2010 Fantasy Football, Big Blue Projections and Tips

September 22, 2010

NEW YORK – Do you play fantasy football? Are you a Giants fan? If you answered yes to both of these questions and feel like you are a mediocre fantasy player or novice, then you have come to the right place. I am going to offer some nygreporter fantasy football advice and include my projections for Giants players. Other NFL players will be included, simply because they are tops their respective value lists. We are now heading into week three of the NFL regular season and this is the week where you begin to panic about certain players, my advice is don’t panic. Plan for the future and check your bye weeks. Check the waiver lists but do not panic.

If you are an experienced fantasy football player and find some of this information remedial to you, please feel free to add any fantasy advice you may have for our readers in the comment section below. We are always open to hearing opinions or strategies because this is after all for the fantasy football team owners. Plus, even I love to learn anything new or fresh about the fantasy sports world. In fact, I will leave a TIP area open for your fantasy football tip and the best one will get edited in and you will get credit for it. Simply leave a comment below, you do not need to be a member to leave a comment.

If you feel like you still have some fantasy related questions, please feel free to leave a comment and we would be happy to give you our opinion. Fantasy football and fantasy sports in general can become addicting. You have been warned. Enjoy the season!

Let’s take a look at some nygreporter fantasy tips.

TIP: What do I love more then anything during week five of the NFL season? Picking up players who had their bye week in week four. This way, the bye week is over and you won’t be concerned with having to monitor this player or defense for the rest of the season. You can pretty much forget about that player unless he has an injury and getting a good defense when the bye week has passed, allows you to stick with one defense for the rest of the year, opening up an extra roster space for another skill position.

TIP: If you want to win, then get a routine. This is a simple step but mostly overlooked. There are some users who play fantasy sports who don’t rally care about the outcome. Other get into a routine where they do all the research to give themselves a better chance at winning. The routine is the key. You must make a checklist of things that need to be checked every weekend. That includes bye week status, injuries, opposing offense or defense rankings, home team, checking your lineup and so forth. You get the idea.

TIP: Checking fantasy players for dummies. This is like the cliff notes for doing a proper player search for the novice. Use the “percent owned” option, this will list the players based upon the amount of total fantasy users. That means if a player is owned by 90% of fantasy players, there is a solid chance that the fantasy community as a whole, know what they are talking about. There are millions of fantasy players using these games and 90% of them agreeing on a players value is priceless.

TIP: Every single Sunday at noon, you must watch the pre game shows and check your fantasy football rosters. You watch those pre game shows because that is when the injury report comes out, usually within an hour of the 1 o’clock kickoffs. Most fantasy football sites allow you to change your roster up to 5 minutes before kick off.

TIP: Your drafts are more then likely already completed. For those of you who are joining your leagues late, here is some draft advice. Be sure to check the settings for your league before you draft. Now that users can make custom leagues, players have to be sure they are getting into a league they will like. Head to Head is always the easiest and most fun IMO. Rotisserie is another option but much more stressful and annoying, not for the faint of heart either. Always que players prior to the actual draft and do a customized player ranking. This is a fail safe in case you cannot get out of work and miss a LIVE draft. I prefer to do the LIVE drafts over the automated ones. If you do an automated draft, be sure to immediately check the waiver wire for players using the “percentage owned” option.

TIP: I do not recommend anyone playing fantasy football for money until at least one season being tutored by an experienced player. There are many websites where you can legally play for money. CBS Sports was the first to do so but others have now emerged that are poised to change the fantasy sports world forever. Websites, like the brand new FantaZ fantasy sports site are the future of online gaming for real money and a ton of fun. You can play for free on the FantaZ site if you like to learn the game or play for money. Sign up early for the expected October launch date.

TIP: Talking trash in good clean fun is part of the game. There are some who get carried away though and allow themselves to become belligerent. Do not be this guy/girl. You may find yourself invited to private leagues and make some friends who sign up each and every year because of the atmosphere of the league. Yes, leagues have atmospheres. You may hear of a “dead” league. This is a place where no one trades or talks or uses the boards. These are the leagues that you check once per week and thats it. The “fun” league is self explanatory. Cursing and acting like an idiot has no place in fantasy where kids can be playing for fun.

