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If you wondered why Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Darryl Tapp kept sending tweets during last night's amazing game between Boise State and Virginia Tech, it's because he's a proud Hokie. Tapp and former Virginia Tech star Michael Vick were on the wrong end of a 33-30 score Monday. But former Boise State Bronco and current Eagles safety Quintin Mikell had a wonderful evening.

In Washington, former Hokies star DeAngelo Hall was the headliner at a watching party. And the Redskins also have former Virginia Tech offensive lineman Will Montgomery on the roster.

The Dallas Cowboys have former Boise State cornerback Orlando Scandrick. He loves the fact that he's from a non-BCS school and he's explained several times to me how the Broncos do such a good job with recruiting. (It takes more than just a blue field that's a threat to bird life).

The New York Giants had former Virginia Tech safety Aaron Rouse on the roster last season, but he's now with the Cardinals. I hope most of you guys were able to see that game last night. I'm not sure we'll see a better one this season -- college or pro.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 16

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The New York Giants are going through an identity crisis. Just when we had them pegged as a perennial playoff team, they went out and lost eight games in one season.

There are plenty of players on the roster who own Super Bowl rings from the '07 season, but some of them also took the field in disgraceful losses to the Panthers and Vikings to close out '09. Coach Tom Coughlin seemed invincible two years ago, but it's not a stretch to say that his job's on the line heading into this season. Co-owner John Mara has suggested that's not the case, but it's hard to envision Coughlin surviving another .500 season.

The good news for Giants fans is that Coughlin's been here before, and he's come out on the other side. He told me Monday that two books he read over the summer -- a biography of Harry Truman and a remarkable story involving four Navy SEALs -- have had a profound effect on him. He'll spend the next three weeks in training camp attempting to inspire his players to be "uncommonly good."

"I don't remember anyone saying I was on the hot seat when we were 5-0," he said Monday. "But believe me, the most intense pressure comes from within. The outside stuff doesn't affect me."

Coughlin has personally challenged veteran players such as defensive end Justin Tuck to get out of their comfort zones and take larger leadership roles. He also brought in fiery defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to create more energy on the practice field. The former Bills assistant can be heard from across the University at Albany campus shouting at his players and he even tried to throw a block for cornerback Corey Webster during an interception return Monday.

"With our group of players, a coach has to do something phenomenal for us to wholeheartedly follow you," Tuck told me Monday. "[Fewell] had to win our trust. But every day, he shows us how much he loves the game with his actions. And when you see a guy with that much energy, it's hard not to get behind him."

Shortly after Fewell was hired, Tuck stopped by his office to say hello. When he walked into the room, he said Fewell grabbed a marker and started drawing plays on the board.

"He went through a bunch of different scenarios and then asked me how I thought they might work this season," said Tuck. "I got more and more excited as he talked about all the possibilities."

Tuck didn't want to give too much away, but he did disclose that one of the scenarios involved him and Osi Umenyiora both playing linebacker at the same time. But keep that confidential if you would.

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. What happens if Osi Umenyiora doesn't win back his starting job? For the first two days of camp, Umenyiora was all smiles. He's only practicing once a day in order to manage his hip injury, but he doesn't think the injury will keep him out of any games. Umenyiora's a prideful player who felt humiliated by losing his job to Mathias Kiwanuka last season.

The good thing is that Fewell's going to be up front with all of his players and let them know where they stand. Coughlin remembers how the Giants came at teams with waves of pass-rushers in '07 and '08. Tuck, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka and first-round rookie Jason Pierre-Paul have the talent to be a special group. But last year players along the defensive line started trying to do too much individually and didn't play as a unit. I don't see any circumstance where Umenyiora embraces a reserve role, so that will put the coaching staff in an interesting situation. My guess is that Umenyiora meets the challenge and wins back his job.

"Osi's in for a fight because Kiwi's not going to back down," said Tuck. "Those two are going to push each other and I think that's a good thing."

2. Is former second-round pick Will Beatty ready to take over at left tackle?

Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese love creating competition and it's going to be interesting to see if David Diehl can hold onto his left tackle spot. The good news for Diehl is that he's going to end up starting on the offensive line no matter what happens in that competition. Coughlin's going to do whatever's best for the team, and I think that will ultimately be Beatty at left tackle and Diehl at left guard. Beatty, a second-year player, has shown a lot of quickness in the first three practices of training camp.

