2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Dion is an anomaly. Most prospects unable to compete at either the combine or their pro day typically fall on draft boards. Instead, all this kid has done is run a 40 and he’s being considered as one of the best defensive players available this year. Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum. He ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. GM David Caldwell recently said, “We’re pretty close – It’s down to two people.” Most people believe the two he referenced are Oregon DE Dion Jordan and West Virginia QB Gen Smith.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – I jokingly put “the ghost of All Davis lives” when I first put Geno to the Raiders in late January. The truth is Davis would have been drooling at the opportunity to grab a mobile QB, especially if he had been alive to see RGIII the year before. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will be left with making a franchise changing decision, as QB’s taken in the top 5 can cost a GM their job if they don’t pan out. Just ask Mike Tannenbaum. The Raiders released Carson Palmer due to salary cap issues, and have only have Matt Flynn & Terrelle Pryor on staff at QB. This pick is easy.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. Ansah is a lightning in a bottle type of player and would be a welcome addition to any defense that drafts him. Billy Davis should be thrilled.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – The Lions were active in free agency acquiring RB Reggie Bush, DE Jason Jones, and CB Chris Houston. Former Colts GM Bill Polian mentioned Detroit as the “greatest show on turf.” That ought to be billboard material for division rival Bears, Vikings and Packers. The ability to stop those teams, as well as the rest of their opponents next year will be a priority on draft day. In a past mock I mentioned that according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him. Enough said.

6. Cleveland Browns – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” The reason for his fall to six has more to do with the rise of Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah up opposing teams’ draft boards. At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. Cleveland recently spent some big money on DE Paul Kruger and will be developing an intimidating pass rush after drafting Floyd to compliment him. Utah DE Star Lotulelei could also fit nicely here.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Carson Palmer was recently acquired and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Total Access that the Cardinals are unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 7 overall. This may not be the popular thing to do from a fan perspective, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense. The QB class outside of Smith is not worthy of a selection this high and a good LT is a necessity in a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians and his imaginative play calling would love to feel confident their QB, whoever it is, will stay upright no matter what the play, and Fisher can do just that. Watch for Arizona to draft a QB in the 2nd round.

8. Buffalo Bills – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – I am less confident in this pick every day. Last time I had mentioned “Patterson needs a coach that isn’t going to take any crap and can bring him in with more a drill instructor mind set than a player coach mentality”. Now there are reports from a WR coach that Patterson would be an offensive coach’s dream. This is pure crap. You don’t change from a head case to a saint in the time since the combine. GM Buddy Nix mentioned to the press that he wanted to draft a big time WR as well as a franchise QB. Good luck with that. Patterson is considered to be as immature as he is talented. There was a report from a scout that he questioned Patterson’s intelligence and thinks the team that drafts him will have to simplify their offense to make him successful. Still, he scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Some drafts have Buffalo grabbing Ryan Nassib here, but I can’t see it. His combine was average and he’s not coming from a football powerhouse in Syracuse. His talent is fantastic, but even with his former coach now in charge of the Bills; Nassib would be a major risk here. I do however think West Virginia WR Tavon Austin has a legitimate chance to be drafted here.