TIP: BEST Fantasy Football TIP From Reader Comment GOES HERE!!!

NEW YORK GIANTS TOP 5 FANTASY PLAYER PROJECTIONS (UPDATED):

1. QB Eli Manning – I expect QB Eli Manning to improve on his career year in 2009. He should be good for 250 yards and 2 TD’s 1 INT per game average IMO. I am only adding the 1 INT because of all the tipped and dropped balls by the WR group so far this year. I have already been quoted as saying, I believe Eli Manning will make the 2010 pro bowl, I stand by what I said and know that I am looking at a calm, cool and collected veteran quarterback. My top 3 fantasy QB’s – Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady

2. WR Hakeem Nicks – Hakeem Nicks has become the favorite target for Easy Eli. He has 4 TD’s so far this year in two games and seems to be on the cusp of stardom. Nicks could end up averaging 2 TD’s per game the rest of the season if he stays healthy. His enormous hands like frying pans and strong build make him a perfect candidate to join the elite WR’s one day, if not this season. I also see Nicks as a record setter for Big Blue. He can easily end up with the single season TD record and yards and YAC records. My top 3 fantasy WR’s – Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Larry Fitzgerald

3. WR Steve Smith – Smith has been quiet so far this year and you know what, that is just the way he likes it. Smith could easily end up with the most receptions for Big Blue in 2010. 7-8 catches per game for 90-100 yards. I gave Steve Smith the nickname “The Silent Assassin” a long time ago for this very reason. He comes out of nowhere with clutch grabs and when the game is over, the defenses are scratching their heads. My top 3 fantasy WR’s – Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Larry Fitzgerald

4. RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Somewhere along the road, the Giants became a passing offense. Bradshaw has worked to become the starting RB and I expect him to average 100 yards and a TD every single game. He is a dynamic running back that can be very elusive on the field. If he can stay healthy, he may prove to be a huge asset. If RB Brandon Jacobs can be cool with the situation in New York, they will be the dynamic duo again, just inverted. Nothing wrong with tiring out the opposing defense from speed, running and making them chase you, before you wear them out from a physical pounding. My top 3 fantasy RB’s – Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice

5. Team DefenseSpeaking from a strictly fantasy point perspective, the Giants defense should give their owners a steady amount of positive weekly points. For the season average, I expect them to have 2 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF per game as an average in 2010. They may give up an average of 18-24 points per game but they will also lay the wood on opposing offenses. The points will come mostly from the extra stats but this defense is more then capable of shutting out a team or two this year as well. My top 3 fantasy defenses – Packers, Ravens, Steelers

How many fantasy football leagues are you in for the 2010 NFL season? You do not need to be a member to leave a comment below.

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT GEORGE MARTIN’S, A JOURNEY FOR 9/11 CHARITY, WALK IS 10/17/10


NYG Jacobs Throws a Tantrum; Asks to be Traded

September 20, 2010

NEW YORK – The morning after and embarrassing loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the New York Giants’ former thousand yard rusher asks for a trade, this according to Sports Illustrated and numerous other sources. RB Brandon Jacobs, who had back to back thousand plus yard seasons in 2007 and 2008 (despite missing a few games in each season) has not seen anywhere near that success since the departure of Derrick Ward. In this still very fresh season, Jacobs is averaging 3.3 yards per carry, and only had 8 yards on 4 carries last night.

It should also be noted that he had a mishap in the third quarter in which his helmet ended about ten rows deep in the lap of a Colts’ fan. Jacobs claims he was frustrated and told reporters that he did not attempt to throw his helmet into the stands it merely got caught on his fingers. The league is investigating the incident and it is likely that Jacobs will be fined.

Jacobs did not see another carry the rest of the night after the incident occurred and ESPN reports that when asked about this Jacobs once again lost his temper. This isn’t the first time Jacobs lost his cool over playing time. In the preseason, Jacobs was demoted to backup behind RB Ahmad Bradshaw and Jacobs was furious. While that was only a short while ago, it is discouraging to see that he was not able to work through this time in his career.

