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On Thursday, we offered "One big question" for each of our division's teams and took a stab at answering it. If you missed them, you can check them out here. But I get tons of questions, and not all of them are big. So as we head into the weekend, I thought I'd take a shot at answering a couple of smaller, more specific questions I seem to be getting asked a lot these days. Let's do one per team.

Dallas Cowboys: Will they go after Jacoby Jones?

It'd make a lot of sense, for the right price. He's a veteran receiver who can help as a return man. Basically what they need after Laurent Robinson and the 11 touchdowns he caught last season left for Jacksonville. But remember that last year, when No. 3 wide receiver was a question mark, the Cowboys didn't panic. They believed that Jason Witten's pass-catching ability at tight end lessened their need to prioritize that position, and they scooped up Robinson as a late-offseason bargain and got more than they ever expected. If there's competition for Jones, I wouldn't expect the Cowboys to push overly hard. There are still other options, including fifth-round pick Danny Coale and some of the other young guys on their roster.

New York Giants: Will they trade Osi Umenyiora?

This one surfaced with renewed energy Thursday after the news broke that Baltimore's Terrell Suggs was out for the season. The Ravens liked Umenyiora last year and now really could use him, and it's possible they'll call. But I don't see the Giants as motivated sellers. They have Umenyiora under contract for a reasonable price, and they have no fear that his contract situation will be a distraction to the team as it gets ready for the season, because everybody on the team is used to Umenyiora and his contract situation by now. The Giants would have to be blown away by an offer, and I don't expect that to happen. He'll either play for them in 2012 or sit out of his own accord.

Philadelphia Eagles: Do they need a red-zone receiver?

The name of Plaxico Burress has been floated, and he remains a free agent who'd fit the description of the kind of big end-zone target Eagles fans say the team needs. But as with the Cowboys above, I don't see the Eagles going too crazy to bring Burress in. If the price is right, and there's little risk involved from the team's end, sure. But with a running back in LeSean McCoy who rushed for 17 touchdowns last season, I don't think the Eagles feel the need to do anything dramatic to improve their performance in the red zone. When they get close to the goal line, they feel pretty good about their chances to run it in.

Washington Redskins: Who will start at running back?

My money's still on Tim Hightower, but there is that nettlesome little issue of his not currently being on the team. The Redskins have worked at re-signing him, and even if they do he's still going to be recovering from a torn ACL. Second-year backs Roy Helu and Evan Royster showed promise as rookies, but the Redskins' coaching staff isn't yet convinced of either as a full-time starter for 2012. Even if they bring back Hightower, I'd expect them to add another running back or two to the camp mix. And if Hightower goes somewhere else, I expect them to give themselves as many options as possible there, kind of like they're doing at safety.

Adam Schefter was up early this morning taking some Twitter questions, and someone asked him whether the Bills might sign Plaxico Burress. Adam's response said, in part, "Philadelphia's the team to watch on Plax."

Now, Adam's not the type to just throw bits of speculation around. If he's saying that, he's heard something from someone about the possibility of Burress to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have two very good starting wide receivers in DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, so they're not a team that jumps to the front of your mind when you consider possible Burress destinations. But as it did last year when they didn't pursue him, it makes some sense if they can bring him in for a very specific role.

As Mike Sando writes in his rundown of remaining free-agent wideouts on the NFC West blog, Burress was one of the most popular and effective red zone targets in the league last year with the Jets. He'll be 35 when the season starts, and it's unlikely he's going to be able to fill a role for anyone as a full-time starter. But on a team like the Eagles, which has two good ones, he could be worked into certain packages and used in the red zone. That's a role that might pay off for a team and could be good for Burress, who might wear down under a starter's workload.

The issue is that the wide receiver market is sky-high right now, and as long as teams are throwing big money around at players like Laurent Robinson and Pierre Garcon, Burress has no reason to sign. If a team that needs a starter gets desperate enough, he still might be able to get a starter's job (and, perhaps more importantly, starter's money) somewhere. But if not -- if the market plays itself out and Burress is still sitting around and willing to take a lesser role for a reasonable price, it's something the Eagles should consider. They were pretty effective at cashing in red zone opportunities with LeSean McCoy and the running game last year, but another proven option down there couldn't hurt.

Day 1 of free agency was all about the Redskins around these parts. Day 2 saw the Cowboys get busy and the Eagles make a surprising splash with one of their own players. What does Day 3 hold? All I know is it starts with links.