9. New York Jets – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah – The Jets are a tough team to gauge simply because they have so many needs and on both sides of the field. Lotulelei has been all over draft boards due to his supposed heart issues which have since been declared a non-issue. Star won the Morris trophy which is the award given to the best defensive player, voted by the Pac-12 offensive lineman he played against. His prototypical size at 6’3 311lbs. will help Rex Ryan in his pursuit of a pass rush. He should be a great addition to a line that just lost Sione Pouha and is in desperate need of improvement.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – I stand by this pick since the first mock in Late January. The Titans need to give Jake Locker a chance. Ha! Chance… In order to do that he needs to stay on his feet and taking the best guard at 10 would be a big time pick for the Titans. Warmack is a wild card to me, as the Jets, Cardinals, and Eagles could all use some help at the offensive line, so if he’s still available Tennessee will pounce. CBS Sports has Warmack as the second best prospect in this year’s draft behind only Luke Joeckel.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT/ Oklahoma – The new regime of GM Tom Telesco, HC Mike McCoy, and OC Ken Whisenhunt have a lot of work to do to keep the Chargers relevant. Johnson did 28 reps of 225lbs at the combine and with his strength will help Philip Rivers try to redeem himself after getting sacked on 50 of his 587 drop backs. The Bolts’ most glaring need is at left tackle, where Jared Gaither up and quit last season, and Johnson will also help fill the void on the right side where Louis Vasquez played before he departed to Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – Miami lost Jake Long to St. Louis and now are left with Jonathan Martin at left tackle and they brought in Nate Garner to be a swing tackle/guard. That being said, neither of those guys is going to a pro bowl any time soon. Cooper will help Miami recover from their loss of a former 1st round lineman. Greg Cossel from NFL films praised Cooper saying “the most purely athletic guard I can remember seeing” coming out of college. Cooper plays with “light feet, great balance,” and also showed a “nasty streak,” consistently “looking for contact.” Cooper is considered by some to be the best guard prospect in the class.

13. New York Jets (Via Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Tavon Austin, WR/West Virginia – For this to happen, Derrelle Revis must first become a Buccaneer. Consider it done! This trade is going to happen and it will happen before the draft, simply because no team would be willing to give up a first round pick for a player that they haven’t medically deemed healthy. Austin is a heck of a talent and will do wonders in the west coast offense the Jets are planning on using. Jets fans should also be looking towards receiving a 3rd round and maybe a late round pick or a pick in 2014 in the Revis trade.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Panthers statistically had a top 15 defense in 2012 finishing 10th in the league for yards per game allowed. Richardson, who stands 6’2”, 294lbs., became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play. His presence should help solidify Carolina’s front seven.

15. New Orleans Saints – Menelik Watson, OT/ Florida State – This kid is very intriguing. He has only played 2 years of football after coming over from Manchester England, but is considered by NFL.com’s Gil Brandt as a “very good offensive lineman.” Pursued by the likes of Oklahoma, Oregon, Auburn, Cal and Rutgers, Watson elected to sign with Florida State where he emerged as a starter in just his second season of playing the sport. Drew Brees and Mark Ingram will enjoy Watson’s services as he is helpful in both the run and the pass.

16. St. Louis Rams – D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama – Some scouts doubt if Fluker can play tackle in the pro level. St. Louis is in dire need of offensive line help, so the concerns will be listened to, but ignored. D.J. Fluker who measures in at 6’6” 339 would be the 7th offensive linemen taken in this mock and the second of the first round coming from a SEC powerhouse in Alabama that produces NFL players every single year.

Every team already knows it’s opponents for the season and if they will play them at home or on the road.  For the Giants we know that trips to Dallas, Philly, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Carolina, Kansas City and San Diego are on the docket. With the home opponents being the Cowboys, Redskins, Eagles, Packers, Vikings, Seahawks, Broncos, and Raiders.

The preseason Opponents are Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Jets, and New England in that order with most dates and times still to be announced.

Who will be the opener?  Will they open at home or on the road? Will the Manning Bowl III be a primetime affair? (You can bet it will be).

Eight days to go until the suspense is over.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. There are rumors that Jaguars owner Shad Khan was present at Geno Smith’s Pro Day, and Blaine Gabbert hasn’t proven anything at the NFL level, so this is still a fluid situation.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – The fever is here! The QB buzz is beginning to rise, and Geno Smith is obviously the best QB prospect in this draft. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will be left with making a franchise changing decision, as QB’s taken in the top 5 can cost a GM their job if they don’t pan out. Just ask Mike Tannenbaum. The Raiders retained Terelle Pryor and Carson Palmer on their roster, however neither of them is in the future plans for the Oakland Raiders.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum and he’s still a top 5 pick! Jordan ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. At 6’6” but only 248lbs., he’s going to get pushed around at the next level. That is, if they can catch him. The Eagles will run a 3-4 defense under DC Billy Davis and Jordan should be a dynamic speed rusher from the outside for Davis defensive unit.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – The Lions were active in free agency acquiring RB Reggie Bush, DE Jason Jones, and CB Chris Houston. Former Colts GM Bill Polian mentioned Detroit as the “greatest show on turf.” That ought to be billboard material for division rival Bears, Vikings and Packers. The ability to stop those teams, as well as the rest of their opponents next year will be a priority on draft day. Last mock I mentioned that according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him. I’m still working off that theory, until I read something that tells me otherwise.