While seeing a Giant who was truly a Big Blue icon turn sour is sad, it is even worse to look at the depth chart and realize trading him may not be an option. Behind Jacobs, on the roster, are DJ Ware and return man Reynaud. D.J. has shown some promise, but his running style is none too different from that of Bradshaw and would not be a good change of pace back in this situation. The only way Jacobs would be dealt is if another back was given in return.

That being said, it is hard to gauge how much interest their will be for a seemingly washed up bruiser like Jacobs. Few teams play the bruising style and it is hard to know who would be interested in his services. A few name come to immediate mind though.

Buffalo may be the most obvious option. None of their backs have seen outstanding production as injuries have pushed C.J. Spiller into the starting role. There has been some speculation that they are trying to move on of their backs though so bringing another one in, or even trading one for one, doesn’t make much sense. Another name in the mix might be Oakland, although McFadden had a decent game yesterday nothing Al Davis does can come as a surprise anymore.

It would be very difficult to see Jacobs leave, especially on these terms. Unless he can turn it around just like Osi did earlier this year, I think he has to go. There is no sense in keeping around an unruly and unhappy back if he isn’t producing, what’s the point. If the Giants can find any hint of value, I urge Jerry Reese to pull the trigger on this one.

Josh Berman- nygreporter.com


What if Giants WR Hakeem Nicks Can’t Play Sunday?

September 17, 2010

NEW YORK – Somebody needs to ask this question, so it might as well be me. What will the New York Giants wide receiver depth chart look like on Sunday night, if star WR Hakeem Nicks in unable to play due to his ankle injury?

I don’t want to jinx the situation by asking this but I would like to know who you think gets the top three spots? There are a few different scenarios and yes, some of them include preseason stud WR Victor Cruz.

Is it disrespectful to the guys who have been on the team for a longer amount of time, to throw Cruz in on a few plays? I don’t think so. I’m positive the coaches must be salivating to see what he can do when the game is real. Perhaps, this weekend the fans will have an opportunity to see just that. I will take it a step further and say that I think the team needs to do that.

There is no question that WR Steve Smith and WR Mario Manningham will be two of the three starters. The question really resides in the third WR slot. Who do you think will start or do you think they will use a rotation for this game? Those players who fans might see on Sunday include WR Ramses Barden, WR Victor Cruz, WR Duke Calhoun. There are some WR’s on the IR list already, like WR Domenik Hixon and WR Sinorice Moss. It seems a lot thinner now doesn’t it, without Nicks in the equation.

QB Eli Manning has been watching some of his favorite targets go down with injuries. Even Manning himself, cut his head open during a preseason game that required stitches. Manning has lost WR Hixon and WR Moss for the entire season and now he has TE Kevin Boss and WR Nicks banged up for an important game. TE Travis Beckum will get the start and TE Bear Pascoe was activated from the practice squad this week, to serve as a backup. I still think that Eli Manning will be in a shoot out with older brother Peyton on Sunday night. How sweet would it be, if WR Victor Cruz got his first NFL TD, as the game winner versus the Colts. So many possibilities floating out there and the single certainty, that the entire nation will be watching Manning Bowl II on Sunday night.

My picks for the three starters, if WR Hakeem Nicks is ruled out for the Colts game.

1. Steve Smith

2. Mario Manningham

3. Victor Cruz

Do you think that WR Hakeem Nicks (3 TD’s in week one) will play in the Colts game Sunday night?

RD – nygreporter.com

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Ongoing Activity at New York Giants Headquarters

September 15, 2010

NEW YORK – Hello Giants fans, things have been buzzing this week with fresh news about Big Blue. Today, they added even more drama to the week old season, with the news of OT William Beatty planning to undergo surgery and missing 2 months of the 2010 season. That means Beatty will out until at least week nine, because the Giants have their bye-week during week eight. This is a huge blow to the offensive line depth and we can only hope that Beatty will return to his old self when he gets back. OL David Diehl will be filling in at left tackle, something Diehl has done for a long time in New York, until Beatty returns. He is said to be working with pro bowl OL Shawn Andrews, on getting the position responsibilities down.

