The New York Giants were 11-6 last season and made it to the playoffs as the NFC East champions. All year long the talk was about quarterback Eli Manning. Was he just like his more successful brother Payton? That question was answered in the playoffs when, just like his brother, Eli failed to show up. The Giants were absolutely destroyed in their lone playoff game. Eli was nowhere to be found. They are hoping to turn things around this season.

Quarterback

Eli Manning is starting to mature. Initially, he had real problems with road games. He's starting to get over his infancy in the NFL and become a more stable quarterback. Manning still has issues with completing passes, but he's expected to grow more this season. If he stays healthy and improves his play, he will be a good asset for the team. As quarterbacks go, he's about middle of the pack.

Running Back

It's no surprise that the backfield is the strength of this team. Last season Tiki Barber had a tremendous year. He rushed for 1,860 yards and gave Sean Alexander a run for his money. Blocking for him is Jim Finn. The Giants have one of the better backfields in the league. It's not the best, but it's darn close.

Receiving Core

Any receiving crew that has tight end Jeremy Shockey is bound to be at least decent. He's a monster tight end that forces better coverage than a defensive end or linebacker. The Giants added speedster Sinorice Moss. He was drafted this year in the second round. The Giants are hoping that he adds a bit of flash and helps stretch the defense even more. The receiving core of the Giants is definitely above average. If Manning can start putting together the pieces, the Giants have an offense that can score and run time off the clock.

Defense & Special Teams

The defense of the Giants was so-so last season. They really didn't show up in the playoffs at all. To help sure up the defense, the Giants have added LaVar Arrington, who played in Washington last season. They did lose their big nose tackle Kendrick Clancy. This key loss might kill them against the run. We will have to see how the replacement does. Still, the Giants figure to be right above average for defense. I don't think they will crack the top 10 in defense, but they shouldn't be too far below that overall. The Giants have a great special teams unit and that won't change in 2006.

2006 Prediction

The Giants are going to have to battle for the NFC East this season. The Cowboys are expected to fight for it. The NFC East could be one of the better divisions in football. Look for them to make another trip to the playoffs. Hopefully Eli Manning will show up this time and Giants fans can enjoy a real playoff performance. The Giants have potentially a tough schedule. They could wind up 10-6.