6. Cleveland Browns – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. Ansah is a lightning in a bottle type of player and would be a welcome addition to any defense that drafts him, especially one that just signed DE Paul Kruger to rush from the opposite side.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Total Access that the Cardinals are unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 7 overall. This may not be the popular thing to do from a fan perspective, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense, even if West Virginia QB Geno Smith was somehow still on the board. The QB class outside of Smith is not worthy of a selection this high and a good LT is a necessity in a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians and his imaginative play calling would love to feel confident their QB, whoever it is, will stay upright no matter what the play, and Fisher can do just that.

8. Buffalo Bills – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Patterson needs a coach that isn’t going to take any crap and can bring him in with more a drill instructor mind set than a player coach mentality. Doug Marrone may have his hands full, but GM Buddy Nix mentioned to the press that he wanted to draft a big time WR as well as a franchise QB. Good luck with that. Patterson is considered to be as immature as he is talented. There was a report from a scout that he questioned Patterson’s intelligence and thinks the team that drafts him will have to simplify their offense to make him successful. Still, Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. The Bills would welcome his talents. Now all they need is a QB and will be looking towards Ryan Nassib in the second round.

9. New York Jets – Jarvis Jones OLB/ Georgia – The National Football Post reported Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones’ neck injury is “starting to look like it might be a non-issue on draft day,” and “there is little chance he falls out of the top ten.” Jones has so much risk attached to him, and yet so much potential. The Jets need a pass rush, but missing out on what could be a dynamic MLB is more of a risk than Jones supposed neck injury. ESPN is reporting the Jets are looking beyond the upcoming season and are already planning for the 2014 draft where Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel would be eligible to be drafted if he chooses to leave. The Jets have been working on a Darrelle Revis trade with the Tampa Bay where they are looking to acquire at least a 2014 first round pick.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – I stand by this pick since the first mock in Late January. The Titans need to give Jake Locker a chance. Ha! Chance… In order to do that he needs to stay on his feet and taking the best guard at 10 would be a big time pick for the Titans. Warmack is a wild card to me, as the Jets, Cardinals, and Eagles could all use some help at the offensive line.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT/ Oklahoma – The new regime of GM Tom Telesco, HC Mike McCoy, and OC Ken Whisenhunt have a lot of work to do to keep the Chargers relevant. Johnson did 28 reps of 225lbs at the combine and with his strength will help Philip Rivers try to redeem himself after getting sacked on 50 of his 587 drop backs. The Bolts’ most glaring need is at left tackle, where Jared Gaither up and quit last season, and Johnson will also help fill the void on the right side where Louis Vasquez played before he departed to Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – Miami lost Jake Long to St. Louis and now are left with Jonathan Martin at left tackle and they brought in Nate Garner to be a swing tackle/guard. That being said, neither of these guys is going to a pro bowl any time soon. Cooper will help Miami recover from their loss of a former 1st round lineman. Greg Cossel from NFL films praised Cooper saying “the most purely athletic guard I can remember seeing” coming out of college. Cooper plays with “light feet, great balance,” and also showed a “nasty streak,” consistently “looking for contact.”

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah –I personally think this guy is a top 5 pick who will fall all the way to the Bucs because of concerns with his heart. There are many rumors that his heart related issues could be nothing more than a dietary problem which would make Tampa the big winner if that were true. Star is exactly that, a star in the making, and Tampa just lost Michael Bennett to Seattle so they will need some depth on the line to compliment Gerald McCoy and Da’Quan Bowers who should be starting this year.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Panthers statistically had a top 15 defense in 2012 finishing 10th in the league for yards per game allowed. Richardson, became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play. His presence should help solidify Carolina’s front seven.

