New York Giants’ Offseason Roundup

In what has been an offseason full of headlines for just about every NFL team, the New York Giants managed to slip under the radar in terms of their activity.

New York bolstered their defensive line, rid themselves of the distraction that was Plaxico Burress, and got some fresh young weapons on offense.

Here is a summary of how it all went down.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/138067-how-the-new-york-giants-put-the-nfc-east-in-a-bind

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/153912-a-giant-task-how-new-york-can-improve-without-adding-a-receiver

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/162507-giants-nail-down-draft-call-on-nicks-to-be-the-future

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/163805-giants-2009-draft-class-will-be-key-in-super-bowl-xliv-chase

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/171216-eli-manning-misunderstood

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/180781-for-big-blues-offense-change-is-in-the-air

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/206846-how-justin-tuck-can-propel-new-yorks-defense-to-greatness

Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson: The Great Debate

Looking back at the 2008 season, it became pretty clear that either Larry Fitzgerald or Andre Johnson is the best receiver in football.

Johnson did his thing all year to the tune of 115 receptions for 1575 yards and eight touchdowns, while having six games over 130 yards receiving.

Fitzgerald, on the other hand, had 96 catches for 1431 yards and 12 touchdowns, all before having an other-worldly post season.

So still the question remains: Who is better?

For Fitzgerald, he has two other legitimate receiving threats alongside him in Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston, both of whom racked up over 1000 yards receiving in 2008.

Furthermore, he has Kurt Warner under center, who is said to be a Hall of Fame candidate.

Arizona as a team, though, has a very weak running game.

In Houston, Johnson does not have as strong a threat opposite him in Kevin Walter as Fitzgerald does in Anquan Boldin, making Johnson the primary target all the time.

Houston, though, has a fantastic running back in Steve Slaton which can draw some attention to the line of scrimmage.

Matt Schaub is nowhere near as good as Warner is, nor was Sage Rosenfels during his tenure with Houston.

Now, the question remains: Who is the better player?

Both have fantastic route running ability, a physicality matched by few others, are willing to lay out in an effort to make any catch, can win just about any jump ball, and both have breakaway speed.

Between the two of them, I have to give Johnson the nod in the physicality and the breakaway speed categories.

Anything involving hands has to go to Fitzgerald, and thus the jump ball category, as well as the ability to lay out for any ball must go to him.

It comes down to who is the better route runner between the two of them, which is excruciatingly difficult to determine.

In my opinion, despite Fitzgerald’s post season, I must give the nod to Johnson as the better player.

Six games over 130 yards receiving is too difficult to ignore, especially when opposing teams know that you are their only receiving threat. Throughout the season, Johnson dominated on a slightly more consistent basis than did Fitzgerald.

One thing is for sure: both are incredible to watch.

Just recall Johnson’s fourth down reception against Miami late in the fourth quarter when he reached in front of the defender to pull the ball out of his grasp 30 yards down field, or Larry Fitzgerald’s dive for the pylon in the divisional playoffs.

Hopefully, the friendly competition between these two will motivate them to settle the debate once and for all in 2009, and provide us with some major fireworks in the meantime.

Why the Brett Favre Addition Legitimizes the Vikings

After glancing at the above headline, one may be inclined to ask how a 39 year old quarterback could legitimize an NFL team, especially considering that same 39 year old quarterback failed legitimize another team the prior year.

Well folks, there really is no comparing The Jets and The Vikings here.

When Brett Favre went to the New York Jets, he joined the team in mid-August after training camp had already gotten underway. While in camp, he had to learn an entirely new system of plays and signals.

For a guy who had 17 seasons already under his belt, learning a new system isn’t that big of a deal, football is football. Even at that though, Favre struggled at the outset of the season while getting accustomed to his new surroundings and system.

In Minnesota, Favre won’t have to worry about any of that.

Word on the street is Favre will be signed before August, and the west coast offense Brad Childress runs is near identical to the one Favre used for over a decade in Green Bay. Childress is a student of Andy Reid, who was a student of Mike Holmgren.

Needless to say, Favre’s transition may be a bit easier.

Even with Favre stumbling out of the gates, The Jets started 8-3 and handed unbeaten Tennessee their first loss of the season. After that, The Jets stumbled to a 9-7 finish and Favre looked like he no longer belonged in The NFL.

But, (and this is a big but) the Jets don’t have Adrian Peterson.

