Overall, the Giants addressed the few concerns they had, especially after an off-season that saw them lose three starters on defense. What they received were prospects with the raw talent to produce but some gaping holes in their skill sets. But they are Super Bowl champions, and they clearly aren’t setting out to remake the team right away.

Drafting Miami safety Kenny Phillips with their first pick will soften some of the blow of Gibril Wilson’s defection to the Oakland Raiders. Phillips is athletic and smart and has the kind of speed to cover wideouts as well as the agility to make open-field tackles. The knock on him is that he’s a little raw in reading coverage, but with New York signing Jaguars veteran Sammy Knight to shore up the safety position for the next few years, Phillips can develop and mature.

In round two, New York focused on shoring up the cornerback position, as 34-year-old Sam Madison continues to age. USC’s Terrell Thomas is a step in the right direction, but he has a history of injuries. He redshirted in 2003 to recover from shoulder surgery and played only two games in 2005 before tearing ligaments in his right knee. Before the ’07 season, Thomas dislocated his left shoulder but was able to start all 13 games as a senior. On the positive side, his biggest strength is playing press coverage, playing more man-to-man and bumping wide receivers at the line of scrimmage, a scheme in which the Giants’ corners excelled last season.

With their next pick, the Giants drafted Michigan wideout Mario Manningham, who has the kind of flashy skills that will make him a deep threat for Eli Manning when Plaxico Burress is double-teamed. His stock plunged before the draft because he lied during the combine about using marijuana and had to send letters to all 32 franchises apologizing for his actions. However, the Giants drafted someone with off-the-field concerns last season to great success (Bradshaw) and trusted the team’s veteran locker room to nurture a young player with a history similar to Manningham’s. Beyond his character issues, Manningham showed spectacular hands at Michigan, making grabs in traffic while running good routes.

Both of the next draftees, BYU’s Bryan Kehl and Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Goff, are linebacker projects with possible upside. The former is a speedy outside linebacker but needs to add weight to his frame and work on his technique stopping the run. Giants GM Jerry Reese traded a sixth-round pick to snag Kehl, so he and New York’s scouting staff must see something positive in the former Cougar. Goff played inside linebacker at Vanderbilt and is versatile enough to move outside with his speed (he was a high-school track star). His problem is a lack of lower-body strength. Both selections replenish depth at a position where the Giants lost both Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor.

With their final picks, back-to-back sixth-round selections, the Giants took on another flawed prospect in quarterback André Woodson and a defensive end in Southern Mississippi’s Robert Henderson. The Kentucky QB showed serious flashes of talent and athleticism earlier this year in leading the Wildcats to a surprising 8-5 record, but because his delivery has a huge hitch that turned scouts off, he’ll be another risky prospect the Giants can work with to develop. Given that they also have fellow Wildcat Jared Lorenzen, David Carr and Anthony Wright as Manning’s backups, Woodson will have to work to make an impression in camp. Henderson ran a 4.81 40-yard dash and could be a speed rusher up the middle some day, much as Alford was last year.

After the 2007 draft, questions arose about the talent Reese selected as well. But given how that turned out, they may be entitled to a little slack this time around.

Here’s how the world champions can accomplish both as they approach the offseason:

Re-sign Kawika Mitchell and Gibril Wilson

With a reported cap space of nearly $20 million, the Giants shouldn’t spend all their cash on the star-power coming on the market. Instead, the GM should cultivate his home field. Mitchell struggled at times this season as he attempted to get comfortable in Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme. But by Week 16 in Buffalo, the hard-hitting outside linebacker began fitting in nicely, showing some speed off the edge in blitz packages. Wilson could see what the rest of the league has to offer after showing versatility both against the run and in pass coverage. If the Giants aren’t able to show the former fifth round pick a long-term commitment, he might be on the way out. If that scenario occurs, plugging the gap at safety will become their new focus. Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin would be a great replacement if Wilson decides to leave.

Linebacker is a priority

Despite Mitchell’s impressive late-season play and the return of Mathias Kiwanuka from injury, neither is a terrific defender in coverage. The Giants could use some depth at the position as well as a player with the kind of cover skills that would help on passing downs.