15. New Orleans Saints – Barkevious Mingo, DE/LSU –Mingo possesses the frame at 6-5, 240 pounds and athleticism to warrant top 10 considerations but at this point he remains an unpolished prospect, and that’s why he will fall to 15. Mingo had a great combine as expected from the athletically gifted DE/OLB. He ran the 40 time in 4.58 which was incredibly fast, and his ten yard splits were also very good which is used to gain short yardage burst. A skill needed at the OLB or DE position in the NFL. With Jonathan Vilma back playing for an entire season, the Saints should regroup and be a much better defense than they showed in 2012.

16. St. Louis Rams – Tavon Austin, WR/West Virginia – The Rams were able to lure OT Jake Long from Miami, so the need to draft a lineman here is much less. Danny Amendola left in free agency to the Patriots after they lost Wes Welker, which is ironic because Austin wants his game to resemble Wes Welker. The Rams would love to get that kind of production from him which would give Sam Bradford a target across the middle much like Tom Brady did for so many years with Welker.

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT/ Texas A&M – After the combine, Joeckel is still considered the best lineman in the draft, and now that the Chiefs have officially traded a 2nd round pick and a conditional 2014 pick to the 49’ers for Alex Smith he would certainly love a little protection. I am a firm believer a lineman must have great upper body strength. Joeckel did 27 reps of 225lbs. at the combine. Eric Fisher who is also getting some play at #1 also completed 27 reps, but Luke has the force on his side.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. He is the one player whose stock went up the most due to the combine.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on NFL 32Wednesday that the Raiders have interest in West Virginia QB Geno Smith with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. This is exactly what I have been saying since January 26th when the first mock draft came out. Palmer’s 13 million dollar base salary is a big concern, and then there’s the fact that he’s 33 years old.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah –As mentioned in the last draft with the hiring of Billy Davis as DC, The Eagles will run a strict 3-4 defense, as that’s all Davis runs. Any good 3-4 can’t run without a big body in the middle. Just ask the Jets! Lotulelei is considered to be the best DT prospect at this time.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – According to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him.” I trust Peter King’s opinion. He has access to information few others do in the industry. Milliner will require surgery right after the combine but should be ready for training camp and my bet is it’s in Detroit

6. Cleveland Browns – Bjoern Werner DE/ Florida State – Werner has an incredible motor, and great hand use to keep separation, He is also very new to this game, after only picking up the game at 15. Remind anyone else of Jason Pierre Paul’s story? The Browns are also rumored to be interested in bringing in some QB competition for Brandon Weeden. I don’t see them going QB here, but I could see them go with Eric Fisher if the new regime believes Trent Richardson is their workhorse for the next few years.

7. Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Yes, the Cardinals need a quarterback and almost all this years’ QB’s are still available I get that. What’s the point if he isn’t standing upright after most downs? Call me old fashioned but I believe the only way to fix a bad offense is by helping both the run and the pass with a 6’7” 304 pound tackle who has the potential to be an immediate impact for Bruce Arians and his offensive prowess. Plus after the outstanding play of Russell Wilson some teams will feel confident in taking a signal caller later in the draft.

8. Buffalo Bills –Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Jordan ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine. WOW, that’s lightning fast. He honestly would be a top 5 pick if he was about 30 pounds heavier. At 6’6” but only 248lbs., he’s going to get pushed around at the next level, that is if they can catch him. The Bills defense needs a compliment to Mario Williams, and Jordan fits the mold.

9. New York Jets – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – With the hiring of Marty Mornhinweg, the Jets will be looking to change the pathetic attempt at ground in pound in an era known for quarterback and 5,000 yard seasons. That means there’s a chance they go offensive line here. Too bad they’re known for making poor decisions on the first day of the draft. As I had mentioned earlier, their defense can’t function without a pass rush. Ansah is as good of a prospect as the Jets could hope for and would certainly help their inept pass rush. Ansah finished as MVP of the senior bowl and one of the studs of the combine putting up ridiculous numbers including a 4.62 40 time.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – Considered the best guard prospect in this year’s draft, Jake Locker should be thanking his lucky stars if the Titans can have Warmack fall to 10. With 40 career starts and the ability to get to the second level, Warmack has developed himself into a definitive top ten selection. CBSSports.com has him ranked as the 2nd best player in the draft as of 2.27.2013.

