[SBR Lou]

Minus Plaxico Burress, Giants still the favorites in NFC East





With Plaxico soon to be donning the colors of black-and-white, can the blue-and-white New York Giants weather the storm and have a successful season?

Boom!

No, that wasn’t a nearby explosion. It was the sound of former New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shooting himself in the leg at a New York night club, and likely putting an end to a successful, though marred with controversy, NFL career.

The disgraced wide-out damaged his future, himself, and the New York football Giants considerably on that fateful November night, and he is expected to serve some hard time for it. Now is not the time, though, for Giants fans to lament the past. We all know what happened. The Giants finished their season on a 1-4 skid, capped off by losing a home play-off game to the Philadelphia Eagles.

What’s done is done, Giants fans had all off-season to stew over the Plaxico business. Now is the time for sports fans and NFL bettors to be prudent and take a realistic look at how the Giants stack up against NFC east rivals, and how far they may go post-Plaxico.

Division Odds, Giants at +145. (Odds courtesy of The Greek)

Oddsmakers have the Giants sitting atop the NFC East at +145, with the Philadelphia Eagles forty cents behind. The Giants spent over $80 million on their defense this off-season, adding defensive linemen Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, and veteran safety C.C Brown. Newly appointed defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan inherited some pretty good toys to play with, so it will be interesting to see if the Giants defense suffers a drop-off in production with former D.C. Steve Spagnuolo’s departure to the St. Louis Rams.

One positive for Giants fans is the return of Osi Umenyiora, the star defensive end who missed all of last season with a knee injury. You may remember Osi for his efforts in Super Bowl XLII, when he placed Tom Brady’s head to grass more than an unshaven Gisele Bundchen might. All indications are Osi has made a full recovery.

There are certainly question marks haunting the minds of Giants faithful for the 2009-10 NFL season. Will we be able to right the ship, and get back to where we need to be without Plaxico Burress, and Amani Toomer? Will Eli play like a Manning, or will it be the pre-Super Bowl Eli tossing more interceptions than Brett Favre in his heyday? The Giants have suffered more than just wide receiver setbacks, as they have parted ways with backup running back Derrick Ward. The loss of Ward is slightly concerning, as he alongside Brandon Jacobs offered an excellent 1-2 punch combo. The Giants need a good change of pace guy in there to mix things up, and complement the skills of big bruiser Jacobs.

Perhaps the most important question, and also the most difficult to answer, would be can the Giants avoid injury trouble? For a team that relies so heavily on its dominant pass rush, there is very little wiggle room for the Giants defense in the event of either Justin Tuck or Osi Umenyiora going down.

While it may sound cliché, or maybe even a little redundant to state the importance of a season without serious injury, the Giants depth is a cause for concern. If they are to be seriously contending for their second Super Bowl title in three years, they will need as close to a full deck as they can get.

If the Giants front seven can stay healthy, and Eli Manning can find a way to succeed without some of the luxuries offensively he had become accustomed to, the Giants at +145 to win the division is my bet.

As always, bet with your head. If this wager turns out to be a loser after the season unfolds, feel free to drop by SBR’s NFL betting forum to tell me how much I suck.

[dreamjob]

I don't play futures because I can't wait 6 months for my money. Nice write-up I like the Giants chances too. BOL LET'S GO GIANTS!!!!!!!

[VegasDave]

Originally Posted by CrazyLou

You may remember Osi for his efforts in Super Bowl XLII, when he placed Tom Brady’s head to grass more than an unshaven Gisele Bundchen might.

That is pretty damn obscene

[CashMoney]

Let's go g men!!!!!!!!!!

[rezkoness69]

Eagles or Giants, prob. giants

cowboys D, the most overrated unit in the NFL...besides Ware, they're no good

After the boys finish 3rd in the division, Wade Phillips gets fired, sportscenter will begin reporting the "rumors" of it by week 10

[BigBlue77]