E-GIANTS
Dave Klein was the Giants' beat writer for The Star-Ledger from 1961 to 1995.
He is the author of 26 books and he is one of only four sportswriters to have covered all the Super Bowls. Dave has allowed TEAM GIANTS to reprint some of his articles.

QUESTIONS, PROBLEMS, SUGGESTIONS
AS THE GIANTS GO QUIETLY INTO THE
SILENCE OF A NON-PLAYOFF WINTER

By Dave Klein
So many questions, so many problems (real or imagined) to solve, so many cries for improvement, change and immediate decisions.

It's a little too early for that, Giant fans, but a preliminary starting point might be the lineup the team put on the field in the final game, Dec. 30, at home against the dreadful Philadelphia Eagles.

Let's start with the defense, which was equally culpable in the collapse against Atlanta and Baltimore that dropped the Giants out of playoff contention.

The starting line was Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul at the ends, Chris Canty and Linval Joseph at the tackles.

The linebackers were Mathias Kiwanuka (strongside), Chase Blackburn (middle) and Michael Boley (weakside).

The secondary was made up of Corey Webster and Prince Amukamara on the corners, Stevie Brown (strong) and Antrel Rolle (weak) at safeties.

Frequent substitutions were Mark Herzlich (middle linebacker), Keith Rivers (weakside), Will Hill (strong safety) and, of course, the ever-present Osi Umenyiora at right end.

Had enough? OK, the Giants must find replacements for Osi (who readily admits he's already gone), Boley, Webster, injured corner Terrell Thomas and reserve safety Kenny Phillips (originally a first-round pick in 2008). Webster had his time as a league-feared "shutdown corner" and these days he is merely a shell of that. He's 30 years old (31 in March) and was ruthlessly exploited during the season, notably by Atlanta and Baltimore.

He might be able to take up a safety position - assuming he stays healthy, which he wasn't for a large part of last season - but if that doesn't work out, it's sad but true that he must go. The late general manager George Young used to say: "The best time to trade a player is when he's older but still a household name." Well, C-Web is older but not quite a household name any more.

Boley had a problem staying healthy. He, too, is 30 years old and will be 31 before the 2013 season starts. He spent four years with Atlanta, the last four with the Giants and, well, maybe eight is enough.

Someone had better figure out where the pass rush went, and if that isn't defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's job, whose is it? Tuck spent most of the season injured; he'll be 30 by next season and while he insists "there's still plenty of gas in the tank," maybe he's wrong.

JPP played as if he was trying to impress Pro Bowl voters and not offensive linemen. It was a disappointing season for him, and if he is "a genetic freak," as many have called the 6-5, 280-pounder, someone should check those genetic tracks.

Thomas missed his second consecutive season with a knee injury and while that isn't his fault, it's a liability which he (and the Giants) must now address. That knee won't be the same - not ever - and the fact that he is "damaged goods" seems to preclude a long line of hopeful pursuers waiting for him to be released.

Now for the offense, which in many ways is shakier than the defense.

Eli Manning at quarterback is just fine, assuming he doesn't have a "tired arm" or worse. He's a legitimate star but still needs the complementary tools around him - like an offensive line and a solid running game.

The line allowed only 20 sacks, a laudable statistic, but how much of that was because of his "pocket presence" and ability to avoid rushers despite not having great speed or quickness? The first-round draft pick, David Wilson, showed flashes of Pro Bowl talent - but not in his blitz pick-ups and pass blocking. The veteran running back, Ahmad Bradshaw, plays with a fire and bad, surgically repaired feet and a sprained knee.

Can Wilson win the fulltime job? Will he be allowed to win it? That depends on how fast he handles the other stuff that comes with the position. Andre Brown provided a bit of excitement but got hurt, and that seems to be his destiny. Others, like Da'Rel Scott, don't seem to have a chance.

The line is, perhaps, where most of the work is necessary. David Diehl was taken out of the starting lineup for a while because of the emergence of a veteran free agent named Sean Locklear, but he got hurt and back came Diehl, who just finished his 10th season and looks to be ready for retirement.

Diehl started at right tackle in the finale, Will Beatty at left tackle, David Baas at center, Kevin Boothe and Chris Snee at guards. Beatty has been a colossal disappointment as a one-time second-round pick (2009) and might not be the answer at all. Baas came from San Francisco at a veteran free agent to replace veteran Shaun O'Hara, and he follows good games with bad games and an occasional respite for some sort of injury.

Snee is a Pro Bowl guard, although not so much as earlier in his career, and Boothe is an enigma - how does he keep playing despite obvious flaws? Maybe the answer is that there's no one else.

Perhaps the only sound unit is the wide receivers. Again, however, it depends on health. Hakeem Nicks, the top guy at the position, spent most of the year hurt and didn't catch a pass in the final two games - a first for him. Victor Cruz is spectacular and dangerous, but much less so when Hicks isn't on the other side of the field. Domenik Hixon, Reuben Randle, Ramses Barden and Jerrel Jernigan. Nothing needs to be done there early in the draft (Jerry Reese, are you listening?).

But tight end is another matter. Martellus Bennett came over from Dallas and had a strong season, but he's the only tight end with any credentials. Bear Pascoe and a rookie who never played named Adrien Robinson are the backups along with practice squadder Larry Donnell.

Thinking about the draft already? Here's an early model.

Round 1 - Tackle. 2 - Tackle. 3 - Linebacker. 4 - Cornerback. 5 - Cornerback. 6 - Defensive end. 7 - Reese's choice.

Check out Dave's website at E-GIANTS where you can subscribe to his newsletters which run much more frequently than what is available here.
- Team Giants

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