The perspective of Tavaris Jackson

The perspective from Tavaris Jackson on the 2008 season is important to appreciate from the standpoint of the Giants. The 41-17 rout was the last time I saw the Giants live at the stadium, and it was an awful game. It was Old Eli at Old Eli's worst. It was a flat team that looked like it did not show up. Naturally at home. With the exception of the Redskins game, the Giants pretty much went straight up from there. Manning did not go 'straight up,' preferring to remain mired in mediocrity for another 4 games... blossoming before our very eyes in a way that Tavaris Jackson can only dream of.

Jackson's dreams are not to be ignored. For starters, his hunger is palpable and that is what we are going to see facing the Giants every game as Super Bowl champions. Even literally- we play the Vikes the last week of the season too. So the Giants need to improve in a big way this season. Where can it can happen? That is the good AND the bad news.

The bad news is that there was plenty of weakness last season. Everyone knows the Giants lost 6 games. Is everyone willing to remember that we squeaked by in many others?

The good news is that the Giants did not play anywhere near its potential in many of the regular season games. All of the puzzling and maddening underachievement was lifted at the end of the season and offers the Giants a blueprint for a standard of excellence that can easily put the gmen in title contention again if the i's are dotted and the t's crossed. In the next two days we will offer ideas for how the Giants can get better in order to stay ahead of the rest of the league and defend their title.