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Other Giants get more ink, but Pierce is vital to the team's success. John Iacono/SI

2006 Schedule Date Opponent Date Opponent Sept. 10 INDIANAPOLIS Nov. 12 CHICAGO Sept. 17 at Philadelphia Nov. 20 at Jacksonville (M) Sept. 24 at Seattle Nov. 26 at Tennessee Oct. 1 Bye Dec. 3 DALLAS Oct. 8 WASHINGTON Dec. 10 at Carolina Oct. 15 at Atlanta Dec. 17 PHILADELPHIA Oct. 23 at Dallas (M) Dec. 24 NEW ORLEANS Oct. 29 TAMPA BAY Dec. 30 at Washington (S) Nov. 5 HOUSTON (M) Monday (S) Saturday Breakout Player Chris Snee, GUARD When the Giants selected the 6'3" 317-pounder out of Boston College in the second round of the 2004 draft, there were whispers of nepotism because he was coach Tom Coughlin's future son-in-law. But when people talk about Snee now, it's as a future All-Pro. Since winning the starting job at right guard in his rookie training camp, he has made steady progress as a run blocker and a pass protector. "He's a powerful guy," Coughlin says, "with the ability to pull and run and get in front of the ballcarrier."

For a big postseason drive, a consistently dominant defense and the development of Manning the Younger are paramount

THE BELIEF Talented enough to win another division title, the Giants will ride their defensive leader's return to full strength and their young quarterback's continued development to avoid another playoff flameout. An attitude adjustment won't hurt, either.

THE REALITY Tom Coughlin's team fulfilled its goals in 2005 -- and that, Pro Bowl halfback Tiki Barber says, created a Giant problem. After going 11-5 to win its first division title since 2000, New York was throttled 23-0 at home by Carolina in a wild-card playoff, a game for which Barber believes he and his teammates were not adequately prepared. "That comes from rhetoric, from not setting your goals high enough," says Barber, who's coming off a career year that included a team-record 1,860 rushing yards. "The talk all season was 'Restore Giant pride' and 'Get to the playoffs,' and we did that. But anyone who thought we had a successful season is misguided."

Now Coughlin, in his third year as coach, is telling his players they're good enough to win the Super Bowl. And he's not tripping, given the plethora of returning standouts and the injection of newcomers such as former Redskins All-Pro linebacker LaVar Arrington and slippery rookie wideout Sinorice Moss.

The keys to New York's quest are the performances of two players -- one barely known (middle linebacker Antonio Pierce), the other seemingly never out of the headlines (quarterback Eli Manning) -- to take command on their respective sides of the ball. Perhaps the best way to state the importance of Pierce, a physical and shrewd sixth-year player, is to look at what happened to the Giants after a high-ankle sprain ended his 2005 season in the thirteenth game. "When we lost him," general manager Ernie Accorsi says, "we lost our heart and soul." Over the next weeks they also lost just about every other linebacker who had suited up, which helps explain the 223 rushing yards the Panthers rolled up in the playoff game.

If Pierce, a player Coughlin categorizes as "tough, focused, analytical and very, very serious during the game," can escape injury, the Giants will have a fearsome defense. With the addition of Arrington and first-rounder Mathias Kiwanuka, a defensive end out of Boston College, New York's already formidable pass rush -- led by ends Michael Strahan, a future Hall of Famer who's still a force at 34, and Osi Umenyiora, who topped the NFC with 14 1/2 sacks -- will be downright nasty. That would take pressure off a secondary that's bolstered by free-agent signees Will Demps, R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison.

New York could be similarly scary on offense, with Moss joining veteran receivers Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer and Tim Carter and tight end Jeremy Shockey as targets for Manning -- when he's not handing off to Barber, 31, who has defied the running back odds by getting better after 30. Manning, in his third season, had a promising start in 2005, throwing 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through November. His late-season struggles -- four touchdowns, seven interceptions over the last five games -- foreshadowed his playoff performance: zero TDs, three picks.

"If we get it all together -- and Eli is the key -- it's tough to find a team that has all that we have, especially with our experience," Barber says. "For the first time, at least for as long as I've been here, we have a complete team." -- Michael Silver

Issue date: September 4, 2006