The Jets attempted to ride Favre down the stretch in 2008, but should Favre begin to stumble in Minnesota, Peterson is more than capable of carrying that team down the stretch.

The Vikings already have one of the league’s best defenses, best offensive lines, and best running backs. It isn’t so much a matter of Favre being a stellar player that pushes Minnesota over the top, it’s the simple fact that the Vikings have everything in place except a quarterback.

Throw Favre into the mix with a stellar line, Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian, and you have a recipe for a stellar offense.

All Favre needs to do is throw check-downs and bombs, he won’t be asked to do much, just distribute the ball and get out of the way.

Lastly, Favre now has revenge in his sights. It is Ted Thompson who Favre wants to spite, and if he keeps that in the back of his mind he will be motivated.

Should be an interesting 2009.

Giant Impact: How Big Blue’s Backs Can Ignite Their Offense

As the 2009 season approaches, there is little we know  about the Giants’ offense.

 

One thing is for sure: they have a ton of young talent.

 

Since Plaxico Burress’ departure, the receiver position has been the primary object of concern. Finding a playmaker to replace his production will be difficult.

 

But what if the running back position holds the playmaker New York is looking for?

 

At the conclusion of the 2008 season, the Giants lacked a threat to score from anywhere on the field, and that included at the running back position.

 

Teams stacked eight men at the line of scrimmage not so much because they feared Brandon Jacobs, but because they knew that the Giants lacked big-play ability across the board.

 

Jacobs and Ward were models of consistency in 2008, but were no threat to go all the way at any moment.

With Ahmad Bradshaw and Danny Ware set to battle it out for the No. 2 job behind Jacobs, the Big Blue may be sitting on a gold mine.

That said, there are a number of ways that Bradshaw and Ware can improve New York’s offense in 2009.

 

1. Rotate Early and Often

Though it would be great to see Jacobs hammer away at opponents all day long, wouldn’t it be better to watch him do it in the first and fourth quarters for the entire season rather than all game for about 10 weeks?

With Bradshaw and Ware behind Jacobs, he should be afforded more rest time than he was in 2008. Both Ware and Bradshaw need touches to get going, and both have explosive ability when that happens.

If Big Blue’s offense is in a jam, one big play or two from these guys and they are back in business, regardless of how the passing game is working. Furthermore, if the game is on the line at the start of the fourth quarter, I want a fresh Jacobs to drain what remains of the opponent’s energy.

 

2. Split Ware and Bradshaw Out Wide (or Just Throw It to a Running Back)

Splitting running backs out wide may not seem like a big deal, but it causes major matchup problems for defenses.

Even throwing to Bradshaw and Ware out of the backfield will provide a major boost for the offense.

It is a great way to get the ball into the hands of the teams playmakers in space.

 

3. Use Travis Beckum the Right Way

New York’s Offensive coordinator stated that Travis Beckum would serve as a slot receiver for the most part.That said, it would be ideal if he were inserted into that role on first and second down.

Why?

Based on how the defense chooses to defend Beckum, Manning can select a play which puts the Giants in the best position to gain yards.

Beckum should be able to block a safety out wide, and if a linebacker covers him, then a completion to Beckum will be quick and easy.

On third down, players like Moss and Nicks can move into the slot receiver roles where they can cause a whole separate set of matchup problems for a defense.

The flexibility Beckum brings to the table, along with the explosive abilities of Bradshaw and Ware are major pluses for New York’s offense.

 

After looking broken down on offense at the end of 2008, the massive talent pool the Giants have built up may help them become a better offense than ever before.

The New York Giants’ 2009 Training Camp Preview

Its getting close to that time of year—football season.

Prior to the start of each year, teams gather in the heat of August to begin their preparations for the coming season.

After such an exciting offseason for the Giants and their fans, training camp is sure to draw a ton of interest.

Before getting into the pivotal aspects of camp itself, let’s examine some spring trends which need to continue.

 

Moss steps up

Reports out of just about everywhere reflected that Sinorice Moss was doing fantastically at mini-camp. If this trend continues, he is sure to become a serious threat to go deep every time he is on the field.

 

Pierce back to old form

With Bill Sheridan taking over the defensive play calls, it will be up to middle linebacker Antonio Pierce to maintain a feel for the flow of the game.

He will need to make the right audibles in order to put Big Blue’s star-studded defense in a position to make a play.

