Overview: Repeating isn’t easy in any sport and we haven’t had a repeat Super Bowl Champion in the NFL for quite some time so the New York Giants have their work cut out for them. It was a magical run last year for Tom Coughlin’s Giants but it wasn’t a huge surprise as they had given the Packers all they could handle in the regular season and had beaten the Patriots at New England during the regular season. Some of the names and faces have already changed but this is a very good team.

Offense: Eli Manning doesn’t have to worry about proving himself anymore as he now has twice as many Super Bowl rings as his brother Peyton and he has all of the leadership skills as well. Manning has solid targets at receiver with his starters Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz but it’s time for Ramses Barden to show his worth or ship out but Rueben Randle should be NFL ready and he never had a great QB to work with in college at LSU. Tight end is so important in the Giant’s offense but Bear Pascoe is just OK, the Giants can only hope they found lighting in a bottle with Martellus Bennett. Brandon Jacobs was going to be expensive to keep around so he is gone But joining Ahmad Bradshaw is first round draft choice David Wilson who is a big upgrade. Most of the offensive line returns and Coughlin knows how to coach his team up.

Defense: It’s hard to believe a Super Bowl winning defense can get much better but that appears to be the case for the New York Giants this year. While of course a lot of football has to do with team chemistry the talent level appears to be better this season for the Giants. Jason Pierre-Paul emerged as a force last season and with Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, and Mathias Kiwanuka the Giants are going to have np problem going after opposing passers. Chris Canty was added to the middle of the DL and look for Marvin Austin to return from his season ending injury his rookie year and to be a real contributor and a potential future star. Michael Boley is a tackling machine and Keith Rivers was picked up from Cincinnati. The Giants’ secondary has taken its’ share of heat but Terrell Thomas, Kenny Phillips, Antrel Rolle, Prince Amukamara and company get a lot of help from the pressure up front.

Schedule: A big part of the reason teams don’t repeat is the schedule they face the following year and the Giants’ schedule is as tough as they come, at least at this point on paper. Of course we never know how things will shape up as the season goes along but a mid season trip to San Francisco and then late season trips to play the Ravens and Falcons could be tough while they also play the Packers, Saints, and Steelers at home along with their already tough NFC East schedule.

Outlook: I can’t say it enough times that repeating is just plain tough and just getting out of the NFC this year is going to be as tough as I can ever remember but the Giants should be competitive and make the post season and as they showed last year that once you get to the playoffs anything is possible.