Now that the G-men have released LB Bryan Kehl (I don’t like this move) and activated TE Bear Pascoe, they have an open spot to fill on the practice squad. TE Kevin Boss has officially been ruled out the Colts game (LB Chase Blackburn will likely join him on the sidelines), TE Travis Beckum will be getting the start over Pascoe. WR Hakeem Nicks and DE Osi Umenyiora were also added to the injury list and are questionable. We can’t forget that OL Kevin Boothe is also on the PUP list and won’t return until week seven.

The Giants brought some free agent players in for a workout today. Some of those players include 11 year veteran CB Dre’ Bly and CB Brian Witherspoon and CB CJ Wilson. Big Blue seems to be looking for special teams help and depth at the DB position. I absolutely agree with these tactics and would feel much more comfortable if they had another backup. CB Aaron Ross has already missed one game, even though he is said to be ready to go for the Colts game. All together, there were about a dozen players brought in for workouts including CB’s, QB’s, RB’s.

I would not be surprised if we heard about the team signing someone tonight or first thing in the morning. Be sure to come back and check for updates on who will be added to the practice squad.

How would you feel about getting a CB added to the roster?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT GEORGE MARTIN’S, A JOURNEY FOR 9/11 CHARITY

UPDATE: OL Dennis Landolt was signed to the practice squad today.


Giants Part Ways With LB Kehl, Activate TE Bear Pascoe

September 15, 2010

NEW YORK – The team announced a surprising move yesterday with the activation of TE Bear Pascoe from the practice squad and onto the team. The Pascoe move isn’t what surprised me, in fact I announced that the moment I saw TE Kevin Boss go down during the Carolina Panthers game. What surprises me is the fact the the team cut LB Bryan Kehl. I guess the fans have to accept what the team feels is in it’s best interest but I thought Kehl was a hard worker and someone who could flourish when he grasps the game.

Bryan Kehl (6’2″ 240 pounds) was drafted by the G-Men in 2008 and grabbing Kehl was as easy as pick 123 in the fourth round. I’m not sure if the team felt they had better players at the position to hold onto or if they feel that Kehl is a bust. The message boards exploded at the news that certain players were granted a spot on the team, even though they are listed on the IR, production wise, it didn’t make sense to some people. The fans will have to have faith in Coach Coughlin and GM Jerry Reese, who are making these choices with the teams best interest in mind.

The activation of TE Bear Pascoe is something that needed to happen, now that Boss’ status is questionable due to a concussion. You cannot head into a game with only one TE available. TE Travis Beckum has become the number one tight end on the team for now. There is no question that Boss is the number one starter when he returns. Kevin Boss is no stranger to injuries and his aggressive play is the cause of his pain. He makes the tough catches and he takes the hits.

In other news, former Giants RB Andre Brown has been cut by the Denver Broncos. There was a lot of positive buzz surrounding Brown when he was drafted last year but reports are saying he hasn’t been the same since his injury that forced him to miss the entire 2009 season.

The New York Giants face the Indianapolis Colts this weekend (8:20 PM EST) in Manning Bowl II. Big Blue will travel to Peyton’s place Sunday night, in the highly anticipated rematch between brothers Peyton and Eli. If the Giants win this game, they will have started the 2010 season at 2-0, while brother Peyton’s Colts will have started at 0-2.

Do you agree with the decision to cut LB Bryan Kehl?

RD – nygreporter.com

SUPPORT GEORGE MARTIN’S, A JOURNEY FOR 9/11 WALK, on 10/17/10


New York Giants Injury Report 09/13/10

September 13, 2010

NEW YORK – The New York Giants might need to seek some alternative medical practices because they simply cannot avoid injuries as of late. I’m not suggesting getting a witch doctor on the med staff but there certainly needs to be some changes in the training process. The Giants already have eight players on the injured reserve list and we are only in week one of the 2010 NFL season.

The bad news continued to roll in today with the reports of OT William Beatty needing  surgery for a fracture in his foot. I do not need to explain how important the left tackle position is and I’m glad that the team picked up OL Shawn Andrews as insurance. OL David Diehl is more then capable of filling in at left tackle, a position he has a lot of experience with.