Allow free agents Reggie Torbor, Derrick Ward and Lawrence Tynes to walk

Torbor did a pretty good job replacing Kiwanuka at linebacker, but he may cost too much as a bench player. The Giants are also interested in developing Gerris Wilkinson at the same position. Ward had a breakout year until he fractured his fibula and could look for a deal as a #2 running back for a team searching for a small option to catch out of the backfield (much like Maurice Jones-Drew or Reggie Bush). If he does choose to re-sign, he’ll be third on the depth chart behind Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. As for Tynes, his inconsistency this year might be enough for the Giants to let him walk. Kickers are always available in free agency or late in the draft.

Plead for one more year out of Michael Strahan

The gregarious, gap-toothed leader finally got his ring. However, the Giants are still contenders going into the 2008 season, especially with the other elements of the so-called Four Aces pass rush still intact. (Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, and Kiwanuka). Even at 36, Strahan proved he was still effective, posting 9.0 sacks and stopping running backs as he’s done throughout his career. Now that Spagnuolo is back, why not follow suit and play for one more title?

Draft a cornerback and an offensive lineman for development

It’s no coincidence that when Corey Webster took a huge step forward, so did the Giants. And even after Reese used his first draft pick as GM on talented cornerback Aaron Ross, Sam Madison isn’t getting any younger. Acquiring a talented rookie at that position is a great way to look past next season. The same goes for a lineman who can take his time to learn how to play in the NFL. Though the impressive offensive line gelled this season and became one of the best units in the league, the Giants should still have a look down the road at the team that will take the field in 2010 with four starters over the age of 30.

The defensive line, maybe: Their ferocious pass rush knocked Tom Brady on his back all night, preventing the Patriots’ passing game from getting off any huge plays. From Michael Strahan’s jersey-grab to Jay Alford’s body slam with 25 second to play, the Giants were relentless. Even in the fourth quarter, when Brady began to break through the blitz with throws in the flat to Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk, the Giants kept up the pressure.

Or the secondary: the rag-tag bunch that had its share of struggles in the regular season blanketed Randy Moss during crunch time on the Super Bowl’s last drive.

It’s hard, though, to attribute the entire team’s resiliency to any one unit. The Giants somehow managed to shake off a number of errors on which the until-recently perfect Patriots have thrived. Antonio Pierce’s interference penalty resulted in the game’s first touchdown. Steve Smith muffed a catch for a costly interception in the red zone. And early in the second half, backup linebacker Chase Blackburn made the kind of blunder that would deflate any team against a juggernaut. After another great stop on third down with just over 11 minutes to play in the second half, Blackburn couldn’t get off the field fast enough after realizing he was the twelfth man. Bill Belichick and his eagle-eyed staff threw out the red challenge and the review supported the Patriots, handing them a first down and another chance with an illegal substitution penalty.

Those mistakes never turned their focus away from the task at hand, especially for Eli Manning and the Giants offense. Despite being unable to establish the run, the Giants picked apart the Patriots’ intelligent defense with depth at wide receiver. The rookie Smith had four receptions resulting in first downs, with the last one setting up Plaxico Burress’ perfect move on Ellis Hobbs for the game-winning score.

And then there was that catch – surely one of the greatest in league history. Manning faced a crucial third down with 1:15 left on the clock and the Patriots sent an extra pass rusher in to blitz. Manning avoided the rush, broke away from two would-be tackles and threw a wild pass. It wasn’t to Burress or trusty Amani Toomer or even Smith. David Tyree, the former Pro Bowl special teams player, made a nearly impossible catch through a double team, squeezing the ball against his helmet while being slammed to the ground.

And the rest, now, is history.

As the Super Bowl looms, he’s turned from a shaky, inconsistent signal-caller into an elite quarterback capable of taking charge of a game. And each week, starting with the final regular-season game and continuing through the playoffs, Manning added something new.

For most of his young career, Manning threw off his back foot when under pressure, a habit that took velocity and accuracy off the ball and produced underthrown passes and, too frequently, interceptions.

Two games after a dismal loss to Washington in which Manning completed only 18 of 53 passes thanks to that very tendency, a new quarterback emerged against the Patriots’ stifling defense in Week 17. New England pass rushers hounded Manning for much of the game, but the young quarterback stood in the pocket and stepped up before making throws, as evidenced by a touchdown pass to Kevin Boss with 13 seconds left in the first half. Manning avoided the rush coming from the right side, checked down as he stepped up and pump-faked before finding his tight end.