It won't be a completely smooth transition, but I believe he has the athletic ability and size to succeed at left tackle. The Giants have had a lot of continuity along the offensive line, but that won't keep Coughlin from pulling the trigger on a move. In talking to Reese, I get the feeling he's enjoying this competition quite a bit.

3. Can the Giants re-establish the running game?

Of all the things that went wrong last season, the lack of a consistent running game might have been the thing that disappointed Coughlin the most.

The Giants went from the No. 1 rushing team in the league in '08 to a No. 17 ranking in '09. They averaged almost a full yard less per carry in '09, which put too much pressure on Eli Manning and the passing game.

Tiki Barber told me early last season that he'd advised Brandon Jacobs to learn how to protect his body more on runs. It may have been solid advice, but Jacobs appeared tentative in '09 and began to doubt himself as the season unfolded. If he looks tentative early in this season, I believe a healthy Ahmad Bradshaw will be prepared to take over as the featured back.

I've been impressed with how quick and decisive he's looked in camp. And Andre Brown appears to have regained his speed after missing last season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Brown should be a good change-of-pace back and he has soft hands that could make him a decent option on third down.

BIGGEST SURPRISE

I think the most pleasant surprise so far is the Giants appear to have a ton of competition at cornerback. Aaron Ross missed so much time last year because of hamstring issues that he sort of faded out of the picture. Now, he's getting his hands on lots of footballs and he's regained that quickness that we saw a couple seasons ago. The problem for him is that Terrell Thomas and Webster have both been excellent in this camp. Webster was a disappointment last season, but he's been one of the best players in camp through three practices.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

It's hard to give up on someone after three practices, so I'll go with an injured player in safety Kenny Phillips. He has an excellent attitude, but the fact that he's on the physically unable to perform list isn't a great sign. He was on the verge of stardom before a serious knee condition required microfracture surgery. The Giants brought in plenty of insurance for Phillips this season, but it would be really disappointing if he's not able to make a full recovery.

OBSERVATION DECK

• If you think the Giants are going to slowly bring along Pierre-Paul and Linval Joseph, think again. They want Joseph breathing down Rocky Bernard's neck this season. And so far, Joseph's done a tremendous job soaking up a lot of information. But when Coughlin's standing a few feet away, Joseph had better know when he's supposed to be in a drill. Reese told me Monday afternoon that Pierre-Paul and Joseph have to help out immediately.
• I thought former Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck would look a little stiff since he hasn't done any live scrimmaging since his ACL surgery last December. Instead, he's moved around really well and seems to be comfortable in Fewell's defense.
• Second-year tight end Travis Beckum's going to get every opportunity in the world to contribute, but it's not good to flat-out drop a ball when Rhett Bomar threads the needle in team drills.
• Defensive end Dave Tollefson is one of those steady players who refuses to go away. Nothing flashy, but he's relentless in pursuing the quarterback. I noticed that he's added a little inside spin move to his game. Some of the young offensive linemen haven't known what to do with him.
• Sixth-round draft pick Adrian Tracy is a fish out of water at linebacker. The former William & Mary defensive end has some athleticism, but he could use a redshirt (practice squad) year.
• Former Cowboys defensive end Chris Canty is in remarkable condition in this camp. Even Coughlin marveled at how Canty breezed through sprints. Canty has some close friends with the Cowboys (Jay Ratliff, Stephen Bowen, Jason Hatcher) and he'd like to send a message that Jerry Jones made a mistake in letting him walk.
• I've given up trying to cut Sinorice Moss. I already have him on my 2013 projected Giants roster. It's crowded at receiver again, but the little guy won't go away. And he had a really nice day Monday.
• If Ramses Barden ever finds a way to take his practices to the games, the Giants will have a remarkable weapon in the red zone. Manning told me Monday that Barden has won him over. He has some Plaxico Burress-like tendencies -- and I'm talking about the good tendencies. Even when he's covered, Barden has a knack for making catches. He's just an enormous target.
• Reese refuses to give up on linebacker Gerris Wilkinson. The former Georgia Tech player has teased the Giants with his athleticism, but his career has been hampered by injuries and inconsistency.
• Fullback Madison Hedgecock has a little competition in rookie Jerome Johnson. Hedgecock drops way too many passes. If Johnson shows anything in the passing game, this thing could get interesting.
• I don't know if he'll hold off Bulluck, but middle linebacker Jonathan Goff looks so much more confident to me in this camp. He's doing a great job communicating and he's done a nice job in coverage.
• Clint Sintim went through some growing pains last season, but he looks the part of a starter now. He hasn't let any of the Giants' misdirection plays fool him.
• Either Antrel Rolle is really, really good at safety or I spent too much time watching C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse chasing cars last season. I think Rolle's an excellent fit for Fewell's defense. If Phillips can return to form, he and Rolle could be one of the best tandems in the league. Deon Grant was a good pickup because of his durability. He just doesn't miss any games, and the Giants need more of those players.
• I know Steve Smith had a breakout season, but Hakeem Nicks looks like a No. 1 wide receiver to me. I thought it was telling that he was the one receiver whom Manning asked to join him at the Manning Passing Academy. Those two are putting on a show early in camp.