11. San Diego Chargers – Barkevious Mingo, DE/LSU –Mingo possesses the frame at 6-5, 240 pounds and athleticism to warrant top 10 considerations but at this point he remains an unpolished prospect, and that’s why he will fall slightly out of the top 10. Mingo had a great combine as expected from the athletically gifted DE/OLB. He ran the 40 time in 4.58 which was incredibly fast, and his ten yard splits were also very good which is used to gauge short yardage burst. A skill needed at the OLB or DE position in the NFL.

12. Miami Dolphins – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Lots of rumors have been spread about Miami and their intentions. I stand by my thoughts that they take Patterson here though I read that he is considered to be as immature as he is talented. I was pretty sure the Dolphins just got rid of Brandon Marshall and have a hard time accepting they’d draft another knucklehead into that locker room. His baggage also come with some amazing talent as Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Since the Dolphins are high on hopes and low on offensive talent, Patterson seems like a likely target considering the shortage of first round talent on skill positions in this year’s draft.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –Xavier Rhodes, CB/ Florida State – After not even including this guy in my first mock I have come to learn through a lot of reading that people consider him to be the 2nd best CB prospect in this year’s draft. Some even believe he has shutdown corner ability. With a 4.41 40 times, and 6’2 210 pound frame, Rhodes is now expected to be a top 20 pick post combine.

14. Carolina Panthers –. Jarvis Jones OLB/ Georgia – I can’t understand how a player with so many medical questions could choose to not participate at the combine. Think Da’quan Bowers. Bowers injuries weren’t nearly as significant of a concern as Jones. Now there are rumors that Jones has walked off most draft boards. His size 6’2” 242 is prototypical for his position and Mel Kiper loves this guy. Still his health risk is so high since Jones suffers from Spinal Stenosis; a restriction to the spinal canal that causes pain, numbness, and in some cases loss of motor control.

15. New Orleans Saints – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Saints have elected to move to a 3-4. This only makes me more confident in this pick. NO ranked 26th in sacks and 24th in forced fumbles, so evidently they need some help with the front seven. Richardson, became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play in 2012. Richardson led all SEC interior linemen with 75 tackles which is 2nd-best on the Tiger squad.

16. St. Louis Rams – D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama – Bradford clearly needs protection. His head coach Jeff Fisher knows that and won’t disappoint his quarterback. On Feb 6th I read a post that said; “According to SI’s Tony Pauline, teams are “falling in love” with Alabama OT D.J. Fluker and “some in (the) scouting community” believe he could go as high as No. 19 to the Giants.” Well the Rams aren’t even going to let him get that far. Bradford threw for a miserable 59.5% completion in 2012 while constantly throwing off his back foot on the run. Expect Flukers presence to give his QB a chance for more accurate passes.

The Eagles with an entirely new coaching staff headed by former Oregon Head Coach Chip Kelly, have decided to keep Michael Vick for at least one more season.  Kelly’s high powered offense at Oregon might not translate completely in the NFL, but parts of it certainly will, and Vick seems to fit the mold of what the Eagles might need at QB, if he can hang onto the ball. Vick has fumbled 32 times in the past three seasons, to go along with his 30 interceptions in the same time frame.  Vick has also been sacked 85 times behind a often injured and poor Offensive Line.

HOME: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Minnesota, Oakland, Seattle, and the Denver Broncos with Peyton Manning.

AWAY: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, San Diego, and Carolina

Now, again if you follow us on a regular basis, you know we believe it’s not who you play, but when you play them.  There are a lot of teams on this schedule who are in transition.  Four of these teams will have new coaching staffs, and three will have new starting QB’s in Oakland, K.C. and Philly.

