2009 Was Not All Bad For Giants
Several Bright Spots To Build On
2009 will be a forgettable season for the Giants and their fans. Sure, they can finish out with a bang by beating Minnesota this week but overall, the season was a gigantic disappointment.
The defense was atrocious, for a myriad of reasons. There were injuries and disconnects to go along with a nonsensical scheme by first-year defensive coordinator, Bill Sheridan.
The special teams were average at best, but with too many lapses. The offensive line, once a cohesive block of granite, began to show some cracks.
And, finally the vaunted running game was virtually grounded to a halt. The causes were many – mainly the overrating of one Brandon Jacobs.
But as the season winds down with all of these letdowns on our minds, there are several positives to take into next season. (Do I sound like Allie Sherman, yet?)
No one understood why the Giants paid Eli Manning a king’s ransom at the beginning of the season. Now, there doesn’t seem to be much chatter about that. Manning responded with his best season to date and displayed the leadership qualities the club so desperately needed him to start showing.
The young receivers, who were under pressure to produce in the wake of the Plaxico Burress fiasco, shone like beacons the entire season. Steve Smith set a club record for receptions. Mario Manningham and rookie Hakeem Nicks combined for over 100 receptions and 1500 yards in their first full seasons.
The Giants also found out how valuable second-year safety Kenny Phillips was to the team. The secondary fell apart after he was lost for the season. Now, that’s not necessarily a positive, but it shows that they were right about Phillips.
Going into 2010, the Giants know exactly where they need to improve. I would like to hear what our readers think the Giants should do this spring….