Considering their reputation and level of play in 2008, the New York Giants’ defense was very disappointing last season. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took the head-coaching job in St. Louis and his innovative and timely play calling was missed. Also, there were conflicts between new coordinator Bill Sheridan and the Giants’ defensive players. Now both the run and pass defenses need an upgrade.

The Giants’ pass rush was middle of the road last year. That is unacceptable considering the talent they have at the defensive end position and the overall resources they dedicated to their defensive front last offseason. Did this dip in production stem from coaching or the players? Surely it was a little of both, but with Perry Fewell taking over the defense, expect a step up from the perimeter rushers. Fewell stresses fundamentals and is considered a players’ coach. One worry up front is the defensive tackles’ run defense, which clearly was not up to par.

There is no getting around the problems in personnel last season in the pass defense, which also hindered Sheridan’s play-calling options. The loss of talented safety Kenny Phillips was crushing. Safety is a huge need going forward, even if he is expected to return at full strength. Michael Johnson, Aaron Rouse and C.C. Brown were simply overmatched in coverage. The Giants were very weak up the middle with their pass defense, and because it lacked qualified coverage safeties, New York forced players to line up out of position. It was a desperate -- and unsuccessful -- ploy. If Philips returns to form and the Giants add one starting-caliber safety, this secondary can be quite good. They are strong at cornerback and have found a real keeper in Terrell Thomas to go along with Corey Webster and Aaron Ross, who too often was forced to play safety instead of his natural corner position.

There are issues at linebacker though. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce was released, which is a move I agree with. Never the most physically gifted player, it appears as though what Pierce did have from an athletic standpoint began to fail him. Much more range and playmaking ability is needed in the middle against both run and pass, especially considering the tight ends and pass-catching running backs in the NFC East.

The Michael Boley experiment on the outside did not yield enough overall, but he was particularly poor against the run. Boley is more of a run-and-hit player and running at him directly exposes his weaknesses. Perhaps his best role would be as a sub package linebacker; they need to create competition for his starting weakside spot on early downs.

While the Giants have several mediocre options for both the Mike and Will linebacker spots, I don’t see a lot of upside with that crew outside of Boley. On the strong side, Danny Clark isn’t flashy, but he is tough and effective. He is an unrestricted free agent and hopefully the Giants lock him up, but his backup, Clint Sintim, does has more ability, speed and potential. However, neither of these two project well to the middle or weak side.

Having a new coordinator could yield immediate results, but Fewell’s scheme is based a great deal on speed and range. With that in mind, New York needs to find one linebacker with elite playmaking abilities, maybe Rolando McClain in the draft or Karlos Dansby in free agency.

I see safety as the No. 1 personnel need here, followed immediately by a difference-maker at linebacker. A nose tackle-type would be third, as the foursome of Rocky Bernard, Chris Canty, Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins were all underwhelming, but there is ability among this defensive tackle rotation. Robbins can push the pocket, but more was needed from him stopping the run and his stamina is questionable. He is an unrestricted free agent and could be replaced. A second linebacker to battle for a starting spot would be ideal.

This sounds like a long list, but the Giants are set on the offensive side of the ball, so expect their resources to be dedicated to fixing this once-proud defense.