TE Kevin Boss suffered another concussion in the game on Sunday and the team has not said when he will be able to return. I’m not sure what to say but I know that the Giants cannot continue to lose starting players at this rate and expect to be competitive in the NFC East. TE Travis Beckum is the only other tight end on the roster. Big Blue does have TE Bear Pascoe on the practice squad but he could find himself on the bus if Boss misses significant game time.

I wish I could tell you that we were through with listing some injuries but we are not. LB Chase Blackburn was diagnosed with a sprained MCL. The team did not say how long Blackburn would be out. You would think it would be about 2-4 weeks, depending on how bad the headaches are. Blackburn has already been quoted as saying he hopes he doesn’t need to miss even one week but that is being overly optimistic in the eyes of the medical staff. Blackburn is a huge contributor on special teams and a primary backup for the MLB position.

With the recent rash of injuries on the Giants, do you think their is a solution to this problem or is just a part of football?

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT GEORGE MARTIN’S, A JOURNEY FOR 9/11 CHARITY!!


Meet Osi Umenyiora and Carl Banks Tomorrow in NYC

September 13, 2010

NEW YORK – Hello Giants fans, are you interested in meeting some of your favorite football players? For the first time ever, Lord and Taylor in Manhattan will hold it’s inaugural Chalk Talk series dealing with professional sports athletes. They will be celebrating the launch of former Giants linebacker Carl Banks’ clothing line called GIII. So of course, two-time Super Bowl champion Carl Banks, will be on hand for the fans to meet. For the youngsters out there who don’t know who Carl Banks is, all I can say is read about NFL history. Mr. Banks played on one of the best defenses in the history of the NFL. He played alongside Lawrence Taylor, George Martin, Pepper Johnson, Leonard Marshall and Phil Simms just to name a few.

Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will also be in attendance. I expect a lot from Osi during the 2010 campaign and see no reason why he cannot dominate from the end position. He certainly looked like the Osi of old, when he helped the Giants christen their brand new $1.6 billion dollar stadium last night with a victory. The Giants beat the Panthers 31-18 in their inaugural home opener at the new stadium. Osi had a sack and forced fumble in the game, not too shabby.

Both Carl Banks and Osi Umenyiora are Super Bowl champions and have three rings between them. If the fans are lucky, maybe the guys will be wearing their bling at the appearance, so all of the kids can see what a Super Bowl ring looks like up close. Both of these men have also made a trip to Hawaii as pro bowl players, a big honor for NFL players. On another note, NBC’s Bruce Beck will be attending the launch as well, just in case there are any media groupies out there.

My personal opinion about this event is simple. This is clearly a great opportunity for fathers and sons to bridge the gap between generations. Having a Giants player from Dads generation, LB Carl Banks and one from the current generation, DE Osi Umenyiora in the same room, is a rare occurrence. I would like to thank Lord and Taylor for keeping us in the loop and for confirming that they are true blue nygreporter fans!

I have taken the liberty of reading the fine print and would like to let you know exactly what you need to do if you plan on attending. First, there is a $50 minimum purchase involved with getting past the velvet ropes to the players and the fine print also stated that the purchase needs to be made beginning at 5PM EST at the Chalk Talk area.

The address where the players will be on Tuesday 9/14/10 at 6PM EST:

Lord and Taylor

424 5th Avenue

New York, NY 10018

212-391-3344

Check out the Lord and Taylor “Chalk Talk” schedule

RD – nygreporter.com

PLEASE SUPPORT GEORGE MARTIN’S, A JOURNEY FOR 9/11 CHARITY!


Giants vs. Panthers, NFL Week 1: Game Notes

September 12, 2010

NEW YORK – FINAL SCORE: Giants 31 Panthers 18.

The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers met at New Meadowlands stadium to christen the new house and exact some revenge on the pesky boys from Carolina. Both teams did not disappoint because this was a very competitive game. The Panthers were leading 16-14 at halftime and both teams never stopped fighting. The second half belonged to the Giants as they dominated in most areas to run the score up to a 31-18 lead and the win. This is a great way to start the season.

