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No matter whom they lose, Giants keep winning

Shaun Powell

October 7, 2008

Wide receiver Domenik Hixon was the latest unknown player to step into a key role and produce good results for the Giants in Sunday's win over Seattle. (Newsday / David L. Pokress / October 5, 2008)

You've heard of sad-sack, bad-luck teams that can't win for losing?

Well, the Giants are different. The Giants can't lose for losing.

Lose Tiki Barber? Hello, Brandon Jacobs.

Lose Jeremy Shockey? Boy, isn't it a lot quieter and more peaceful around here?

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Lose Michael Strahan? Well, there's always Osi Umenyiora.

Lose Osi Umenyiora? Ask the other teams' quarterbacks if they've noticed.

Lose Plaxico Burress for a game? Uh, do you think the Giants, after a 44-6 victory over Seattle, knew he was gone? Or cared, for that matter?

The Giants are 4-0, rolling through the early schedule, looking solid on both sides of the football and winning at home again as well as on the road. That's all good, but what's really impressive is they don't miss a beat no matter who's missing from the lineup.

In the past year and a half, they lost their all-time leading rusher, who was still in his prime when he left; their mouthy but gutsy tight end, the franchise's all-time sacks leader, a Pro Bowl defensive end and, just Sunday, their leading receiver and game-breaker.

Yet they've won games. And are still winning. And they're doing it rather impressively as they stake their claim to a second consecutive Super Bowl run, a destination both premature yet realistic.

After the rout of Seattle, coach Tom Coughlin spoke of the "team" and how the "team" is taking care of business. Well, that's an understatement. The team really doesn't rely on one or two players, nor does the season rest with the success of one or two players.

Look, don't get me wrong: If Eli Manning goes down, so will plenty of hopes at Giants Stadium. Beyond that, this team is willing and able to win no matter who suits up and plays and who doesn't.

This obviously is a testament to the hard work and skill of the people running the Giants. We can begin with Jerry Reese, who knows how to find a good football player. The young general manager is a star in the making, someone quickly building a reputation as a leader and an evaluator of talent. He evidently learned plenty from Ernie Accorsi, whose fingerprints are still on this team, and who himself learned from George Young, architect of the first two Giants Super Bowl champs.

Reese has terrifically navigated his way through two drafts now, getting a mixture of capable replacements, starters and even future stars. In football, the most brutal of our four major sports, a team is only as strong as its depth, and the Giants are deeper than Bill Gates' pockets.

Take the skill positions. The Giants can throw a number of running backs and receivers into a game and get an honest day's work and performance from any of them.

Jacobs is a load, a guy on a mission to ring up the yards and, as a pending free agent, the cash register next offseason. Clearly, he's the most dangerous player with the ball. But seriously: Do the Giants miss all that much when Derrick Ward gets 10 or 15 touches? Or Ahmad Bradshaw, who brings a different dimension?

Then there's a bunch of receivers who can get open and catch the ball. Burress is the best of the lot because he's 6-5 and long and tough to tackle in the open field. But Steve Smith will make a play, so will Domenik Hixon, and don't forget Amani Toomer, still going strong at 34. Also, throw rookie Mario Manningham into the mix and figure that Sinorice Moss, judging from his two TDs against Seattle, finally is ready to contribute.

But Reese also understands how to leverage all these goods to the Giants' advantage. He drew a hard line in August 2007 against Strahan, who made noises about a contract extension while holding out from camp. He also took on Shockey and traded him, realizing the Giants had Kevin Boss and enough weapons to withstand all the pluses that Shockey took to New Orleans. Figure that Reese, by now, is ready with a plan just in case negotiations between the Giants and Jacobs break down next year.

All of this works for Coughlin, who doesn't play favorites, and a team that, months after winning the championship, still finds itself on top of the league. After an undefeated start thanks to an assortment of players, the Giants seem built to last, and built for first.