NEW YORK – If the New York Giants are going to make it back to the playoffs in 2011, they are certainly going to have to earn it. The G-Men have a tough overall regular season schedule this year but the second half of that schedule following the bye week is absolutely brutal. The Giants will need to be at full health and clicking in every area of their game to seriously compete with the elite of the NFL. I believe the Giants belong in that elite grouping as well but after two seasons in which they failed to make the playoffs, speculation swirls among even the most die hard fan. I know the Giants are capable of running the table when fully healthy but trying to convince others of this fact is almost impossible.
Starting in week nine, the level of competition goes through the roof. I know the Giants would not want it any other way but even the players must have been shaking their heads and saying “Are you kidding me?” Between weeks nine and seventeen the Giants will play the New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys twice. You can also add the Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers to that list which rounds out the final nine games (five of those games are on the road). The rule is that any team can beat any team on any given Sunday. Having a week seven “bye week” is favorable to most teams in the NFL and the G-Men are really going to need that break before basically facing a playoff caliber team each and every week to finish out the year. This is about as tough a schedule as I can remember in recent history.
As I mentioned, if the Giants are healthy, they can beat any team in the NFL. Without having all of their weapons on the field, the odds go down considerably. Throw in the fact that the NFL has been messing around with this lockout for 131 days now and you have to wonder if the players are going suffer on the field from a lack of true conditioning. Only time will tell. The first step is to end this silly lockout which appears to be happening as I write this. Most expect a deal to be done within the next 72 hours. Let’s hope these “insiders” and “experts” are correct.
Are you concerned about the tough schedule the Giants face this season?
RD – nygreporter.com
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The giants schedule maybe brutal,but if they dont have a chip on there shoulder or a bad taste in there mouth from the eagles comeback last year on desean jacksons return to end the game at the giants house,then i dont know whats going to motivate them.the g-mens schedule as far as im concerned is tough every year just within the division,so it dont matter if were playing playoff caliber teams,the giants have to show up no matter what.especially since the sub par seasons since the superbowl in 07, i say no excuses,go out and play. the only game to me thats important is the jets game for city bragging rights.the g-men will be underdogs in mostly all the games they play this season,and just like that superbowl year in 07 when no one picked the giants,i believe that underdog role will be just where they need to be,because no analyst is going to pick the giants this year.and thats just how the g-men like it,under the radar.
I think the Giants will certainly be playing with a chip on their shoulder this season. there has been a lot of disrespect in the media from Eli manning being excluded from that top 100 list to McCoy calling Osi soft and all of that. As a team, that bad taste has to still be in their mouths from missing the playoffs two years in a row. I think the 2009 season was really the only terrible year since they won in 2007. They were 10-6 last year despite missing the playoffs. Still, they need to win those big games like you said and when fully healthy, there is no excuse to miss the playoffs for a 3rd straight year in my opinion.
I agree with the fact that we dont know who will suffer from lack of conditioning on the field with the missed time because of the lockout.but im with you all the way when you say if the g-men are healthy they could compete with anyone.which is my point with the so-called brutal schedule,we play in the toughest division year after year,so as long as where healthy,they could put anyone in front of us.i also believe the private session workouts eli held will help dramatically with the missed time for the young receiving core,im really looking forward to lots of nyg football talk and free agency next week, god willing.i appreciate all of your replies,its a great forum for giants fans and i told all my friends about it,thanks again.
Hey thanks for the compliments Bobby, I appreciate that. I agree with you about those private “player practices” helping out the team but only those who attended. There were a lot of players who did not attend those practices. With the G-Men placing over 25 players on the IR list the past two years combined, I would think the team would focus heavily on conditioning this year. I just hate this late start to everything and cannot believe it won’t effect the players once they hit the field. I expect to see a ton of hamstring injures league wide this season.
I feel that will be an unfortunate start early on with injuries.i only hope that the players new the length of time they would be away from facilities,that they worked out and stretched on there own time,the more disciplined players pretty much workout year round,i hope thats the case,because its coming fast and furious in a few days.the thing that i heard will hurt the most for unready players is that real time on the field with the missed scrimmages and two a days to get that speed down.
Tis training camp will certainly separate the boys form the men. Like you said, these guys should know they need to stay in shape year round. The NFL is really a year round job when it comes to physical health. Like I said before though, I was one of the people who thought this lockout would end before the draft back in April, so who knows what these guys have been doing with their time off. We won’t have to wait much longer to find out that is for sure.