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New York Giants second-year safety Kenny Phillips appeared to be on his way to a Pro Bowl season in '09, but his season was cut short by a left knee injury that required microfracture surgery. The Giants never came close to replacing Phillips the rest of the season. C.C. Brown and Aaron Rouse were overwhelmed in starting roles and that contributed to a miserable finish.

Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger caught up with Phillips while he was in South Florida. Phillips played at The U and he's been doing the majority of his rehab work in the area.

"I kind of knew I wasn’t going to finish the year,” Phillips said. “I figured we’d ride until the wheels fell off. I didn’t think they were going to fall off in Week 2."

Makes you wonder why the Giants didn't have a better Plan B. Brown, who once started for the Texans, was not a viable starter. And then the Giants had to sign Rouse, a Packers castoff. Phillips suffers from a condition called patellofemoral arthritis, which is the erosion of cartilage between the patella and femur. It's rare for someone as young as Phillips to have this degenerative condition. But he remains upbeat about his prognosis.

"It’s fixable, very fixable. A lot of guys have had it,” Phillips said. “It should be a full recovery.”

One of the most frustrating things about the injury is that Phillips had finally convinced the defensive coaches to allow him to freelance within the scheme. Given more freedom, Phillips responded with two interceptions against the Cowboys in Week 2. Pretty much everyone in the Giants organization thought Phillips was headed toward a Pro Bowl season. Now, he almost has to start from scratch with new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.

"Coming back from my injury, I’m going to have to prove it all over again, that I can cover enough ground for them to take the shackles off,” Phillips said. “I have to show them I’m still all that. I’m willing to do it, though."

While we rev up the engines for the Redskins' coaching "search" next week, we should also keep an eye on the Giants' defensive coordinator position. Head coach Tom Coughlin has defended Bill Sheridan at times this season, but he can't be happy with the first-year coordinator's results. On Thursday afternoon, Sheridan may have addressed reporters for the final time as Giants defensive coordinator. Asked about his shaky job status, Sheridan provided this response:

"I'm not concerned about it," Sheridan said. "I know you guys are very concerned about it, but I'm not concerned about it. You guys do a great job of being concerned about it, but I'm not."

This is either the most focused guy in the league or Sheridan has attended the Jim Zorn school of denial. There's no doubt that Sheridan's job is in serious jeopardy. You can certainly give him the benefit of the doubt on the injury to talented safety Kenny Phillips and the late-season loss of linebacker Antonio Pierce. But there's no good reason for why some of the most feared pass-rushers in the game came up empty for much of the season. A secondary comprised of men such as C.C. Brown, Aaron Rouse and Bruce Johnson was torched, in part, because Pro Bowlers Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck couldn't get to the quarterback. And almost as disturbing, the Giants were gashed in the running game by the Cowboys, Eagles and Panthers. This is suddenly a defense without an identity -- and someone will have to pay the price.

Sheridan was asked Thursday what he would say to Coughlin if the head coach asks him why he should keep his job:

“The same reason why he gave me the job, because he thinks I’m competent and do a conscientious, diligent job,” Sheridan said. “That’s what I told him when I interviewed for it before. I said, ‘To me the most important thing is competence, that you can give [the players] a plan on a weekly basis that will put them in the best position to defend and beat your opponent. That’s why he gave me the job. And if he’s evaluated I’m still competent in that area, that’s what I would tell him."

Sheridan has said that he "absolutely" thinks he'll return as the team's defensive coordinator. Again, he's either living in denial or Coughlin has privately assured him that his job is secure. I highly doubt the latter part of that statement.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It looked like Giants safety Aaron Rouse made significant contact with Eagles tight end Brent Celek well before the ball arrived in the end zone. No call was made and the Eagles were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal and a 17-10 lead.

On the second down play, Michael Vick lined up wide and then took a pitch from quarterback Donovan McNabb before throwing an incomplete pass toward Reggie Brown. Rouse got a hand on the ball to knock it away. But again, do you really need to turn to a razzle dazzle play when you're on a team's 2-yard line?

Giants are very fortunate to only give up the field goal on that possession. First team to 35 wins this game.

