Keys to Success: Why the sky won't fall on the New York Giants

As promised last week, here is my preview of the New York Giants football team.

Written on Bleacher Report, I analyze the key players who have to produce to make this Giants team a success this year.

The Giants didn't make a mega deal during the short off-season, and at times have looked unprepared in their approach when it came to signing players.

Yet there is talent in East Rutherford. Can they translate it to a solid 2011 season?

Ask any Giants fan this week and they will convince you that the New York Giants are destined to be a 4-12 football team this season.

Why has a team that won the Super Bowl four short years ago has fallen this far?

The reasons are many. Giant fans have watched Big Blue stink it up down the stretch only to miss the playoffs in each of the last three years.

The Giants have become slapping boys for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants have lost six straight to their arch rivals in the NFC East, including a gut-wrenching 38-31 loss to Philly in December, highlighted by DeSean Jackson's incredible punt return for a touchdown with 0:00 left on the clock.

The Giants have also become the second class citizens in New York. Losing the name Giants Stadium on the side of the building was bad enough, but now nobody wants to talk about the Giants, instead opting to go gaga about Rex Ryan and the Jets.

But most importantly, in a year where teams are signing free agents from left to right, the Giants have done virtually nothing in this post-lockout era.

The Giants watched the Philadelphia Eagles become a monster team, with additions of Cullen Jenkins, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Ronnie Brown, and now former Giants receiver Steve Smith.

The Eagles are building a solid team. The Cowboys are healthy, and in the NFC with strong competition in the NFC North and South, the final playoff spot will be hard to grab this season.

Yet, the Giants don't seem too concerned about adding to their payroll. Jerry Reese insists that Big Blue is in salary cap hell, part of the reason they didn't bring back Kevin Boss, and Smith, and cut veteran lineman Shaun O'Hara and Rich Seubert. They even watched their Super Bowl hero, Plaxico Burress leave for the Jets.

Then there is the disturbing Osi Umenyiora situation. Umenyiora wants more money, and a new deal. The Giants won't give it to him, and even gave the lineman the opportunity to seek a trade.The Giants pulled Umenyiora's opportunity to get a trade done last week, and now he is simply a disgruntled veteran player at camp.

The Giants look like a mess on paper right now. But is all lost? Are the Giants smart for not bringing back some of their own aging free agents? Let's take a look at this Giants team and figure out if this is a team that will sneak up on people and make it to the postseason.