We Miss You Plaxico

It is rapidly becoming more evident how important Plaxico Burress was to the New York Football Giants. First off I want to come right out and say that the Giants would have repeated as Super Bowl champs last season had it not been for Burress' legal issues. There is nothing anyone can tell me to make me believe otherwise. Plaxico was sugar to the Giants' Kool-Aid. Once he was taken out of the equation the Giants were just that. Kool-Aid with no sugar. They appeared to be the same, but were missing the most significant ingredient. Burress played the role of what I like to call a "Fetch Receiver." Eli just threw it up and he went and got it. It didn't matter if he was wide open or triple covered. He would find a way to haul it in. Having that safety valve allowed Manning to just relax and play football. Without that big target who caught everything thrown in his general direction, he has had to try and throw a perfect ball every time. In trying to throw it perfectly every time, he has overthrown quite a few receivers downfield. I believe his inaccuracy is a result of too much thought. Even when the throw has been on the money, his receivers have often let him down, dropping countless passes. In the Giants loss to the Cardinals threw two interceptions where the ball was yanked directly out of the hands of a New York receiver. The latter coming on a drive in the forth quarter inside of the two minute warning with the Giants attempting to tie the game. Not to mention that Mario Manningham had already inexplicably dropped a pass in the endzone earlier in that drive. There is no doubt in my mind that Plaxico would have went and gotten those balls. No offense to any of the New York wideouts, but Burress is simply lightyears better than them. He is bigger, more physical, and just has a nose for the ball. He is a great talent who will never play again because of a freak accident. There was a time when the G-Men may have been able to survive without Burress since the defense was so good, but they have been god awful as of late. Considering how New York has played during their current three game losing streak, I think it is safe to say that they are not even close to the team they were when Burress was in uniform.