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With so much work to do after their worst season in 20 years, the New York Giants believe they have the core talent to contend next season.
First, they have to clean up the mess from a 4-12 season that started with Super Bowl expectations and ended with eight straight losses and the firing of coach Jim Fassel.
``Honestly, if you are supposed to be a contender this year, it doesn't change that fast, up or down,'' Fassel said in his final Giants news conference Monday. ``You can have a dramatic year and a lot of times when a new coach comes in there is a spark, just like when I came in. But I really don't know. There definitely needs to be some retooling in some areas.''
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The changes will be a lot more extensive than a year ago, when the Giants felt
they were on the verge of a Super Bowl after making the playoffs with a late-season
run and losing a wild-card game at San Francisco.
All that needed to be fixed were special teams woes.
The Giants, who made the playoffs three times in Fassel's seven seasons, did that in the offseason, and it backfired. Long snapper Ryan Kuehl and placekicker Mike Hollis were lost in training camp with injuries. Brian Mitchell, the NFL's all-time leading return man, had the worst season of his career.
Whoever takes over the Giants will have a laundry list of things to fix.
The offense that was supposed to carry the Giants scored 240 points, their second lowest total in a 16-game season.
The defense, on the decline in recent years despite the play of sacks leader Michael Strahan, allowed 387 points, fourth-most in the league.
The attitude must change, as well. The Giants have gotten into a bad habit of not finishing games. Two late giveaways early in the season against Dallas and Philadelphia started a death spiral.
The offensive line is young and relatively inexperienced and allowed 44 sacks.
Tackle Luke Petitgout and guards Wayne Lucier and Rich Seubert finished the season on injured reserve. Center Chris Bober will be a free agent.
General manager Ernie Accorsi faced a similar situation after last season and did not get tackle Mike Rosenthal and guard Jason Whittle signed. New York started the season with two inexperienced players up front and little depth. It never worked out.
The other major issue on offense is health. Two-time Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey (knee) did not play after early November, and receivers Ike Hilliard and Tim Carter were slowed late in the season.
Halfback Tiki Barber didn't help things, losing six of nine fumbles.
``I really feel, despite the way the last half of the season has gone, that we still have a lot of things in place,'' said quarterback Kerry Collins, who also was injured for the final three games. ``We can turn it around as quickly as it went bad. I don't have any sense of doom with the personnel that we have. We still have guys who can play. I think we can be a good football team next year.''
The once-proud defense also has issues.
The secondary was decimated by injuries to cornerbacks Will Allen, Will Peterson and Ralph Brown and safety Shaun Williams.
Outside linebackers Dhani Jones and Brandon Short are eligible for free agency and the line could lose half its starters, with tackle Keith Hamilton considering retirement and end Kenny Holmes likely to go elsewhere.
``Sometimes you have to go through the hardships and adversity to really appreciate the success,'' said Strahan, who led the league with 18 sacks. ``That's the way I look at the season, one of those chance things when the expectations were higher than ever, and it doesn't work out. Maybe this is the setup for something great.''
Giants co-owner Wellington Mara let the players know Monday he wasn't pleased. The 87-year-old Mara called the team's 1-7 home record ``shameful'' and noted the team's 127 penalties and NFL-worst minus 16 turnover differential cost the Giants dearly.
Mara also made the team a promise.
``He told us he was going to get us the very best coach,'' Peterson said.
In the last week, the Giants have interviewed former Jacksonville coach Tom Coughlin and they have an interview scheduled with St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Lovie Smith on Tuesday. New England coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel are scheduled for interviews Thursday.
``I know we get paid well
to play football, but it's not fun when you lose,'' Bober said. ``It's tough
when you're the laughingstock of the league. I don't ever want to be that again.
And there are a lot of people in this locker room who don't want that.''