This was a game the Giants absolutely had to win for themselves and the fans. Deep inside every Giants fan, they seek revenge for the games lost to the Panthers over the past five years. The defense certainly looked a whole lot different from the one we saw in 2009. Most notably, in the secondary. The Big Blue D gave up a few big plays but managed to oppress the Panthers offense enough to allow Easy Eli an opportunity to win the game. The special teams still need a lot of work after an atrocious performance. If they are going to be successful in 2010, they will need to sort this out and quickly.

The game was sloppy and I did not like all of the penalties against Big Blue. You cannot give away that many yards and not have it bite you at some point in the game. There were also way too many turnovers in this game, both teams combined for nine turnovers. Still, the Giants start the 2010 NFL season at 1-0.

Let’s take a look at some of my game notes and please feel free to leave a comment below.

– QB Eli Manning played a very good game despite getting almost no help from his WR’s. Manning threw for 3 TD’s 3 INT’s 263 yards.

– Too many dropped and tipped balls by the Giants WR’s, this was the theme for this game. All three of Eli Manning’s INT’s were from tipped balls.

– TE Kevin Boss left the game in the first quarter with a concussion and neck injury. He did not return to the game.

– LB Chase Blackburn was helped off the field in the second quarter with a sprained knee. He did not return to the game.

– DE Mathias Kiwanuka (2 sacks today) is playing like a man possessed this year. He is playing his best football right now, sit back and enjoy it.

– The Giants were penalized way too many times (9/95 yards), for way too many yards in this game.

– The Giants turned the ball over four times in this game. This is not acceptable and it’s amazing the Giants won the game.

– The Giants won the Time of Possession battle with a time of 34:39.

– WR Hakeem Nicks explodes for 3 TD’s and 75 yards, he easily gets my game ball. This was a breakout game for Nicks in week one.

– The Giants running game was non-existent against the Panthers until the fourth quarter. This has become an area of concern.

– The Giants defense played a very good game despite giving up some big plays. the G-Men finished with 4 sacks, 3 INT’s and 2 Forced fumbles.

– Rookie punter Matt Dodge had another shaky performance (including a blocked punt in the fourth quarter). He will need to be more consistent to remain on the team.

– Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is very involved with his players on the sidelines and gives off a lot of good energy to the players.

– DE Justin Tuck ran out of the tunnel with a Giants firmans helmet on, he ended the game the same way.

– CB Aaron Ross did not play in todays game.

– Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin looked like a rocket about to take off when the team headed inside for halftime, down 16-14.

– The special teams had a below average performance and Coach Tom Quinn will need to get his guys on the same page soon.

– New York Giants legend George Martin, announces he will hold 2nd annual Journey for 9/11 walk on October 17, 2010.

– Kicker Lawrence Tynes had a good game making all of his FG’s and extra point attempts.

– WR Mario Manningham had a very good game with 4 catches for 85 yards. He has been making some spectacular catches for Big Blue since last season.

– RB Ahmad Bradshaw had a poor game until the fourth quarter where he exploded for the majority of his 76 yards and a TD.

– RB Brandon Jacobs had a mediocre game (44 yards on 12 carries), even by his own standards I’m sure. Most notably, he couldn’t get in during the fourth quarter from the one yard line.

– The Giants closed this game out as a true team. This is something that I haven’t seen since the 2007 team.

– The Giants defense (Osi) knocked Carolina Panthers QB Matt Moore out of the game in the fourth quarter.

– CB Terrell Thomas (1 INT) had a great game despite a missed play or two. He made a crucial INT at the end of the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the Giants.

– S Antrel Rolle led all tacklers for the Giants defense and seemed to be around the ball on most plays.

Are you surprised by the outcome of todays game?

RD – nygreporter.com

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New York Giants 2010 Schedule Analysis

September 11, 2010

NEW YORK – It is the eve before kickoff and all through the night NFL fans are stirring with anticipation and delight. If I was a better poet I would probably finish this…

Anyways, I’m up and restless thinking about the new season which kicks off Sunday. For those of you who know me, you know I get the schedule in March, review it, make a prediction, then put it away. Then, I pull the schedule out after preseason is over and repeat the process. So here is a game by game break down of what I came up with:

Week 1: vs. Carolina

The Panthers, as all Giants fans remember from last season, have an outstanding running game. The Giants have improved on the defensive line but the linebackers are still unproven and a big question mark. Ultimately, I do think the Giants pull it out in a close one. Eli Manning’s proficient and experienced offense beats out Matt Moore this Sunday.