The Broncos are reeling and the Giants are finally coming off a win. I think the Giants will hand the Broncos another loss, but they need to apply some pressure to quarterback Kyle Orton in order to get it done. Here are a few things I'll be watching during tomorrow night's game:

• Hopefully some of the Giants were watching what Bears defensive back Charles Tillman was doing to the Eagles on Sunday night. I think Knowshon Moreno is susceptible to the strip and that's why players such as Michael Boley and Aaron Rouse should be punching at the ball while someone else is wrapping up. If the Giants can cause a turnover early in this game, they can get out to another quick start. And the Broncos have shown a tendency to fight each other when things go south.

• I could see Danny Ware having a big game for the Giants. If offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride will stick with the running game, the Giants can lean on an undersized Broncos defensive line. I would not be surprised at all to see the Giants go for over 150 yards rushing. And that will help control the clock and keep Brandon Marshall off the field.

• Speaking of Brandon Marshall, you have to stay alert at all times. For some reason, the Redskins busted coverage twice on him, allowing long touchdowns. Rouse and Michael Johnson can't let Marshall get over the top of them. I'm sure defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan will have someone shaded to Marshall's side. Marshall also hurt the Cowboys with his ability to run after the catch. The Giants can't get caught gambling for an interception. If you have to let the guy make a 15-yard catch, so be it. Make the Broncos put together a 15-play drive to score. Don't give up the deep ball.

• If this one's tight in the fourth quarter, Sheridan has to do a better job of calling plays. This team's attention to detail (communication) has been disturbing at times. The Giants can't get caught in the wrong coverage against the Broncos because Orton will make them pay. And by all means, get some shots on the quarterback early. He has a gimpy ankle, so it's not like he's going to be moving around much in the pocket. This is a game where one of the defensive tackles needs to collapse the pocket. We haven't seen enough of that.

• Rotate, rotate, rotate. The Giants are playing on a short week and as CEO John Mara complained about, they're making a tough road trip. In this type of altitude, the Giants have to use their depth. Why don't we see if Rocky Bernard can actually earn his free-agency money? I haven't seen much production out of him this season. This is a game where players such as Jon Goff and Clint Sintim need to see significant snaps. Turn those young guys loose.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

To blame the Giants' three-game losing skid on safety C.C. Brown's work would be completely unfair, but he's certainly played a significant role in the defense's breakdowns. I thought coach Tom Coughlin should've pulled Brown from the Saints game three weeks ago when he was getting lit up by Drew Brees.

Brown

Rouse

But Coughlin indicated that Brown was in the right place, he just wasn't making the proper plays on the ball. Against the Eagles last Sunday, Brown missed an audible call and allowed DeSean Jackson to get loose for a 54-yard touchdown catch. Now, Coughlin has finally replaced him with former Packers third-round pick Aaron Rouse.

It's not like Rouse is that much better in coverage, but the Giants needed to make a change. Rouse has been involved in some big games as a starter for the Packers, so I think he'll be up to the task.

It would also be a huge help to the Giants if defensive tackle Chris Canty and linebacker Michael Boley can return to the lineup. Coughlin has billed this as the game of the season for the Giants. I think he wants to see more of a sense of urgency from his team. Perhaps Rouse will help deliver that against the Chargers on Sunday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

As if the Giants didn't have enough injury issues in their secondary, the club announced Thursday that starting safety Kenny Phillips (left knee) has been placed on injured reserve. Phillips had two interceptions in last Sunday's 33-31 win over the Cowboys and he appeared to be on his way to a breakout season.

Coach Tom Coughlin thought the team could stay ahead of the injury by resting Phillips during the week, but obviously he must have had a major setback. Former Texans safety C.C. Brown will take over as the starter and the Giants moved quickly to sign former Packers safety Aaron Rouse.

There's also a good chance the Giants won't have cornerbacks Aaron Ross and Kevin Dockery in this game because of hamstring injuries. The Cowboys weren't able to exploit the Giants' thin secondary, but they had to play against Phillips. I believe that the former Miami Hurricane was poised to become one of the elite safeties in the league. He just had a knack for the ball, and he had the ability to cover wide receivers one on one.

Fortunately for the Giants, they will be able to break in Brown against some rather weak NFL teams coming up on the schedule.

Here's a video of Coughlin discussing Phillips' injury. Meanwhile defensive end Justin Tuck has a partially torn labrum, according to the New York Daily News.