

[Storm]

I would most definitely put our WRs ahead of Dallas and Phiilly. Probably Green Bay, too. Jordy Nelson, James Jones, and Donald Driver are not better than what we have. Greg Jennings is on the same level as Hakeem but it's not even close for the other guys. Same with Dallas. What has Miles Austin done this year? Dez Bryant? I couldn't even tell you any of their other WRs.

 

We have the deepest, most talented WRs group in the NFC East, in my opinion.

[Allstarjim]

Storm... homerific.

 

Jordy Nelson and even James Jones could be #1's on other teams. Especially Nelson.

 

Austin and Bryant are both studs, but Austin has been hurt for about half of the season. And you can ask Terrell Thomas if he thinks Dez Bryant is any good. If anyone is in the argument for making a case of being on Hakeem Nicks' level it's Dez Bryant. He is at WR what JPP is at DE. I'm not going to talk strict numbers because you can't compare the receivers that way when we have Eli and they have Romo.

 

I strongly disagree with the notion that we are deep at all at the position because if Nicks' were to go down for any length of time we're fucked. Cruz is a good #2 and Manningham is a good #2... but Dallas, Philly, and Green Bay have multiple #1 receivers on their team. If you put, for example, Jason Avant on this team he'd produce much like Cruz or Manningham and you'd have posters here waxing poetic about how good Avant is and how he's so much better than the likes of Miles Austin. That's the truth.

 

It's not a slam on our players, but Nicks' is the only guy that defenses really fear and have to game plan specifically for.

[Allstarjim]

C - Great call on Reasons. I always liked him and he was very under appreciated, the guy was a fantastic inside linebacker.

[Storm]

Storm... homerific.

 

Jordy Nelson and even James Jones could be #1's on other teams. Especially Nelson.

 

Austin and Bryant are both studs, but Austin has been hurt for about half of the season. And you can ask Terrell Thomas if he thinks Dez Bryant is any good. If anyone is in the argument for making a case of being on Hakeem Nicks' level it's Dez Bryant. He is at WR what JPP is at DE. I'm not going to talk strict numbers because you can't compare the receivers that way when we have Eli and they have Romo.

 

I strongly disagree with the notion that we are deep at all at the position because if Nicks' were to go down for any length of time we're fucked. Cruz is a good #2 and Manningham is a good #2... but Dallas, Philly, and Green Bay have multiple #1 receivers on their team. If you put, for example, Jason Avant on this team he'd produce much like Cruz or Manningham and you'd have posters here waxing poetic about how good Avant is and how he's so much better than the likes of Miles Austin. That's the truth.

 

It's not a slam on our players, but Nicks' is the only guy that defenses really fear and have to game plan specifically for.

 

I'd take Manningham and Cruz over Nelson and Jones. That's just insane. Cruz and Manningham would start on other teams, too. Jones drops even more balls than Manningham does.

 

And I completely disagree. Teams have to gameplan for our wide receivers other than Nicks. Just as much so as they would have to gameplan against Nelson and Jones or Austin and whoever is their slot guy.

 

Hakeem Nicks and Bryant are on the same level. But I would also take Cruz or Manningham over anyone else they have.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

Right on T.....Hunt, Headen, ... the 4th and 5th LB on the Giants would have been the 1 or 2 on most NFL teams...Gary Reasons....if there was ever an "most underrated" Giant thread I'd have to go with Reasons as number 1.

 

I feel bad for the guy playing in the shadow of Banks, Carson and LT. ...same same for Pepper when he got there.

 

The NFL Channel did a "Best Linebacker Corp" Top Ten....if was fucked up of course as the 86' crew was number 3 on the list behind the Saints Pat Swilling foursome in the late 80's and the Steelers from the mid 70's.

 

Both were EXCEPTIONAL groups.....but lets be real....the Saints D sucked and they didn't win shit.....and Russell, Lambert, and Ham had the Steel Current in front of them and Blunt, Shell and Wagner behind them.

 

Also fucked up in their tally was the Early 80s' Gman crew (VPelt/Kelley/Carson/LT)...the Crunch Bunch who reintroduced the 3-4 back into the NFL.....didn't even make the list....WTF?

 

Anyway...what bothered me most was when the did the 86' crew....Reason was mentioned once....just at the beginning.....even though they played a 3-4 .

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-top-ten/09000d5d807480b8/Top-Ten-Linebacking-Corps-Bill-Parcells-Giants

 

But no love for this guy...

 

 

50% of any of the 1977 to 1995 groupings would be better then what we got now.

 

C. Wagon

 

 

Definitely man...just give me two of those guys...any two....WORD...

[CrazedDogs]

Jordy Nelson and even James Jones could be #1's on other teams. Especially Nelson.

 

Austin and Bryant are both studs, but Austin has been hurt for about half of the season. And you can ask Terrell Thomas if he thinks Dez Bryant is any good. If anyone is in the argument for making a case of being on Hakeem Nicks' level it's Dez Bryant. He is at WR what JPP is at DE. I'm not going to talk strict numbers because you can't compare the receivers that way when we have Eli and they have Romo.

 

I strongly disagree with the notion that we are deep at all at the position because if Nicks' were to go down for any length of time we're fucked. Cruz is a good #2 and Manningham is a good #2... but Dallas, Philly, and Green Bay have multiple #1 receivers on their team. If you put, for example, Jason Avant on this team he'd produce much like Cruz or Manningham and you'd have posters here waxing poetic about how good Avant is and how he's so much better than the likes of Miles Austin. That's the truth.

 

It's not a slam on our players, but Nicks' is the only guy that defenses really fear and have to game plan specifically for.

 

Right on.