A Pre-Camp Look at the New York Giants

[This article was written by Double G Sports New York Giants writer Stephen J. Barron Jr.]

As the hot summer sun makes us wishing for the fall that can only mean football is around the corner. The New York Giants will be kicking off camp this season after finishing the season 3-5 and missing the playoffs with a loss to the Carolina Panthers in the final game at Giant Stadium.

As camp opens up on August 1^st the team made it clear 2010 is all about defense and old fashion Giants football. The defense last season allowed 427 points. This was the 3^rd most in the league behind only Detroit and St. Louis. In a division that many predict will be the toughest in the league for 2010 that will not spell success for big blue if they don’t improve on the defensive end of the football.

Much of those fan fear of another poor defensive season might be put at easy with key players returning to full strength on the defensive side of the ball in 2009 such as: Phillips, Ross, Webster, Alford and Canty. Along with the addition Antrel Rolle who inked a 5 year $37 million contract in the off season the team will make the defense much better if they can stay healthy all pre-season and regular season.

The Giants also drafted 5 of their 7 draft picks with defense in mind including strengthening up the defensive line with Jason Pierre-Paul the 15^th overall pick of the draft out of Southern Florida and Linval Joseph from East Carolina.

Chad Jones being injured in a car accident does put the Giants 76^th pick over all in the category of uncertainty as to his career in football, but with a draft class of this caliber and the return of key injured players the Giants should be able to improve from their 2009 2^nd half disaster.

On the offensive side of the ball it appears the status quo from 2009 will look to carry the team over into 2010. Manning has all the weapons he did in 2010 with the exception of Hixon who was just released. However, if the running game can improve just a little bit, the offense should be able to easily score over 400 point as they did last season.

Double G Sports will be keeping a close eye on the Giants pre-season camp and games to see how the rookies look and if that defense will be able to compete and bring the Giants back to the top of a division that is shaping up to be the best in the NFL for 2010.