After throwing the game-ending interception to Ellis Hobbs in the loss to New England, the Giants’ Wild Card tilt in Tampa Bay showed a whole new side of Manning. There were no more high throws to wide-open receivers (such as the one Hobbs nabbed) or attempts directed to the wrong shoulder that would all to often result in turnovers. On a touchdown drive early in the second quarter, Manning made five of six completions all over the field, including a screen pass through traffic to Brandon Jacobs. That drive spoke volumes: Manning stopped forcing passes downfield and instead, completed shorter throws, letting his talented wideouts make plays after catches. He hasn’t thrown an interception in 85 postseason pass attempts, but the more important number is his completion percentage in the playoffs: 62.4 percent, over six points above his season total.

The divisional round against the Cowboys revealed Manning’s newfound ability to look off coverage and enable his receivers to get free. With 42 seconds left in the first half, Manning bought his receivers an extra second on the two throws to Steve Smith and a beautiful completion to Boss on third-and-ten. That’s the kind of subtle change that makes the difference between a nearly flawless touchdown drive and a three-and-out.

All of those these elements came together against a stingy Packers defense, with an added touch: Manning played to his receivers’ strengths. Plaxico Burress thrives on quick slants, which Manning threw to him for most of the game. At the end of the first half, when Packers cornerback Al Harris tried to bump Burress at the line to throw off his timing, Manning utilized his receiver’s height and fed him a pass over the top in between Harris and safety Atari Bigby. And on Toomer’s athletic sideline grab with under three minutes left in the third quarter, Manning wisely led the veteran with a throw about four yards ahead of him, knowing that Toomer would be able to reel the ball in and drag his feet.

Of course, none of those vanquished defenses were equal to what the Patriots have. The Giants will have to hope that Manning has one more surprising development in store.

With an NFL-record 10th straight win away from the cozy confines of the Meadowlands, New York played like a team that deserves to be in the Super Bowl.

It starts with their versatility. The Giants faced one of their toughest tests yet, as Green Bay’s offensive line shut down their pass rush and gave Brett Favre time to work in the pocket. That meant that the secondary needed to play at its best and running back Ryan Grant had to be stopped. The linebackers and safety Gibril Wilson took care of the latter, holding Grant to 29 yards and forcing the Packers to rely on Favre’s arm. The Giants had trouble in the first half containing Donald Driver, especially when he tossed aside defensive back Corey Webster at the line of scrimmage and turned a short pass route into a 90-yard score. Nevertheless, they held Favre to short throws underneath on third downs (of which the Packers converted only one of 10 attempts).

A Super Bowl team also needs depth. Plaxico Burress, who had had a quiet postseason, looked completely healthy for the first time in months, as he used his height, crisp route-running and great hands to beat gifted cornerback Al Harris for 154 hard-earned yards. But the focus should be on another receiver who has been as valuable as Burress: rookie Steve Smith, who has played admirably in these postseason games. With just under two minutes to play in regulation, Eli Manning threw a ball over the middle to the USC alum, who cradled the pass to turn a second-and-fifteen into a near-first down. Later in that drive, Smith caught another reception that set up Lawrence Tynes for an attempt at a game-winning field goal. Despite the missed kick, Smith stepped up at exactly the right time when the Packers finally double-teamed Burress.

That Super Bowl-worthy depth also includes the Giants’ tandem running backs. Brandon Jacobs had no luck cutting around the edge or up the middle against Green Bay’s quick linebackers. As he did against the Cowboys and the Buccaneers, Ahmad Bradshaw took over rushing for the Giants and was more effective than his larger counterpart. New York’s ability to change the pace of their offense is exactly what can win a championship game.

New York showed another facet of a championship-caliber team in overtime: patience. Despite Tynes’ two botched field goals and even losing the coin toss at the start of overtime, awarding receipt of the kickoff to Green Bay, the Giants didn’t stray from their game plan. They were waiting for Brett Favre’s Achilles heel to appear. In high-pressure situations, the future Hall of Famer tends to become a gunslinger.