All in all it should be a fun year, and don’t forget the ultimate HOME Game will be played in New York next year…Super Bowl 48

Despite the Giants doing their part today, they still needed plenty of help to reach the playoffs this season and it turned out to be just too much to overcome. They were eliminated from playoff contention because of Chicago’s win over the Lions. (more…)

The Giants are in the position of win and your in.  So, if they take care of business and beat the Ravens and the Eagles. they will at least be the number 6 seed and become road warriors again in the NFL post-season. In this case you have a few options.  Atlanta is the number one seed and with games against Detroit and Tampa they will most likely stay there, and so the discussion turns towards the second seed.  I would suggest Giants fans root for San Fran to continue winning.  That would put Green Bay in the three spot, meaning the Giants would travel to Lambeau for the first weekend of games.  There is no better match-up it seems for these Giants than the Packers.  Of course the Giants did travel to San Francisco earlier this year and dismantle the 9ers, so there is your choice.

The other option is for the Giants to win the division, and that takes a little more help from some familiar foes.  This is easy, you root against both the Cowboys and the Redskins this week, making it impossible for one of them to win their next two games since they face each other in week 17.  That does force you to root for the Eagles, as they play the Redskins this week, but that is certainly the lesser of two evils.  If either the Redskins or Cowboys are victorious this weekend, then you root against that team in week 17.

As far as the rest of the NFC, here are your times and rooting instructions:

Minnesota at Houston 1 pm Eastern….Take Houston

Chicago at Arizona 4:25 Eastern…Take Arizona

Although the above games are important, they mean nothing if the Giants win out.  Despite the NFL and ESPN listing the Giants as the #9 seed currently and therefore out of the playoffs, this is inaccurate at best.  This assumes the playoffs start today, and I’m pretty sure the commissioner is not canceling the past two weeks of the season, unless the world does end this Friday.  The Giants should be listed as #6 because they can’t be knocked out by any of the teams listed ahead of them if they win both their remaining games, whereas the Bears, Vikings, and Cowboys can.

Dallas plays New Orleans at 1 Eastern and Washington plays the Eagles also at 1…..The Giants will know if they have a chance to win the East when they take the field Sunday….but either way they WIN two and they ar IN.

The New York Giants playoff scenario got a bit murky with their debacle against the Falcons. The good news is that if they win their final two games they are guaranteed a wild card spot: so they control their own destiny in that regard. What they no longer control is the division where they once had a three game lead.

The good news is we all know the Giants play best when their back’s against the wall. Well here they are if they don’t win out there’s a good chance they don’t even make the playoffs. The Redskins play the Cowboys in the final week of the season. If both teams win their week 16 game or the Giants lose to Baltimore then they will be playing each other for the NFC East title.

The Giants only hope of winning the division is if the team that wins the week 17 match-up (between the Redskins and Cowboys) losses in week 16.

There are some scenarios that the Giants can go 1-1 over their final two games and still make the playoffs, but those scenarios will give all of us a headache (and maybe a heart attack).

If you are looking for tickets to the final two games of the season (and hopefully the playoffs) you should check out our friends at TickPick, they are the only ticket site with no fees. In addition, they even wrote this helpful guide on the new Metlife Stadium seating chart.

Thursday Night: Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9)

The Eagles have suddenly decided they might want to finish the Andy Reid era with a little heart, and youth.  They fought till the final play of the game last week and defeated the Tampa Bay Bucs who desperately needed the win to stay in the playoff hunt.  This week they host the Bengals who also need to win here before facing division foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh the following two weeks.

Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Chicago Bears (8-5)

The Packers, since losing to the Giants, have not quite returned to form.  They beat Detroit last week without Aaron Rodgers throwing a TD pass.  This is the last stand for the Bears and their division title hopes.  A win here puts them in first as they beat the Packers earlier this season.

Indianapolis Colts (9-4) at Houston Texans (11-2)

The Texans come off their embarrassing loss to the Patriots on Monday night and return home to find a familiar foe, without the usual players.  The Texans have been trying to for years to overcome the Peyton Manning led Colts, only to have Andrew Luck walk in and pick-up where he left off.  These two teams will meet twice in the next three weeks.