Dallas Cowboys

Todd Archer offers some examples of reasonable possibilities for Laurent Robinson's replacement, and he barely even scratches the surface. He's right that the Cowboys would have had no business trying to keep Robinson for the money he got in Jacksonville, and his partial list of options proves the key point -- that there will be many names available to the Cowboys as No. 3 receiver options at the level of the market at which they found Robinson a year ago.

The Cowboys signed one guard Wednesday and are bringing in a guy Thursday who's been a regular starter at the position for the past two years. Why two? Well, this post raises the intriguing possibility that Kyle Kosier could move to center, which is where the Cowboys had their biggest problems last season.

New York Giants

Martellus Bennett says he "only played like 30 percent of the snaps while I was in Dallas. I think, in a larger role, I can do so much more. I think the sky is the limit. I don’t think anyone has really seen who I am as a player and what I have to offer." His estimate isn't awful. A quick scan of the ProFootballFocus.com stats shows Bennett played about 42 percent of the Cowboys' offensive snaps over the past four years. His premise, however, is that he can be a great player if he plays more than that. We shall see. Injured tight end Jake Ballard played 75 percent of the Giants' snaps last year, so there's opportunity for Bennett to prove it.

The Giants still might look for another tight end, and old friend Jeremy Shockey wouldn't mind being considered, according to Gary Myers. Hey, don't laugh it off. They brought in Plaxico Burress and tried to sign him last year. Giants management is all about bygones if the value is right.

Philadelphia Eagles

Marcus Hayes writes of the Eagles' efforts over the past few days to lock up their young core long-term, and why it's a rare opportunity they have with a young core that appears ready to win now. His points are all well-reasoned, of course. But a lot of this is going to come down to a 32-year-old quarterback and whether Michael Vick is ready to win now.

Jeff McLane writes that the next big internal move could be a new contract for running back LeSean McCoy. Apparently, talks are under way and have been for a while now, and the sense in Philadelphia is that it could be done in short order. Somebody asked which team in the division is having the best free agency right now. And while I like what all four teams have done so far, you can make a strong case that the answer is the team that's signing its own stars to below-market deals while the market goes bonkers.

Washington Redskins

Robert Griffin III says he's not yet willing to concede that he'll be a Redskin for sure. It appears as though he believes he can still convince the Colts to take him with the No. 1 overall pick. Which, good for him. If I were in that situation and had confidence in my ability, I wouldn't be conceding anything to Andrew Luck. It wasn't Luck who won the Heisman Trophy, remember. Anyway, the Redskins surely don't care. If the Colts took Griffin at No. 1 overall, they'd run to the podium to draft Luck with the second pick. That's why they paid so much to move up to No. 2 in the draft -- so they'd be guaranteed to get one of the two guys in the draft who looks like a franchise quarterback.

With their wide receiver pursuits nearly complete, the Redskins have turned their free-agent attention to defensive backs and offensive linemen. According to this story, that includes a pursuit of free-agent guard Ben Grubbs, who's drawing interest from many teams.

The mailbag is bursting with questions two days before the start of free agency. I will do what little I can here to help alleviate.

Russell Goodacre of Ijamsville, Md., asks whether the Washington Redskins -- assuming they take Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 pick in the draft -- are thinking long-term or if the move means they can make the postseason this coming season.

Dan Graziano: Russell, I think the trade indicates a desire to win now. Yes, part of the appeal of Griffin (over someone like Kyle Orton or even Peyton Manning) is that he can be the long-term answer at quarterback. But with all of the salary-cap room they appear to have, the fact that the NFC East was won with only nine wins last season and the fact that they beat the team that won it twice, the Redskins believe they have an opportunity to put together a team that can reach the postseason this coming season. Whether they do it will depend on the work they do in free agency and the middle-to-late rounds of the draft to put the right pieces around Griffin and on how quickly Griffin develops as an NFL quarterback. But we've seen rookies make the playoffs in recent years, and guys like Joe Flacco and Mark Sanchez had even done well once they got there as rookies.

Jason Quinn from San Diego points out, as several others have, that the franchising of Anthony Spencer doesn't technically eliminate the Dallas Cowboys from the pursuit of someone like Mario Williams. Jason's take is that they could sign Williams and rescind the franchise offer if Spencer doesn't sign it right away.

DG: Yes, that is true. My assumption has been that Spencer would sign the franchise tender, and I think it's very likely that he will. But someone else pointed out to me recently that, once Williams signs, Spencer becomes a desirable fallback option for other teams seeking outside linebacker help, and that he may like the idea of keeping his options open. If the Cowboys do sign Williams and rescind the franchise offer to Spencer, there could be a market for his services that would pay him more than $8.8 million for one year. So yes, it's technically possible. I still see Williams someplace like Seattle or San Diego, though. We'll see.

