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Giants vs. Jaguars Preview: Champs Open Preseason

Six months ago the New York Giants hoisted the Lombardi trophy for the second time in five seasons, after beating the Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI. A run that mirrored the Giants 2007 season, which saw them upset those same Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, has turned out to be a huge feather in the cap for Giants coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning.

A year ago at this time, Manning came out and said he was an elite quarterback in the class of his brother, Peyton, and Tom Brady. People scuffed, but not anymore.

As late as week 16, fans were grumbling for Coughlin's job -- not anymore.

Yet, unlike 2008, when the Giants rode the coattails of their Super Bowl title from the previous year to a 12-4 finish and ultimately a collapse in the divisional playoffs against the Eagles; this year's version is focused on the here and now.

While most of the attention this summer has been on all of the distractions for the Jets, the Giants have gone about their business this summer, quietly. The only issue in camp has been the loss of Terrell Thomas to an ACL injury, but considering Thomas missed all of last year with a similar injury. In short, Big Blue will survive.

On Friday, the Giants will play their first game since the Super Bowl, when the head to Jacksonville to take on a rebuilding Jaguars team in Coughlin's old stomping grounds.

What to Look For: Don't blink because if you do, you will miss Manning and the first string offense. With the exception of Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs, the Giants return largely the same group with Victor Cruz, Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks to see most of the snaps with the first team.

Defensively, the Giants return the same group, full of depth in the front seven. Look for this group to feast on a Jaguars team that will be without Maurice Jones-Drew, who is holding out. 

Key Names to Watch: On offense, the Giants will have a new tight end, left tackle, and back-up running back this season. Marcellious Bennett, formally of the Cowboys, takes over at tight end. The Giants paid this guy a lot of money, and it should be intriguing to see how he develops in this Giants offense. Keep in mind Manning loved going to Kevin Boss, and Jake Ballard in year's past. Can Bennett become a safety valve for Eli?

Also, Will Beatty takes over at left tackle, with veteran David Diehl moving over to right tackle. This is a huge development. The Giants hope that Beatty is worth moving the versitle Diehl over to right tackle, or there could be issues.

Finally, David Wilson takes over for Jacobs. He was a highly tauted runner out of Virginia Tech, and some have compared him to Ahmad Bradshaw. Expect to see a lot of Wilson in the second and third quarters of the Jaguars game.

Prediction: It's pre-season so the result doesn't really matter, but we'll take the depth and experience of the Giants in this one. Giants 20, Jaguars 14.

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