The New York Giants lost hall of fame running back Tiki Barber at the end of last season to retirement, a huge loss for Big Blue. But it makes you think. With Tiki Barber gone, is there a possibility that Eli Manning will have the chance to have a better season then in years when Barber has been on the club. He now has Brandon Jacobs (competing with Reuben Droughns for the starting job in New York) as the front runner for the starting running back job. Jacobs is no Barber, and this is reason to think that Manning will need to step up big. More importantly, he will be able to step up big for the Giants in the 2007 season.
Peyton's brother will have Amani Toomer, Plaixco Burress, Steve Smith (rookie), Jeremy Shockey, Sinorice Moss, and David Tyree as receivers for the upcoming 2007 season. Toomer left in early November of the 2006 season with a torn ACL but with a full season of play, he can be a major factor that I believe (and will continue to believe) can make a bigger difference on this club then Plaxico Burress. He leads the Giants in career receptions. So if Toomer's back and healthy, than Manning will have an easier time adjusting to life without a hall of fame running back.
Plaxico Burress is another talented wide receiver I will always give second thoughts after some very sketchy games last season where he dropped some very easy balls that he could have caught. Of course when this happened, Eli was blamed for it because of course the first guy you turn to in a situation where the receivers drop the ball is the quarterback. That's why I don't really think Burress will make a bigger difference then Toomer. For the fifth time in his career Burress put up 60 or more receptions.
Jeremy Shockey just needs to close his mouth sometimes and if he does, I truly believe that he may end up making the biggest difference on this clubs success. Manning has quite a few obstacles to overcome before he can call himself a winner in New York. After a season where he put up the most completions of his career with a hall of fame runner behind him, hopefully he will be able to take matters into his own hands and make the most of the fact that the hall of fame runner isn't there anymore.
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