 

Eli doing his Peyton impression

Now that the egos have been cleared out and Eli is able to work with his receivers on a more consistent basis, he is one happy camper.

Eli can now simply read and react, as he has a great relationship with his receivers. As talented as Plaxico Burress was, he was rarely on the same page as Eli        was—resulting in a ton of intercepted balls intended for Burress.

With the speed New York has, Eli will have to make less reads and rely on his speedsters to simply go long or make a play after the catch.

 

The Key positional Battles

 

Wide Receiver: The beginning of a new era

 

Since Eli Manning’s arrival in New York, it has been nearly a foregone conclusion that  Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress would lined up at the receiver position.

 

Those days are over.

 

With Toomer unsigned and Burress facing jail time, there is an open competition at the position.

 

One thing is for sure when it comes to the New York receiving core—they are young. The elder statesman is David Tyree at age 28 (seven years pro), and the next longest tenured receiver is Sinorice Moss, who is entering his fourth season.

 

Moss was not too shabby in limited duty in 2008, catching 12 out of 12 passes thrown his way. The 5’8” speed demon does bring an intriguing skill set to the table, as he can certainly stretch the field.

Every time Moss has stepped foot onto the field in his career, the corner has lined up ten or more yards off of him, fearing his ability to get down the field. With a strong camp showing, he could end up as high as third on the depth chart.

 

Mario Manningham, the second year player out of Michigan, is a player the Giants hold in very high regard.

When asked about how the Giants’ passing game would compensate for the loss of deep threat Plaxico Burress, Eli Manning stated, “I think we’re hoping Mario Manningham can do that for us and be one of those guys who has speed and can run and make those deep catches.”

 

Manningham was an electric playmaker at Michigan, averaging over 17 yards per reception, and could be a candidate for one of the two starting slots.

 

Steve Smith, the third year player out of USC, is undoubtedly the leader of the receiving core for New York as of now.

Smith’s cat-like quickness, coupled with his superior route running, give him the potential to be a Marvin Harrison-like target in terms of reliability and clutch play.

 

I fully expect Smith to be an every down player, starting out wide while moving into the slot in three wide receiver sets.

 

Domenik Hixon, a starter for six games this past season, showed flashes of his big play ability against Seattle and Arizona. He racked up 596 total yards receiving on the season.

 

Hixon’s lack of reliability late in the season in 2008 may cause him to lose playing time in favor of younger players whom the organization believes have a higher ceiling.

This may prove to be a good move for all parties, as it allows Hixon to focus on kick return duties while younger, more dynamic receivers like Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks get the majority of the snaps out wide.

 

The rookies, Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden, may very well be the most interesting pieces to the puzzle that is the New York Giants receiver position.

 

Nicks was selected in the first round for his big play ability and knowledge of the pro-style game, and both are assets that Big Blue’s receiving core could use immediately.

 

The last of the receivers is David Tyree, the seventh year man out of Sryacuse. Tyree will secure his usual place as a special teams ace, but his sneaky reliability as a receiver may incline the coaching staff to move him as high as third on the depth chart.

 

I envision Hixon and Smith in starting roles, with Moss in the slot and Nicks seeing a lot of time as the No. 4 guy—as well as a major go-to guy in the red zone.

 

Furthermore, I believe that Manningham will take over as the primary returner, which

will give him six or seven opportunities a game to show off his skills. This distribution of the workload gives each of New York’s playmakers plenty of touches.

 

 

  

Strong Side Linebacker: Will youth trump experience?

 

One of the most intriguing positions in Big Blue’s front seven is the strong side linebacker position. The outside linebacker position for the Giants has seen little stability in the past few years—Chase Blackburn, Danny Clark, and Bryan Kehl all start at some point in 2008.

The acquisition of Michael Boley should provide some much needed stability at the weak side, but the strong side is still up for grabs.

 

The candidates to start at the strong side are Danny Clark, Chase Blackburn, Bryan Kehl, and Clint Sintim. Both Kehl and Blackburn are natural weak side linebackers, whose job is typically to run and chase, as opposed to engaging opposing blockers.

 

This leaves Clint Sintim and Danny Clark as the remaining candidates.

 

Clark had to make the transition from a 3-4 defense after arriving from Houston, which is something that Sintim will have to do as well. Clark’s experience in making the transition may help the young Sintim do just the same.