In an attempt to play hero, he forced passes downfield when he really should have tightened up and played a safer game. The pass intercepted by Webster that led to the Giants’ victory was exactly what New York was looking for. Instead of playing conservatively against Favre, coordinator Steve Spagnuolo blitzed Favre, looking to force the game-changing mistake the Giants had waited for. And it paid off.

New York isn’t just another NFC team waiting to be steamrolled by an AFC juggernaut. They’re playing like champions.

The Giants team that faces Green Bay in a rematch has gone through major changes after the Packers spoiled New York’s home opener in Week 2. And it’s those added weapons that will give New York a real shot at beating yet another elite team on the road.

The Giants now boast the best pass rush in the league—one that can shut down even the most mobile quarterbacks. Looking at how Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan finally tuckered out Dallas’s offensive line last week demonstrates how they could wreak similar havoc on Brett Favre. The Packers legend still moves around well in the pocket and makes breathtaking plays on the run even at the age of 38, like last week’s third-and-eight underhand toss to Donald Lee that resulted in a first down.. But the Giants now have a better grasp of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme, something they only started to understand after their Week 2 loss to the Packers.

The Packers, however, gave up only 19 total sacks this season, and, like last week, the Giants will have to be patient and wear down Green Bay’s tackles before they can hope to pressure Favre. In fact, players might want to watch tapes of the only team that beat the Packers twice this season: the Chicago Bears.

In those two games, Chicago dropped linebackers back to play a bigger role in pass coverage, forcing Favre to throw into traffic. The result was lots of deflected passes and two interceptions in each game. Considering the numerous injuries among the Giants’ secondary, Spagnuolo could use Antonio Pierce the same way Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was utilized and drop him into coverage on passing plays. If the Giants take away the big yardage potential of Favre’s patented quick slants and force him to stand in the pocket and attempt longer throws over the middle, their pass rush might have time to pressure him.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Giants must do a better job of establishing the run against the Packers than they did against the Cowboys. Brandon Jacobs, who missed the last Packers game with an injury, makes for an ideal match-up in weather that’s supposed to hover around zero at game time. In bone-chilling cold, the advantage always goes to physical running backs who are unafraid to steamroll a defense.

Unfortunately for the Giants, that same rule applies to yet another player who was absent from their first game against the Packers: sensational Green Bay running back Ryan Grant, who ran for a franchise-record 201 yards last week in the win over the Seahawks and has given the Packers the fierce ground game they missed for most of the season.

Grant should have a tougher time doing anything like that this week, though. After all, this defense, and these Giants, bear little resemblance to the team that lost to Green Bay at the beginning of the season.

Ask the typical NFL fan in September of 2007 which Manning they thought would be in a conference championship game. The answer, inevitably, would be Peyton. But the older brother came up short Sunday against San Diego, and the kid brother is in the NFC finale.
It was the Cowboys, not the Giants, who leaned on their bruising running back, as six-foot, 221-pound Marion Barber physically overpowered a Giants defense built more for speed in the pass rush than run-stopping attrition. The entire Dallas game plan sounded a lot like New York’s game-winning strategy against Tampa Bay last week: overpower the Giants with their toughness running the ball and keep their passes safe. The result was a game completely controlled by the Cowboys, who chewed up 36:30 of possession time, including a touchdown drive that lasted over ten minutes in the second quarter.

The Giants, in turn, had a plan that looked an awful lot like Dallas’ vaunted passing offense. With Dallas’ linebackers swarming Brandon Jacobs as he attempted to go to the outside, the Giants were forced to abandon the run for the most part and rely once again on Eli Manning to win with his arm. Of course Manning had only18 pass attempts. But he made just enough of his 12 completions on crucial plays. A 19-yard pass down the right sideline to Kevin Boss came on a third and ten with just seven seconds left in the first half and led to the game-tying touchdown. Steve Smith made a beautiful 11-yard catch on third-and-six to open up the third quarter. And both of Amani Toomer’s touchdown receptions came from Manning’s patience, as he checked down on his receivers and waited for the right moment. He may not be as flashy as his Super Bowl-winning brother, but the younger Manning has really come into his own during the Giants’ last three games. Over his last six starts, Manning has thrown only three interceptions and has a streak of three straight games with a quarterback rating above 100.