Prediction: Giants 28-24

Week 2: @ Indianapolis

Manning Bowl 2.0 rolls in and its much of the same. The Giants are a very different team from when they last met but big brother Peyton still has his way with Big Blue. The Giants secondary looks strong with Rolle and Phillips (who is now ready for the season) but injuries to Ross and Webster worry me, when it comes to going up against Peyton’s proficient passing attack.

Prediction: Colts 35-21

Week 3: vs. Tennessee

Chris Johnson is another great running back coming to the Meadowlands this season. I think the Giants have improved enough this season that they will have a good answer for great runners. I don’t think Vince Young has enough receiving talent in his stable and Johnson can’t do it all on his own. In a good strong bounce back game, the G-Men win.

Prediction: Giants 21-10

Week 4: vs. Chicago

Lovie Smith is on the hot seat this year and I don’t think his team is going to help one bit. I don’t think the Bears have any answers this year, so as long as the Giants arrive serious and play strong they should have no problem here.

Prediction: Giants 17-7

Week 5: @ Houston

Big Blue hits the road for another AFC South battle. Again, I have questions about the health of the secondary but by this point in the season hopefully everyone is a-o-k.  I think the Giants pull a small upset here as Bradshaw has his first really big day of the season gaining 12o yards or more.

Prediction: Giants 24-14

Week 6: vs. Detroit

I think Detroit is going to have a better season, Stafford is a year older and a year wiser. I don’t think they get past the Giants. As long as the Giants don’t walk in acting like they’ve already won, then they will win. Play the game and get the results you know you can.

Prediction: Giants 35-14

Week 7: @ Dallas

First NFC East game of the season, Giants embarrassed Dallas in their home opener last season, it won’t happen this season. Big Blue falters here, Dallas takes the win in a shoot out.

Prediction: Dallas 42-28

Week 8: BYE

Week 9: @ Seattle

Pete Carroll takes one step forward but releasing T.J. is two steps back. I have a lot of faith in the guy (and not just because he’s sitting on my fantasy bench!) I think cutting him was a mistake. Hasselbeck is left with an unproven, and maybe even untalented group to work with. Giants take this one easy.

Prediction: Giants 28-10

Week 10: vs. Dallas

The NFC East rivals meet again, and again the Cowboys prove to be too much for Big Blue (the Giants get them back in the playoffs though).

Prediction: Dallas 28-13

Week 11: @ Philadelphia

Big Blue rolls in to town looking for their first division win. New running back, new quarterback, same old beating. Giants get them good this time.

Prediction: Giants 14-10

Week 12: vs. Jacksonville

The Giants really play the leagues best running games this season, MJD runs into town and the Giants better be ready. Unfortunately, MJD is a one man team and can’t make up for a poor passing game and a bad D.

Prediction: Giants 28-14

Week 13: vs. Washington

The Giants know McNabb well, they know the Redskins too. I don’t see the Giants having much trouble here. Of course, it is an NFC East matchup, so anything can happen but for this articles sake, it won’t.

Prediction: Giants 24-14

Week 14: @ Minnesota

Whoever made this schedule really wanted to test the Giants run D. AP is ready and waiting to tear Big Blue apart and expose any holes there may be. Normally seeing Farve late in the year could be a good thing but in his own dome? I don’t think so.

Prediction: Minnesota 35-14

Week 15: vs. Philadelphia

It’s the end of the year, the Eagles have had some time to learn, grow, and gel. They don’t let this division showdown go…

Prediction: Philadelphia 28-21

Week 16: @ Green Bay

Aaron Rodgers puts up MVP like numbers and the game is away at Lambeau Field in winter. Giants continue their skid in this game.

Prediction: Green Bay 17-7

Week 17: @ Washington

Giants stumble into the playoffs after this final NFC East showdown where they regain some of their steam. Should be a good confidence booster.