 

I believe that experience is key here, and that Clark may gain the edge because he has just that. Furthermore, there are some red flags concerning Sintim which may limit him early on as he transitions to the NFL.

 

While playing at Virginia, opponents ran nearly 70 plays directly to Sintim’s side, and he allowed almost 400 yards—a very poor rate. In all fairness to Sintim, he was matched up against right tackles in majority of those cases—a task he won’t be asked to do much in the NFL.

 

On the other hand, Sintim did lead the nation in sacks from the linebacker position in 2008, and possesses a superfluity of pass rush moves and combinations.

Sintim’s pass rush abilities will prove to be an asset to the Giants’ defense, and his skill set will eventually help him win the strong side job for good.

 

But I expect Danny Clark to be penciled in as the week one starter. Sintim has a great chance to steal some playing time early on, though. And if he impresses, he could win the starting job by mid-season.

 

 

Final Depth Chart Prediction- Danny Clark, Clint Sintim, Bryan Kehl

 

Other Key Battles

 

 

Second Tight End

 

Kevin Boss should easily retain his starting job, while new addition Travis Beckum will have his own role as an H-Back.

 

This leaves Lee Vickers, Michael Matthews, and George Wrighster to battle it out for the second job. Wrighster should give Matthews a run for his money, as he is a three year veteran—coming off his best season yet with 39 receptions.

 

If Wrighster shows that he has what it takes, he may win the job. Vickers is a solid blocker, but Wrighster is just as good with more upside as a receiver.

 

 

Running Back

 

With Derrick Ward out of the picture, the opportunity is wide open for one of the younger backs to get the lion’s share of the carries after Jacobs.

Ahmad Bradshaw showed everyone his big play ability down the stretch in the 2007 season, but struggled in 2008. After spending some time in jail, Bradshaw gained weight and developed a fumbling problem—propelling him to Tom Coughlin’s dog house.

 

Former Georgia running back Danny Ware has a lot of fans excited about his big play ability, and he will really give Bradshaw a run for him money. One fumble here or there could decide this battle.

 

Lastly, don’t count out the new guy: Andre Brown. Brown has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and is very tough in short yardage situations, so he is also breathing down Bradshaw’s neck.

 

Nothing will be handed out at this position, but the job is Bradshaw’s to lose.

 

The myriad of skill sets at this position, coupled with the big play ability, offer even more flexibility to an already flexible offense.

 

In mini camp, Tom Coughlin articulated his message well, telling the team to use last January’s demise as motivation.

 

If the Giants can take his message to heart, they will be able to make enough plays to put themselves in the position they need to be in come January. Let’s hope Tom continues to drill this message throughout camp.

Justin Tuck Can Propel New York’s Defense To Greatness

By this point in his career, its no mystery that Justin Tuck is one of the top defenders in The NFL.

It isn’t a matter of how good of a player he is, but rather, how good he is going to become.

In the 2007 playoffs, and particularly Superbowl XLII, Justin Tuck burst onto the scene and became arguably the most important player in New York’s pursuit of a Lombardi Trophy.

What most fail to realize is that over the course of the 2007 season, Tuck recorded 70 tackles and ten sacks while only playing a single down. The fact that this production came from the defensive tackle position should not be overlooked, either.

With Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora attacking off the edge, Tuck was able to wreak utter havoc on opposing offenses—slicing through their offensive lines and causing almost instantaneous pressure on quarterbacks.

In 2008, Strahan gone and Umenyiora out for the season with a meniscus injury; Tuck was left to fend for himself, and in the process, he saw double and triple teams. With no real defensive end depth to speak of behind Tuck, he was forced to stay on the edge, and the entire defense suffered as a result.

2009 will be a different story, though.

With Osi back, and the likes of Matthias Kiwanuka, Chris Canty, and Clint Sintim available as edge rushers, Tuck will be free to complete his quest to revoloutionize the rush defensive tackle position.

The prognosticators are right to believe that the return of Osi Umenyiora will help The Giants, but I’m not so sure they realize the magnitude to which it really will help New York.

The Superbowl was just the beginning.

By the conclusion of The 2009 season, Justin Tuck very well may have established himself as the NFL’s most versatile and skilled defender.

Good luck, NFC East—you will need it.

