Giants poised for regular season opener

By Jonathan Solomon  |   Tuesday, September 06, 2005  |  Comments( 0 )

New York Giants
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Two days after the New York Giants completed the 2005 pre-season to the tune of a 3-1 record, head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Ernie Accorsi finalized the 53-man roster. The notable names of the 18 players sent packing include linebacker Kevin Lewis, offensive lineman Wayne Lucier, running back Michael Cloud and quarterback Jesse Palmer.

The single addition this weekend to the team came in the form of signing running back Chad Morton. The kick and punt return specialist has had trouble staying healthy in recent years. Right now it seems as though he'll act as the punt returner and team up with Willie Ponder on kick returns.

A combined seven rookies made the team, including all four of the team's draft picks. Three of the four picks, cornerback Corey Webster, defensive end Justin Tuck and running back Brandon Jacobs are slated to be crucial participants in the upcoming season. Webster has been nothing short of a playmaker this pre-season, coming up with turnover after turnover. Jacobs has already become a fan favorite in his short time as a Giant with his tremendous physique and ability to run as quick as Tiki Barber. The mere fact that his name is not Ron Dayne surely scores him some points.

As opposed to recent years, the New York Giants are now able to boast a good amount of depth at the defensive back, linebacker and offensive lineman positions. As is the case with every NFL franchise, the Giants need to stay healthy to be able to make an impact.

The weakest points of the Giants as we stand, less than a week before the season opener in Arizona, are the back-up quarterback and the interior defensive line positions. Quarterback Tim Hasselbeck was able to win the back-up position battle in the pre-season over Jesse Palmer although he did not look as fluid as one would expect. Third string quarterback, Jared Lorenzen will be on his first NFL team. Last year, Lorenzen was an active member on the Giants practice squad and has never played in a pro game.

During the pre-season, the New York Giants rush defense was in the middle of the pack allowing a 3.8 rushing yards on average in four games. It is clearly a make or break year in the career of defensive tackle William Joseph, a former first round draft pick from the University of Miami. Two defensive linemen who saw extensive action last year due to the injuries on the Giants defense last year made the team. Kenderick Allen and Damane Duckett will be two of the players in the rotating frenzy that is defensive coordinator Tim Lewis' defensive line.

The most important news item is the confirmation that quarterback Eli Manning will be able to start in Arizona on Sunday, September 11th. However, Manning has not been able to practice in over two weeks. The Giants will need a sharp Manning or they will be stuck in the same rut that saw them take a nose dive in 2004.
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