Two days ago we listed 5 issues that the Giants needed to overcome in order to have a successful season. Front and center amongst those issues is Linebacker. Here is why I believe it is realistic to be concerned…
Ed Valentine over at Big Blue View tried to spin the Linebacker situation as a glass half full. And then his minions (for the most part) fell in line and beat the optimistic drum. Hey, I get it, it is ~ 1 week away from camp, so there is nothing wrong with some optimism. We even gave a scenario or two where the Giants could emerge as very competitive. But here is the difference… they were predicated ON A LOT OF IFS. If this. If that.
If the queen had b*lls she’d be king.
Why is it that we were optimistic about RB before 2007 when everyone was worried about the Giants post-Tiki? Here was why: (1) Jacobs had shown plenty of moxie in his previous two seasons and was ready (2) the Giants had plenty of players at RB, so many in fact that Grant had to be traded or else he’d be cut!
Why is it that we were optimistic about WR before 2009 when everyone was worried about the Giants post-Burress? Here was why: (1) The Giants were loaded with pedigree at the position. Nicks1, Smith2, Manningham3, Moss2. Manningham was a 1 talent that fell to 3 also. (2) Smith already showed plenty in helping the team win a Super Bowl (3) Hixon had shown vs Seattle that he had big game potential.
Why is that we are not optimistic about LB before the 2010 season? (1) Boley’s range, a positive, is negated by his recent health issues. (2) Wilkinson as a 3 pedigree, along with his athletic skills, are also negated by an inability to stay on the field. (3) Sintim’s 2 pedigree is not completely there yet because he has many external issues to overcome, be they new teammates, new scheme, new starter, no competition for his spot.
There were many flashes from a lot of the WRs and RBs before they rose to prominence. These LBers have shown us less flash and more yawn. Our hopes rest with Boley staying healthy and Sintim’s pedigree delivering. I hope I eat my words. Until then, I’ll keep my feet on the ground. Show me.
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