Denver Broncos (10-3) at Baltimore Ravens (9-4)

The Broncos have won the West and now look for a chance at the number two seed and all that comes with that spot.  Baltimore, after stumbling against the Redskins last week are now trying to secure their own division title.  They will face the Giants next week before finishing with division rival Cincinnati.

Washington Redskins (7-6) at Cleveland Browns (5-8)

The Redskins might be without the services of rookie QB sensation Robert Griffin.  This, and the next two games, is a must win for any chance to make the playoffs.  Cleveland, despite their record is a tough home team, and has played better recently.

Minnesota Vikings (7-6) at St. Louis Rams (6-6-1)

This probably is the last meaningful game for one of these teams, or maybe both depending on the outcomes of other games played on Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) at New Orleans Saints (5-8)

We all know the Saints are a different team at home than they are on the road, and that speaks to their poor leadership.  Tampa has basically fallen apart the past few weeks.  Can they muster up a run starting here?  I doubt it.

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) at Dallas Cowboys (7-6)

These teams are in similar situations, except Pittsburgh has a few more avenues into the playoffs than the Cowboys.  This is another must win for Dallas who faces New Orleans next week before finishing with the Redskins.  The Jets fans will be rooting hard for the Cowboys this weekend, where, as always, Giants fans will be pulling for a Cowboys loss.

San Francisco (9-3-1) at New England Patriots (10-3)

The 49ers travel to Foxboro in December and need to win this game to secure a clear shot at a division title.  The Seahawks (8-5) are right on their tail. The Seahawks play Buffalo this week and then the two face each other next week.  The Patriots want home field advantage and they hate to lose at home no matter what month it is.

New York Giants (8-5) at Atlanta Falcons (11-2)

The Giants showed who they could be on Sunday vs the Saints, and now go on the road to face a team they embarrassed in the playoffs last season.  The Falcons can gain home field advantage with a little help from others if they win this weekend.  The Giants want to maintain their one game lead in the NFC East, and show their late season winning ways.  This should be a great match-up.

Ten Games to watch, and a few more that have a minor role in who will make this year Post Season Tournament.  The NFL and T.V. Execs everywhere are all smiles as it just happens to coincide with the week that college football takes a few weeks off.

Atlanta is 11-1 and has won the NFC South.  They will have home filed advantage throughout the playoffs barring any historical collapses.

San Francisco at 8-3-1 is the current second seed, but that could change easily.  Their inexplicable loss to the Rams yesterday has put them in a dangerous position to lose that spot.

Green Bay and Chicago stand at 8-4 and are tied for the NFC North lead.  The Packers defeat of the Vikings yesterday pretty much guaranteed one of these teams will win the division.

Giants play tonight and are 7-4.  A win tonight not only gets them even with Green Bay and Chicago, but puts some distance between themselves and the other hopefuls in the NFC East. The Giants with a win tonight would have a division record of 3-2 with only the Eagles left on their schedule in week 17.  They would also push the Redskins back into the mix with teams such as Dallas, Tampa, Minnesota, St. Louis and New Orleans.

The Giants, as we know, rarely do anything easy, at least that is what it feels like.  Of course in the past they have had some very successful seasons where they have indeed made it easy on themselves, but even in those days, the games themselves were not won easily.  With a loss tonight they restore the hopes of the pretenders.  Let’s hope they walk into a tough environment tonight and show what they are capable of, and leave the fighting to the Seattle Seahawks of the world for the last playoff spot in the NFC.

Don’t forget to check out the special opportunity ot view tonights game with Giants Legends Harry Carson, Mark Bavaro and Lawrence Taylor!

Giants Viewing Party

The Cowboys (5-5): The Cowboys will actually play two games while the Giants are on their bye week, both at home.  Dallas barely held on to win a game against the Cleveland Browns in OT yesterday, and now they play their traditional home game on Thanksgiving, this year against the Washington Redskins.  The Cowboys could find themselves in first place by Sunday night in the NFC East, a turn of events no Giants fan wanted to see.

