Find out how Dave Price sees their 2007 campaign shaping up in his New York Giants NFL Preview for Point-Spreads.com. The New York Giants were a team that was mentioned in the same breath as the Super Bowl in 2006, but now they could already be a season away from a major rebuilding project. Sportsbook.com has the New York Giants at 35 to 1 odds to win Super Bowl XLII.
The many changes that everyone expected at season’s end — including the departure of Tom Coughlin — never happened. Something nobody saw coming was the release of OLT Luke Petitgout and LB LaVar Arrington. What could have been a better way to kick off Jerry Reese’s tenure as GM than to get rid of those who didn’t deserve it? It wasn’t quite as big of a shake up as many expected out of this team, but it’s clear that fireworks could be on the horizon and we’re not talking the celebratory variety.
Coughlin must win in what could be his final season. Eli Manning, going into his third full year of starting, must show major strides. Michael Strahan could ride off into the sunset after 2007 following Tiki Barbers lead. As you might have already gathered, some feel this team’s narrow window might have shut already.
It’s not all doom and gloom, but there is a major sense of a do-or-die attitude this season that will affect Coughlin the most. Though sources say he hasn’t lost the players just yet, it’s clear his style hasn’t won over their hearts, either. If things don’t go well on the field, big changes will be rolling in faster than a hurricane.
The offense looked more fluid in Kevin Gilbride’s two games calling plays at season’s end, and the franchise is hopeful that he and new QB coach Chris Palmer will further Eli Manning’s progress. The team has the tools to run a solid power run game with the RB duo of Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns. There’s no doubt that they will miss Barber, but Jacobs showed that he can do some damage last season.
Gilbride traditionally has favored pairing the between-the-tackles run game with a vertical attack to tilt the field. The hope is that opposing defenses cheat up safeties if the run is working or keep them back if the deep pass is clicking.
It sounds easy as pie, but Eli is going to have to show that he can consistently make good decisions when throwing down the field. My guess is that teams will force Manning to beat them again in 2007 and he’s going to have to prove that he can before the media and opposing defenses will get off of his back.
New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s defense should include several aspects of the Philly-style he’s accustomed to. He picked up an attacking system from Eagles guru Jim Johnson. The team is hoping that Spagnuolo can heal the sore spot that has been Giants linebacker play. I’m not sure how getting rid of LaVar Arrington does that just yet. Though there are secondary questions, the team should have a strong pass rush to help compensate.
New England Patriots 2-1
San Diego Chargers 5-1
Indianapolis Colts 7-1
Chicago Bears 16-1
Baltimore Ravens 25-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 30-1
Cincinnati Bengals 25-1
Denver Broncos 25-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Dallas Cowboys 25-1
Carolina Panthers 25-1
Seattle Seahawks 18-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 35-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 60-1
New York Jets 40-1
Miami Dolphins 55-1
Tennessee Titans 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 60-1
Buffalo Bills 100-1
Washington Redskins 40-1
Arizona Cardinals 40-1
Saint Louis Rams 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45-1
San Francisco 49ers 20-1
Minnesota Vikings 50-1
Green Bay Packers 40-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Oakland Raiders 75-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