As for the rest of the Giants, while New York fans are used to a team prone to making mistakes, they saw a surprisingly clean game. The Giants were more disciplined and more patient. They didn’t commit stupid penalties and dropped only one potential game-changing pass (a probable interception for a touchdown by Corey Webster on a ball that hit him right in the numbers). Dallas had 11 infractions for 84 yards, including four that set the Cowboys back for 10 yards or more. And despite a lack of success with their league-leading sack machine, the Giants finally broke through early in the fourth at exactly the right time as they got to Romo twice for huge momentum-sapping losses. That unexpected patience also allowed the Giants to adjust to Barber’s attack in the second half, when they were able to hold the back to just 28 yards rushing.

Now attention shifts to Green Bay, where they’ll face another high-octane offense. But unlike Romo, Brett Favre knows how to win playoff games, especially in the cold confines of Lambeau Field. Time for the Giants to learn another new role.

The focus on this game starts with the question mark surrounding Terrell Owens and his high ankle sprain, an injury that usually takes longer than two weeks to heal completely. While the 12-year veteran’s capability is projected at only 65-70 percent of full recovery, even at that level he’s a serious threat. Fans might remember Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, when Owens was still recovering from surgery for a similar ankle injury: he had nine receptions for 122 yards in a loss to the Patriots. If it’s a meaningful game, Owens will not just play but will find a way to torture the Giants’ secondary all game.

However, as last week’s Wild Card game proved, New York has some say in making plays in pass coverage. After blanketing Joey Galloway last week, Corey Webster may be called upon to cover Owens if Sam Madison misses another game and will probably have help from Gibril Wilson. Given that Owens burned Madison’s attempts to bump-and-run the receiver for two touchdown catches in the Giants Week 10 loss to Dallas, Tom Coughlin should use the speedy Webster instead.

The Giants will still have their hands full dealing with the possible return of another talented wideout in Terry Glenn, as well as covering tight end Jason Witten. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo would be wise to give help to his cornerbacks and safeties and hope that the Giants’ talented front four will continue their dominance against the run.

Speed will also be a factor for the Giants on offense. With bruising pass-rushers DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis (both of whom had a sack of Eli Manning in their last game) coming off the edges, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride should keep the offense as simple as he did last week. He should utilize the emerging success of the halfback screen with both Brandon Jacobs, who has vastly improved his pass-catching skills, and Ahmad Bradshaw. In addition, look for tight end Kevin Boss to flourish: strong safety Roy Williams is a liability against the pass and will likely be assigned to cover Boss. His soft hands and solid route-running have been a relief in replacement of the injured Jeremy Shockey, who beat Williams for 12 catches and 129 yards in Week 10.

Cowboys’ quarterback and playboy Tony Romo established himself as one of the NFL’s elite passers this season. But he’s prone to an inconsistent performance or two per year. After leading Dallas to the playoffs last season, Romo had an unimpressive showing against the Seahawks in which he hit just over 58 percent of his passes for one touchdown and infamously botched the hold on an attempted field goal that would have put the Cowboys ahead. The Giants should hope for a repeat performance. Or, they could discreetly purchase a ticket for Romo’s girlfriend and apparent game-day jinx Jessica Simpson right behind the Cowboys bench, where she might achieve what the Giants can’t.

They opened their Wild Card playoff matchup in Raymond James Stadium attempting to play to their strengths: they gave the football to Brandon Jacobs to set the pace and tone with a power ground game and rushed Jeff Garcia with blitzes. The Buccaneers responded in kind, crowding the line with eight defenders and utilizing quick routes and screens from Garcia to avoid the rush. The result was a 7-0 deficit and -3 total yards for the Giants on offense in the first quarter.

The message was obvious: Tampa Bay wanted to put the game in the inconsistent hands of Eli Manning, even after his impressive four-touchdown performance against the New England Patriots last week. But Manning maintained the same resilience and patience in the pocket that he displayed in that loss. Instead of backing away to release the ball off his back foot, he stood up in the face of pressure and threw smart, high-percentage passes. He even called a terrific game at the line.