New Orleans (5-5): The rejuvenated Saints beat the Oakland Raiders, which in itself is no great feat, but it puts them squarely in the Wild Card race for the NFC.

The Packers (7-3): The Pack struggled a bit in their game vs Detroit, but eventually won, and kept themselves in position to challenge the Bears for the top spot on the NFC North. The Bears, who will be without Jay Cutler for at least their game against the 49ers tonight, will either hold off the Pack for the division title or become a Wild Card team.

Tampa Bay (6-4): The Bucs have played well of late, but beating Carolina in OT shouldn’t be cause for celebration.  They are however tied with the Giants, and therefore in the mix for a playoff position.

The league has now played ten games, and the bye weeks are over.  The Giants six remaining games are as follows:

Green Bay (7-3), Washington(4-6), New Orleans (5-5), Atlanta (9-1), Baltimore (8-2), and The Dynasty (Eagles) at 3-7.

The Cowboys remaining games: Washington, Philly, Cincy(5-5), Pittsburgh(6-4), New Orleans and Washington.

Look like the Redskins could play a big role in who becomes the champion of the NFC East.

Juan Castillo, who was the offensive line coach two years ago, was mysteriously named defensive coordinator before last season in Philadelphia.  Just the fact that you would change coordinators during a lock out was a little questionable, since the time you were going to have to install your new defense was going to be limited. The fact that the coach had never coached defense was even more questionable.  The Eagles were awful on defense last year, and wasted an explosive offense.  This year the Eagles are minus 22 in scoring ratio, and are allowing 5.1 yards per play.  For a team that has won 3 games by less than two points…this is not good.  Not sure who made the decision to make Juan a defensive coordinator, but now he is unemployed.

Mike Holmgren had a five year plan when he got to Cleveland, and four years later it took them till week 6 to win their first game.  With a new owner in Cleveland confirmed by the NFL today, his plan obviously didn’t include Holmgren.

Instead of getting off to the fast start they usually do, and then holding on and fighting for the playoffs on the final night of the season, the Giants might just play a back and forth regular season, only to find themselves in the same position on the final night.

Last year they started 6-2, then lost four in a row to get to 6-6….is that any better than starting at 2-2 and getting to 6-6 at the same point?  They were on the outside looking in most of the second half of last season, but then regained their stride to beat the Jets and the Cowboys twice on the way into the playoffs.  As I have stated many times, it’s not who you play, but when you play them, but the way the season has started, I might suggest they have a winning record before facing the triumvirate of birds in the final three weeks.

The Giants seemed primed for another comeback victory, however quarterback Eli Manning could not pull it off this time as the Eagles come away with a 19-17 win in Philadelphia. The Giants have now dropped 8 of their last 9 to the Eagles as they clearly still have their number.

The action in this game definitely picked up after halftime with both teams cranking it up on offense. However, the Eagles were able to find their running game which proved to be a huge turning point in the game as it helped open up their passing attack. LeSean McCoy posted 123 yards on 23 carries as the Giants defense may have been worn down from all of those cutback runs.

It was the Eagles struggles to captilize in the red zone with touchdowns instead of field goals that kept the Giants in this game long enough to have a chance to win the game at the end. However Lawrence Tynes couldn’t connect on a 54 yard field goal attempt and that was that.

The Giants may have found a role for rookie David Wilson while he continues to develop into the running back they want to put out on the field. Wilson was explosive returning kicks tonight against the Eagles and consistantly gave the Giants solid field position.

The Giants secondary is already banged up and extremely thin. They took another hit tonight when safety Kenny Phillips left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury. Cornerback Prince Amukamara played well in his first NFL start for the Giants and that’s a huge plus for them.

What’s Next?

The Giants will welcome in the 0-4 Cleveland Browns for a home game at Met Life Stadium next Sunday for a 1pm et game. They’ll need to put tonight’s tough loss behind them because that’ game has trap written all over it. The Giants must make sure they don’t look past the Browns to their week 6 matchup against the 49ers in San Francisco. Beware of the trap game.