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http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?id=FDFD0DA9-B496-5F1D-DFFF3A9C7BA3D234
(Editor's Note: This is the second of a four-part DallasCowboys.com series analyzing all the teams in the NFC East for the upcoming 2006 season. Today's look will focus on the New York Giants.)
There must be some bittersweet feelings for the New York Giants this off-season.
While the expectations to build on last year's 11-5 record and NFC East championship are enough to get excited about, the team's 23-0 home loss to the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs has to sting.
But it's likely the Giants are using that surprising loss as motivation heading into the 2006 season.
And there certainly are plenty of reasons for optimism, starting with quarterback Eli Manning, who enters his third pro season and shouldn't be too far away from emerging as one of the game's elite quarterbacks.
Now, he's not at the level of his older brother, although some might say no other quarterback in the league can touch Peyton Manning's status. But Eli seems on his way.
Manning helped engineer an offense that ranked third in scoring last season, posting 422 total points. But his play slipped a bit near the end of the season, the quarterback throwing 12 of his 17 interceptions in the final eight games.
But in two seasons, Manning already has 23 starts, with a 12-11 record.
And the Giants have a done a good job of surrounding him with playmakers, led by running back Tiki Barber, who continues to show why he's one of the NFL's best offensive players year after year.
Barber is heading into his 10th season, but who would ever guess? He rushed for 1,860 yards last season with a 5.2 average, along with 54 catches for 530 yards. Barber scored 11 touchdowns and despite being 30 years of age, proved that he can still break off long runs by leading the league with five 50-plus yard gains, including a 95-yard touchdown run against the Chiefs.
The Giants' receiving corps should get a rather quick boost in Miami (Fla.) rookie Sinorice Moss, who joins veteran wideouts Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer and tight end Jeremy Shockey.
Moss, the younger brother of Commanders Pro Bowl receiver Santana Moss, should give the Giants another dimension on offense with his ability to go underneath and across the middle, not to mention help out on special teams.
On defense, the Giants added former Washington standout linebacker LaVar Arrington, along with cornerback Sam Madison and safety Will Demps.
Cornerback R.W. McQuarters should not only help the secondary, but has always been a dangerous return specialist.
And those are just the new faces. Don't forget the Giants arguably had the best pass-rushing tandem in the league last year with Osi Umenyiora (14 ½ sacks) and Michael Strahan (11 ½). The Pro Bowl duo certainly gave the Cowboys problems in the Dec. 4 rematch in New York when quarterback Drew Bledsoe was sacked five times in a 17-10 Giants win.
While Umenyiora also led the NFC with four forced fumbles, the Giants have another quality pass rusher in second-year veteran Justin Tuck, who figures to play a larger role in the team's pass defense this year.
Overall, the Giants seemed to add more than they lost in free agency. Throw in the expected improvement of Manning, and there is no reason to think the Giants won't be much better in 2006.
If there is a reason, it will because the Commanders, Cowboys and Eagles figure to be much better, too.
Here's a closer look at the 2006 New York Giants:
2005 Record: 11-5
Playoffs: Lost to Carolina (23-0) in NFC Wild Card Round
NFL Rankings: Offense (4th), Defense (24th)
Key Veteran Additions: LB LaVar Arrington (Wash); CB Sam Madison (Mia); DB Will Demps (Balt); CB Jason Bell (Hou); DB Quentin Harris (Arz); CB R.W. McQuarters (Det); DT Monsanto Pope (Den); LB Brandon Short (Car)
Top Draft Picks: DE Mathias Kiwanuka (Boston College; WR Sinorice Moss (Miami, Fla.); LB Gerris Wilkinson (Georgia Tech)
Key Losses: DT Kendrick Clancy (Arz); LB Nick Greisen (Jax); CB Will Allen (Mia); DB Shaun Williams (Car); G Jason Whittle (Min)
All-Time Series Record vs. Cowboys: Cowboys lead series, 53-40-2
Last Year's Meetings: Lost to Dallas, 16-13, OT (10/16/05, Texas Stadium); Defeated Dallas 17-10 (12/4/05, Giants Stadium)
Last 10 Meetings:
2005 - Giants 17, Cowboys 10
2005 - Cowboys 16, Giants 13 (OT)
2004 - Giants 28, Cowboys 24
2004 - Giants 26, Cowboys 10
2003 - Cowboys 19, Giants 3
2003 - Cowboys 35, Giants 32 (OT)
2002 - Giants 37, Cowboys 7
2002 - Giants 21, Cowboys 17
2001 - Cowboys 20, Giants 13
2001 - Giants 27, Cowboys 24 (OT)
Who Can Forget?
In the first Cowboys-Giants game last season, the first three quarters whipped by without much action, but the fourth quarter, and then overtime, offered enough excitement to make up for the first 45 minutes.
Dallas led 13-6 with just over four minutes to play in the game when Eli Manning and the Giants' offense finally got to work. They moved the ball deep in Cowboys territory and even had first-and-goal at the 1 before safety Roy Williams stripped Giants running back Brandon Jacobs of the ball, saving a potential game-tying touchdown.
However, the Giants eventually got the ball back near midfield with less than a minute to go. With two quick passes from Manning to Plaxico Burress and then to Shockey, who scored with just 19 seconds to play, the Giants had forced overtime.
But the Cowboys were able to win the toss and put together their best drive of the day. Drew Bledsoe completed passes to Patrick Crayton, Terry Glenn and Jason Witten to set up Jose Cortez' game-winning field goal of 46 yards, which gave the Cowboys a wild 16-13 overtime win.