Prediction: Giants 35-17

So the Giants go 11-5, grab a wild card spot behind Dallas. They only go 3-3 in the division which is a tough pill to swallow. The G-Men beat Dallas in the Divisional round of the playoffs but Green Bay beats them in the NFC Championship game. This season should be an obvious improvement for Big Blue. I think the D is significantly improved. The linebackers are probably the weakest part of the team as of now but by the bye week they will be playing well. The O-line has some concerns so look for Eli to be on his back a bit and neither Bradshaw or Jacobs to have a spectacular season.

Overall, the Giants get better. I think they are set up very well for the 2011 draft. Either Osi or Kiwi will leave next season but JPP is a suitable replacement. I think next years draft will have the G-Men taking a running back in the first round, draft O-line in the next 3 rounds, draft a return man, and maybe a punter in the last. Then, after a healthy camp, the Giants win the Super Bowl 512 days from now in Indianapolis.

Josh Berman- nygreporter.com


New York Giants 2010 Pre-Regular Season QA

September 8, 2010

NEW YORK – Hello Giants Fans, how about that title? I was going to make it longer but decided against it. After watching the Giants beat the Patriots 20-17 for the final preseason game last week, I began to wonder how the G-men would do against the Panthers in week one. Giants fans want revenge for the Panthers crushing Big Blue at the end of last season. This game means a lot to the fans, no matter what is said in the newspapers or on the websites.

The 2010 NFL regular season officially begins tomorrow night and the Giants play the Panthers this Sunday afternoon (9/12/10 – 1PM EST). The preseason is over and the time has come for the real deal.

During the long dry summer, Giants news can be few and far between, so it’s no wonder that fans were ravenous for information on the players this entire off season. There were a lot of new faces added to the roster and sadly, some that have gone elsewhere to play. Let’s evaluate some of the possibilities with these new players and predict the Giants fate as a team in 2010. GM Jerry Reese has done an outstanding job taking care of the problem areas and he has also secured some great talent for the coaches to utilize.

Let’s take a look at some of my pre-regular season predictions on who will perform well.

Question: Who will turn out to be the greatest addition to the team following the 2009 NFL season? Answer: S Antrel Rolle

Question: How many Giants will make the 2010 pro bowl and who will they be? Answer: 5 players including QB Eli Manning, WR Hakeem Nicks, CB Terrell Thomas, FB Madison Hedgecock and OL Chris Snee.

Question: Who will break a team record for receiving yards in a single season? Answer WR Hakeem Nicks

Question: Who will deserve the game ball for their performance against the Carolina Panthers? Answer: QB Eli Manning

Question: Will WR Victor Cruz surpass WR Mario Manningham for the third WR slot? Answer: Not in 2010 but if Cruz continues to play as he has in the preseason, it will be hard for the coaches to see him on the bench during the games.

Question: Will RB Ahmad Bradshaw be able to carry the load as the starting RB? Answer: Yes, he will be fine and RB Brandon Jacobs will get the goal line carries.

Question: Will new OL Shawn Andrews turn out to be the steal of the waivers this off season? Answer: It’s too early to say but I’m rooting for him.

Question: Will the New York Giants defense be a top ten defense in 2010 under new DC Perry Fewell? Answer: Yes, I believe the G-men return to form defensively in 2010.

Question: Who will lead the Giants defense in sacks this season? Answer: DE Justin Tuck

Question: Will QB Eli Manning surpass the 4,000 passing yard mark again in 2010? Answer: Yes, I believe Eli Manning will have a pro bowl year.

Question: Will the New York Giants return to the playoffs in 2010? Answer: Yes, the Giants will be back in 2010.

Question: Who will become the starting MLB for the Giants this year? Answer: LB Jonathan Goff

Question: Who are the Kings of the Castle at New Meadowlands stadium, the Giants or the Jets? Answer: The New York Giants

Question: Will the New York Giants win 12 or more games in 2010? Answer: No, I believe they will finish with a 11-5 record.

BONUS QUESTION: Who will win Super Bowl XLV on 02/06/2011? Answer: Green Bay Packers

Be sure to come back and check out our game notes for the Carolina Panthers game over the weekend!

RD – nygreporter.com

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