 

 

Previewing The 2009 New York Giants: Defensive Edition

Projected Starting Lineup

 

Defensive End– Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora

 

Defensive Tackle– Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard

 

Middle Linebacker– Antonio Pierce

 

Outside Linebacker– Michael Boley, Danny Clark

 

Safety– Michael Johnson, Kenny Phillips

 

Cornerback– Corey Webster, Aaron Ross

 

 

Unit By Unit Breakdown

 

Defensive Line– As the 2008 season concluded, it was painfully obvious how gassed Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka were.

 

In the final four games, they registered a single sack between the two of them. To compound the problem, defensive tackle Fred Robbins was not healthy, as he had two broken hands and a fractured shoulder.

 

With Osi Umenyiora absent and the remaining troops banged up, the Giants simply could not muster up the ability to stop their opponents when they needed to.

 

That said, New York was still one of the better defensive units in the NFL in 2008, and a big part of the reason why was the defensive line.

 

The same line which led New York to a top ten finish defensively in 2008 saw the additions of former Cowboy Chris Canty and former Seahawk Rocky Bernard, not to mention the return of Osi Umenyiora.

 

The amount of flexibility and depth which this new-look defensive line brings to the table for New York is a very scary thing for opponents.

 

If Justin Tuck is able to remain fresh throughout games and rotate down into the defensive tackle spot during pass rush situations, he will be as dangerous as any defender in the league, especially when he is flanked by the likes of Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka.

 

 

Linebackers

 

Probably New York’s weakest unit in 2008, the linebackers, may have quietly improved as much as the defensive line did through the addition of Michael Boley.

 

It’s a league of matchups, and in the NFC East, not even the best pass rush can stop opposing quarterbacks from checking the ball down to the likes of Brian Westbrook, Chris Cooley, and Jason Witten.

 

Boley will provide some much needed speed out in the flats where the aforementioned players seem to thrive. This is not to say that he can cover them one on one, but the amount of support Boley provides underneath in comparison to someone like Chase Blackburn is significant.

 

Couple his presence with the youth the Giants have at the safety position, suddenly Witten and Westbrook just got slightly less scary.

 

Antonio Pierce and Danny Clark are both returning parties, and should both be in for better seasons than they had in 2008. We all know what Pierce is capable of when he plays up to standard, and it stands to reason that someone as prideful as Pierce would bounce back from a sub-par 2008 campaign.

 

As for Clark, simply having another season in the 4-3 as opposed to Houston’s 3-4 should benefit his performance.

 

 

Secondary

 

Maybe one of the most exciting and young units in the league is the secondary of New York. Led by fifth-year pro Corey Webster, the secondary is primed for a big season.

In the past, lethargic, underachieving players like James Butler occupied starting roles, but times have changed for the Giants.

 

The dynamite second-year player Kenny Phillips will now start at safety alongside third-year player Michael Johnson, who is also developing exceptionally well.

 

Corey Webster and Aaron Ross will be the two starting corners, and Webster is coming off of a stellar performance in 2008, allowing just over 200 yards receiving on the season. If Webster can improve upon that, he is well on his way to being one of the better corners in the game.

 

Ross still has some improving to do, but he can become an asset to the secondary as well.

 

 

Predictions– Webster, Tuck, Phillips, and Osi will achieve Pro- Bowl status.

 

 

–          Kenny Phillips will have six or more interceptions

 

 

–          Michael Boley will record 100 tackles

 

 

–          Justin Tuck will record 15 sacks

 

 

–          The defense as a whole will eclipse 55 sacks and finish in the top 3 defensively

 

 

The New York Giants Will Be Getting “Defensive” in 2009

When I think New York Giants, the word underdog comes to mind. Ironic, considering that talking heads on just about every sports site, paper, and network alike have already written New York off as a championship contender.

 

Even Jets’ safety Kerry Rhodes has deemed Gang Green’s defense the best in the NFL in 2009.

 

Suddenly the word underdog has taken on a whole new meaning.

 

Truth be told, The Giants wouldn’t have it any other way. They sit quietly in the swamps of New Jersey, waiting for the season to arrive.

 

Led by veterans the likes of Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Brandon Jacobs, Corey Webster, Steve Smith, and Eli Manning, New York is more than equipped to play the role of the hunter yet again. Playing hunter is what New York does best. There is no replacement for motivation, and the Giants are clearly motivated.

 

Need proof?

