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Repeat offenders? Parts in place for Giants to compete for NFC title again
While the Giants may seem perfectly content this summer to let Tampa Bay and Philadelphia lead the NFC pack in the race to the Super Bowl, don't believe for a second they aren't thinking about making another championship run. Michael Strahan, the leader of the NFL's fifth-ranked defense last season, told me flat out, "Our defense is better than it was last year." I watched the Giants practice last week, and my initial reaction would be to agree. The addition of defensive end Kenny Holmes as a replacement for Cedric Jones is an immediate upgrade. Holmes was a dominant pass rusher in the one-on-one drills. Holmes had eight sacks last year with Tennessee -- 4 1/2 more than Jones -- and in this defense, he should hit double-digits.
The Giants also seem to have an emerging star in defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin. He was a part-time player last year as a rookie but will be the full-time starter, and Griffin was head-and-shoulders above any other tackle on the field. He is a lean 300-pound inside player with a combination of great quickness and power. With Strahan, Holmes and Keith Hamilton on the defensive line, Griffin will rarely get double-teamed. The guards and centers in the NFC East are in for a long year. The cornerback position was addressed in the offseason with the top two draft picks, Will Allen and William Peterson. They add immediate quality competition for veteran Dave Thomas, who could eventually lose his job to Allen but he won't go down without a fight. No matter which way it shakes out the Giants have depth at a critical position. The offense managed to impress me as well, considering that both Tiki Barber and Ike Hilliard are sidelined with injuries. I saw a leaner Ron Dayne motioning out of the backfield, catching passes and demonstrating a burst in the open field -- I didn't see that last year. And Joe Jurevicius took advantage of some extra playing time by using his 6-foot-5 frame to outrebound defensive backs for touchdown balls in a red-zone passing drill. Second-year man Ron Dixon is probably a year away from being the most dangerous weapon on offense, but one Giants personnel man likened his skills to those of Randy Moss. If that's the case, New York has struck gold. By the way, you know those other teams perceived to be better than the Giants? The Eagles ranked 10th in total defense last year and the much-heralded Bucs were ninth. If you believe in that adage about defense providing the foundation for a championship, then the Giants fit the bill. Maybe even more so now than last year. Pat Kirwan who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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