Early in the second quarter on New York’s first touchdown drive, Manning saw a safety sneaking in from his left for a blitz. He called Amani Toomer closer to him in the slot. Two seconds later, Manning put the ball in Toomer’s sure hands for 13 yards and a first down, right in the spot over the middle where the safety had vacated. He finished the day with a season-high 74.1 completion percentage and not a single mistake with the exception of one delay-of-game penalty in the red zone. If the Giants expect to stay close in next week’s game against the Cowboys, they’ll need Manning to stay just as sharp as he was this week.

Another Giants adaptation came on the other side of the football. With Garcia scampering out of the reach of New York’s pass-rushers and finding his receivers for short gains, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo scaled back his usual mixture of blitzes and gave help to the secondary. That gave Garcia time to throw, but when he failed to find Joey Galloway or Ike Hilliard open downfield, the Giants got physical with Tampa Bay’s quarterback. Over 15 of Garcia’s throws were hurried and as often as not a Giants pass rusher would slam him to the ground.

Speaking of Galloway, cornerback Corey Webster deserves the defensive game ball for adapting to his new role. Starter Sam Madison sat out the game with the stomach muscle injury he suffered last week against the Patriots, so Webster, who spent most of the season in the hell known as Tom Coughlin’s doghouse, was asked to play man-to-man against the speedy and wily Galloway (who reaggravated a shoulder injury). The result was astounding: Webster crowded the wideout, held him to one catch for nine yards, and intercepted an underthrown pass from Garcia in the end zone. In addition, Webster pounced on the fumbled kickoff by Michael Spurlock to open the second half. If Madison is still in pain next week, Webster may be called on to shut down another hobbled wide receiver: Terrell Owens.

With momentum swinging in the Giants’ direction, New York’s coaches made a smart decision. Instead of relying on Jacobs to run down the clock in the second half, Coughlin changed the pace of the game by giving the ball to Ahmad Bradshaw to gain first downs. Just as he did in the Week 16 win against the Bills, Bradshaw put the defense back on its heels as he compiled nearly four yards per carry.

Now the Giants have to adapt to something else: the idea that they’re more than just an upstart Wild Card team.

In other words, when the Giants play in Florida on Sunday, it’s going to be a tight game with virtually no room for mistakes.

Jeff Garcia has turned back the clock to lead the Buccaneers without being flashy. While he’s racked up only 13 touchdowns all season, the former 49er and Eagle has thrown only four interceptions in 327 attempts and lost two fumbles throughout the year.

The Giants should be very familiar with Garcia’s ability to win games without committing errors. Last season, he beat New York with the Eagles in the opening round of the playoffs, when he completed only 54.8 percent of his passes along with one touchdown for 153 yards through the air.

The good news is that with their pass rush significantly better than last season’s, the Giants can win Sunday’s playoff game by continuing to bring heavy pressure on Garcia and force him to make at least one or two errors. When Garcia has been sacked at least three times in a game this season, Tampa Bay is 1-2.

New York will also be forced to deal with Joey Galloway, another ageless wonder. The 13-year veteran is still punishing secondaries, averaging 6.8 yards after catch per game, good for third in the league among wideouts. The Giants will probably double-team him with an improved Sam Madison (who might be available after straining an abdominal muscle last week) underneath and safety Gibril Wilson covering deep routes. If they can hold Galloway to less than 100 yards without a score, Tampa Bay doesn’t have other big play options.

Offensively, the Giants will be put to the test against coordinator Monte Kiffin, the architect of what is known as the Tampa 2 defense. Utilizing speed, especially in linebackers and secondary, the Tampa 2 is a modified Cover 2 in which the safeties cover the middle, while the cornerbacks take the deep sidelines. A talented middle linebacker (probable Hall of Famer Robert Brooks) must choose to cover the deep middle, give help on sidelines or come in to tackle against the run. With Barrett Ruud and Cato June joining Brooks in this scheme, the Buccaneers are the best in the league against the pass, allowing just 170.5 yards a game through the air. Tampa Bay’s defense is built to thrive on takeaways—the Buccaneers are fourth in the league with a +15 in turnover differential.

The Giants’ game plan should be to keep Eli Manning’s throws to a minimum (as they did when he played effectively in the Week 16 win in Buffalo) and focus more on pounding the football against the 17th ranked rush defense with a combination of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. And they must do it without fumbles, something Jacobs has struggled with this season.

If they can force the Bucs to play their game, the Giants are a good bet to get to the next round. But there’s not much margin for error.