 

          -Eli Manning is building some serious chemistry with the new-look receivers.

 

          -Kevin Boss has looked to Mark Bavaro for inspiration.

 

          –Sinorice Moss and Mario Manningham are seriously coming together.

 

          -Hakeem Nicks is looking to push for some playing time this year.

 

          -Kenny Phillips is ready to take on a bigger role.

 

          -The defense is looking to be the rock of the team.

 

          -As if they weren’t provided with enough motivation, New York will be using last

           season’s conclusion as fuel.

 

 

Naysayers pontificate as you may, the New York Giants are hungry and ready to assume their role as underdogs of the league.

 

That makes them dangerous.

New York Giants May Have Secret Offensive Weapon

Speed.

 

Despite the perception that the New York Giants have little going for themselves offensively, they may be in as good a shape as they have ever been in.

 

With players such as Domenik Hixon, Sinorice Moss, Steve Smith, and Mario Manningham, the Giants have one of the speediest receiving corps in the NFL.

 

With the spotlight on the subtraction of Plaxico Burress, the new look receiving corps has slipped under the radar, and many have already deemed it inadequate to lead the Giants back to the promised land.

 

Eli Manning has other ideas, though. He seemed excited in a recent interview about the prospect of having so much speed on the field. In the NFL, defenses respect the balance of opposing offenses.

 

It isn’t all about having the star power of someone like Plaxico Burress, who can bail a team out on sheer talent alone. During his tenure with the Giants, Burress was an essential cog in creating balance, as he would often draw the attention of multiple defenders on a play-to-play basis.

 

With as many speedsters as the Giants currently sport, defenses will not know who to rotate coverages to, leaving the door open for Eli and his receivers to take advantage of single coverages and single-high safeties.

 

If New York’s opponents choose to stack the line of scrimmage with eight defenders early and often against Big Blue, one among Smith, Hixon, Moss, and Manningham will be able to burn the undermanned secondary deep downfield for an easy score.

Hakeem Nicks Primed To Help the G-Men Come Championship Time

There are many questions surrounding New York’s current receiving corps, even with the additions of Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden.

 

Can they be consistent?

 

Can they draw double teams?

 

Can Eli continue his winning ways with such raw receivers?

 

The answers to these questions will be crucial in determining how far New York will go in 2009.

 

Of all the players New York could have drafted, Hakeem Nicks is the one who will help them most in December and January.  

 

Though Hixon and Smith are currently penciled in as the starters, there is no doubt that New York will start Nicks should he perform well in training camp.  

 

There are several aspects to Nicks’ game that will help him thrive in The NFL early and often.

 

 

 

North Carolina’s Pro-Style Offense

 

People talk about how Nicks came from a pro-style offense, but the importance of it is simply not emphasized enough.

 

Throughout college, Hakeem Nicks watched Eli Manning and New York’s offense for hours every week, as his quarterbacks coach was a big fan of Big Blue’s offensive system.

 

Furthermore, Nicks knows how to adjust every route, move defenders, gain leverage on them, and find open spaces on the field.

 

The reason that so many wide receivers struggle to make it in the NFL—especially early on—is because they have yet to do any of those things over the course of their career.

 

 

 

Physicality

 

After watching Brandon Jacobs flatten defenders week in and week out, Giants fans have a special affinity for the physical aspect of the game.

 

That being the case, Hakeem Nicks may quickly become a fan favorite.

 

Nicks has incredible ability in the underneath passing game, as he shields defenders off of his body with ease and plays much bigger than he is.

 

Down the stretch in the 2008 season, opponents used six and seven-man blitz packages, as they did not respect New York’s underneath passing game. The only real presence Big Blue had underneath was Kevin Boss, who could easily be eliminated with the proper coverage.

 

Furthermore, most of Smith’s routes took too long to develop and Hixon was shut down in man coverage.

 

This left Eli with nowhere to go with the ball on a number of occasions.

 

Nicks is a player who can play the underneath game as well as anyone, he can become Eli’s security blanket over the middle which he severely lacked in games against Philadelphia and Dallas.

 

When the wind is swirling and the temperatures are freezing, an inside physical presence is crucial to offensive success.

 

In December and January, the skills of a player like Nicks come in very handy. Nicks alone may not force opponents to move their safeties off the line of scrimmage, but he will be a crucial part of the offensive balance which will eventually force opponents to do so.

 

Source

 

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