Up Next: Washington
(Editor's Note: This is the second of a four-part DallasCowboys.com series analyzing all the teams in the NFC East for the upcoming 2006 season. Today's look will focus on the New York Giants.)
There must be some bittersweet feelings for the New York Giants this off-season.
While the expectations to build on last year's 11-5 record and NFC East championship are enough to get excited about, the team's 23-0 home loss to the Panthers in the first round of the playoffs has to sting.
But it's likely the Giants are using that surprising loss as motivation heading into the 2006 season.
And there certainly are plenty of reasons for optimism, starting with quarterback Eli Manning, who enters his third pro season and shouldn't be too far away from emerging as one of the game's elite quarterbacks.
Now, he's not at the level of his older brother, although some might say no other quarterback in the league can touch Peyton Manning's status. But Eli seems on his way.
Manning helped engineer an offense that ranked third in scoring last season, posting 422 total points. But his play slipped a bit near the end of the season, the quarterback throwing 12 of his 17 interceptions in the final eight games.
But in two seasons, Manning already has 23 starts, with a 12-11 record.
And the Giants have a done a good job of surrounding him with playmakers, led by running back Tiki Barber, who continues to show why he's one of the NFL's best offensive players year after year.
Barber is heading into his 10th season, but who would ever guess? He rushed for 1,860 yards last season with a 5.2 average, along with 54 catches for 530 yards. Barber scored 11 touchdowns and despite being 30 years of age, proved that he can still break off long runs by leading the league with five 50-plus yard gains, including a 95-yard touchdown run against the Chiefs.
The Giants' receiving corps should get a rather quick boost in Miami (Fla.) rookie Sinorice Moss, who joins veteran wideouts Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer and tight end Jeremy Shockey.
Moss, the younger brother of Commanders Pro Bowl receiver Santana Moss, should give the Giants another dimension on offense with his ability to go underneath and across the middle, not to mention help out on special teams.
On defense, the Giants added former Washington standout linebacker LaVar Arrington, along with cornerback Sam Madison and safety Will Demps.
Cornerback R.W. McQuarters should not only help the secondary, but has always been a dangerous return specialist.
And those are just the new faces. Don't forget the Giants arguably had the best pass-rushing tandem in the league last year with Osi Umenyiora (14 ½ sacks) and Michael Strahan (11 ½). The Pro Bowl duo certainly gave the Cowboys problems in the Dec. 4 rematch in New York when quarterback Drew Bledsoe was sacked five times in a 17-10 Giants win.
While Umenyiora also led the NFC with four forced fumbles, the Giants have another quality pass rusher in second-year veteran Justin Tuck, who figures to play a larger role in the team's pass defense this year.
Overall, the Giants seemed to add more than they lost in free agency. Throw in the expected improvement of Manning, and there is no reason to think the Giants won't be much better in 2006.
If there is a reason, it will because the Commanders, Cowboys and Eagles figure to be much better, too.
Here's a closer look at the 2006 New York Giants:
2005 Record: 11-5
Playoffs: Lost to Carolina (23-0) in NFC Wild Card Round
NFL Rankings: Offense (4th), Defense (24th)
Key Veteran Additions: LB LaVar Arrington (Wash); CB Sam Madison (Mia); DB Will Demps (Balt); CB Jason Bell (Hou); DB Quentin Harris (Arz); CB R.W. McQuarters (Det); DT Monsanto Pope (Den); LB Brandon Short (Car)
Top Draft Picks: DE Mathias Kiwanuka (Boston College; WR Sinorice Moss (Miami, Fla.); LB Gerris Wilkinson (Georgia Tech)
Key Losses: DT Kendrick Clancy (Arz); LB Nick Greisen (Jax); CB Will Allen (Mia); DB Shaun Williams (Car); G Jason Whittle (Min)
All-Time Series Record vs. Cowboys: Cowboys lead series, 53-40-2
Last Year's Meetings: Lost to Dallas, 16-13, OT (10/16/05, Texas Stadium); Defeated Dallas 17-10 (12/4/05, Giants Stadium)
Last 10 Meetings:
2005 - Giants 17, Cowboys 10
2005 - Cowboys 16, Giants 13 (OT)
2004 - Giants 28, Cowboys 24
2004 - Giants 26, Cowboys 10
2003 - Cowboys 19, Giants 3
2003 - Cowboys 35, Giants 32 (OT)
2002 - Giants 37, Cowboys 7
2002 - Giants 21, Cowboys 17
2001 - Cowboys 20, Giants 13
2001 - Giants 27, Cowboys 24 (OT)
Who Can Forget?
In the first Cowboys-Giants game last season, the first three quarters whipped by without much action, but the fourth quarter, and then overtime, offered enough excitement to make up for the first 45 minutes.
Dallas led 13-6 with just over four minutes to play in the game when Eli Manning and the Giants' offense finally got to work. They moved the ball deep in Cowboys territory and even had first-and-goal at the 1 before safety Roy Williams stripped Giants running back Brandon Jacobs of the ball, saving a potential game-tying touchdown.
However, the Giants eventually got the ball back near midfield with less than a minute to go. With two quick passes from Manning to Plaxico Burress and then to Shockey, who scored with just 19 seconds to play, the Giants had forced overtime.
But the Cowboys were able to win the toss and put together their best drive of the day. Drew Bledsoe completed passes to Patrick Crayton, Terry Glenn and Jason Witten to set up Jose Cortez' game-winning field goal of 46 yards, which gave the Cowboys a wild 16-13 overtime win.
Up Next: Washington