Memorial Weekend Blues

It's that quiet time of year... the draft and free agency are long gone... mini-camp is already over... and the opening of camp is still months away. A good time perhaps to reflect upon factors that will likely determine success versus failure for the G-Men this season.

1. Defensive tackles. The middle of the front four is a big question mark. William Joseph hasn't yet shown much, despite last year's plaudits from the press and coaches (praise I perceived to be more motivational than anything else). I'm not convinced Joseph demonstrated enough last year to justify anything beyond a bit more time to prove himself. At the other tackle spot, there isn't any player competing for the starting position that has any real experience. Duckett, Seawright, and Cofield are all, in essence, rookies. Any way you dice it, deciding before camp even opens that you will head into the season starting a "rookie" can't possibly be considered a position of strength.

The only comfort is the curious lack of attention paid to defensive tackle this off season - an indication, hopefully, that Giant's management believes everything is under control. Let's hope that's not just wishful thinking.

2. Strahan/Osi. Can they both bring it again? Weakness at defensive tackle may require more attention to the run but I'm betting that the addition of Arrington, a healthy Pierce, and creative use of defensive formations & personnel will allow the duo to lead the league in combined sacks yet one more time.

3. Tiki. I wanted a 2nd round pick at RB but Giant's management obviously feel Tiki still has sufficient gas left in the tank. My hunch is that the Giants aerial attack is strong and diverse enough to keep teams sufficiently off balance to allow Tiki to run free and lead the league in combined yardage once again this year.

4. Eli. I debated where to rank the importance of Eli to overall team success this year. On the one hand there are so many weapons on offense, the Giants can have success without Eli being an all-pro quarterback. On the other hand, team confidence depends upon Eli establishing he is the real deal. Forget the comebacks. Forget the 80 yard pass plays. Eli needs to demonstrate consistent accuracy - hitting the sweet spot game in and game out without the receivers breaking stride.

5. Shockey and Burress. Team chemistry is the concern here. Will either or both once again sulk when they perceive the offense isn't clicking or being run they way they want? It's time they stepped up and became team leaders and have a postive - or at least not a negative - influence on team chemistry.

There are other questions of course. The entire defensive secondary for example. But does team success really depend upon the secondary? If the defensive front 7 are strong (see points 1&2), then the secondary won't matter. And if the defensive front 7 turn out to be a weakness (see points 1&2), then the secondary, regardless how strong, still won't matter.

And there are interesting questions at linebacker - just not the type to cause any concern. Will Arrington be a super-star? He doesn't need to be. Will Wilkinson push Emmons for playing time by the end of the season? I hope so, but team success or failure won't depend upon it.

Will the offensive line turn into a force? They are a young unit, will play together for several more seasons, and will become steadily stronger each year. The feeling here is that they are solid enough already and don't have to be the league's best o-line this year.

At this point, before summer camp starts, my analysis is that how the two defensive tackles play will be the most critical factor to this coming season. Their strength or weakness will be crucial components to whether Strahan/Osi once again mount an effective pass rush and whether Pierce is amongst the league leaders in tackles defending the run. Their play will determine whether this defense is an awesome destructive force to be reckoned with or a liability that can't drag itself off the field (with obvious own implications for the offensive side of the ball).

If defensive tackle turns out to be a strength, this could be one of the strongest teams in years. If, however, they can't plug the middle, it could be a long season. The bet here? Who knows. That's why it's a question mark. Let's just hope it's a wild and fun ride!