Steve Weatherford could have been named MVP of the Super Bowl without much of a stretch.  Steve Weatherford was basically kicked off the Jets, and now has a Super Bowl RIng to show for it.  Weatherford was re-signed quickly and his directional punting will continue to be a weapon for the Giants for some time. He is the real deal, and he will make the defensive and offensive units that much better.

“Lawrence Tynes has kicked the Giants to The Super Bowl” has now been uttered twice by the voice of the Giants Bob Papa.  Many have thought if Lawrence hadn’t (Finally) made the kick in Green Bay in ’07 that he would be long gone, and now he has made another in San Francisco, and a few more in Indianapolis.  There might be some competition in camp, but Tynes gets the nod in a close battle.

Zak DeOssie now has one more ring than Dad.  He is a great long snapper and Special teams players.  Consistency is the key here.

The return game however is up for grabs. Does Hixon secure a wide receiver spot and forfeit kickoff returns on the process? Do the Giants allow their young running back David Wilson to start out as a punt returner ala Tiki Barber?  These are  key spots where players like Jerrel Jerrnigan, Andre Brown, Jayron Hosley, and Da’Rel Scott can contribute in different ways to ensure a roster spot.  I think this is another great watch for training camp and am looking forward to see who emerges.

Jerry Reese has always been good with these middle round picks, and this only adds to his ammunition in this April’s NFL Draft.  Reese also made a few statements on Monday.  He said at this time the competition for the MLB spot is an open one, and that Greg Jones, Mark Herzlich, and Michael Boley are among the players on the current roster that would be part of the competition.  He also stated that the Giants are “not finished” in Free Agency, although currently they are just 2.5 million under the cap.  That number could change in many different scenarios.

Steve is a fan favorite and a fantastic presence in the lockerroom, and a steady performer on the field. Weatherford easily could have been named MVP of the Super Bowl and the Giants recognize how his presence makes their defense that much better. The ability to make every team travel 90 yards or more on every drive is priceless to a team. Weatherford also neutralizes some of the best athletes in the game as he kicks balls out of bounds or pins returners to the sideline.   The stability of the Special Teams allows the offense and defense to be more aggressive and hopefully that much more successful.

Welcome Back Steve!

The Giants have struggled on Special Teams the past few years.  Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reese made a strong effort this year to handle that problem head on.  In an interview with Jon Gruden before the Bears pre-season game, Coach Coughlin stated he wanted to use more linebackers on Special Teams.  This little tid-bit of information passed on during the telecast may have gone un-noticed, but it bode well for the young players wanting to make this team.  The coverage teams in past years have shown a lack of team speed.  We lost players like David Tyree and Domenik Hixon to injury and retirement.  Special teams coverage guys need to be very athletic, speedy, and big enough to fight off blocks and make tackles.  Big receivers such as Hixon are naturals.  However, big linemen usually are not.  The answer in today’s game are Linebackers and Safeties.  Most of them are fast enough to get down the field, strong enough to fight through blocks, and certainly they should know how to tackle.  The opportunity was there for some young players, and they took it.  Jacquian Williams, Spencer Paysinger, Tyler Sash, Greg Jones, and of course fan favorite Mark Herzlich all walked into a great situation and made the most of it to this point.  These are the names along with Zak DeOssie, Da’rel Scott, and Devin Thomas that you will hear all year long when it comes to Special Teams play.  The Giants had a plan to get faster and more athletic and this roster shows that.  There has been an out cry from fans for the past years about the lack of Linebacker talent on this team, well that has been addressed through the draft for this year and for years to come.  I personally believe that Mark Herzlich will be a long time success in the NFL.  Greg Jones could be another London Fletcher, a guy that everyone says is too small, but does nothing but make plays, and Jacquian Williams may be the fastest and quickest Linebacker we have had since the Glory Days of Banks and Taylor in New York.  This is the first step in revamping the Special Teams, and along with Steve Weatherford I think it will be  successful one.  The one thing that will make this make-over a total success?  Jerrel Jernigan will settle down, learn the fair catch signal, and understand that possession is the key to punt returning.  This is not a video game anymore, this is the NFL.