Eric Rubenstein from Orlando wants to know if I think the New York Giants would look at Plaxico Burress as a No. 3 wide receiver if, as expected, Mario Manningham leaves as a free agent.

DG: I do think it'd be a possibility, Eric, and I think it says a lot about the people running the Giants that they'd keep an open mind about it. Burress has publicly shredded Tom Coughlin at every available turn since Burress got out of prison. And last year, when the Giants were genuinely interested in signing Burress as a No. 3 receiver, he blatantly used them for contract leverage with other teams and ended up signing with the Jets. But Coughlin and Jerry Reese are both solid, upstanding fellows who don't seem like the type to hold grudges, and I believe they would not rule out Burress as one of many potential options, assuming the price is right.

Stephen from PA wants to know who I think the Eagles will target at linebacker in free agency.

DG: The linebacker market is a good one this year, Stephen. There's a belief around the league that the Eagles will be quiet in free agency this year -- especially in comparison to the splash they made last year. But if there's one spot where the market is ripe for them to make a big move it may be linebacker. I imagine you will hear them connected to many of the big names available, including Stephen Tulloch, Curtis Lofton and even London Fletcher. There's been a lot of buzz lately around Baltimore's Jarret Johnson, an underrated piece of the defenses there the past couple of seasons. I know that Lofton, Fletcher and Johnson are all looked at as strong locker-room guys and leaders, too, which would be something the Eagles could use.

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Dallas Cowboys

Key free agents: WR Laurent Robinson, S Abram Elam, LB Keith Brooking, LB Anthony Spencer (franchise)

Where they stand: Dallas needs serious help in the secondary and will have to decide whether it wants Elam back at safety while it pursues at least one cornerback. The Cowboys are expected to release Terence Newman, and they could look to add depth at that position and a new starter. Franchising Spencer indicates that while they would like to improve their pass rush, they won't be players in the Mario Williams market. Expect their free-agent focus to be on defensive backs and possibly some upgrades on the interior of the offensive line. They would like Robinson back as their No. 3 receiver, but if he's going to get No. 2 receiver-type offers, they'll likely let him walk.

What to expect: The top two cornerback targets are likely Kansas City's Brandon Carr and Tennessee's Cortland Finnegan. You can't rule out Dallas making a play for Saints guard Carl Nicks, who'd be a huge help to their offensive line. But someone like Baltimore's Ben Grubbs is likely to be more attainable financially. What the Cowboys really need on the line is a center, but it's not a great market for those unless they can get their hands on Houston's Chris Myers. The Cowboys likely will hunt for some second-tier safeties and inside linebackers to add depth, then target defensive back again early in the draft.

New York Giants

Key free agents: WR Mario Manningham, OT Kareem McKenzie, CB Aaron Ross, CB Terrell Thomas, LB Jonathan Goff, P Steve Weatherford (franchise).

Where they stand: The Super Bowl champs must get their own cap situation in order first, as they project to be about $7.25 million over the projected cap. That may mean tough cuts of people like Brandon Jacobs or David Diehl, or it may just mean some contract restructuring (like the big one they apparently just did with Eli Manning). Regardless, don't expect the Giants to spend big to keep Manningham or Ross. They're likely to bring back Thomas on a team-favorable deal as a result of the knee injury that cost him the entire 2011 season, and they'll probably let McKenzie walk and try to replace him internally (which favors Diehl's chances of sticking around).

What to expect: Just like last year, don't expect the Giants to be big-game hunters. They like to grow their own replacements. If Manningham leaves, they won't go after the top wide receivers but might try to find a bargain or two to supplement the young players from whom they're expecting more production next season. They could find a midlevel safety if they don't bring back Deon Grant, and if Jacobs leaves they'll probably bring in a veteran running back or two to compete in training camp with their youngsters. They liked Ronnie Brown last year as a possible Ahmad Bradshaw replacement when Bradshaw was a pending free agent, so there's a name to watch for if you want one.

Philadelphia Eagles

Key free agents: G Evan Mathis, DT Trevor Laws, DT Antonio Dixon (restricted), WR DeSean Jackson (franchise), QB Vince Young

Where they stand: Other than Mathis, whom they're working to try and re-sign before he his the market, the Eagles don't have many internal free-agent issues to worry about. They franchised Jackson because they're not ready to give him a long-term deal just yet. He's a candidate for a trade, but it would have to be a very nice offer. If they traded him, they'd hunt for a wide receiver, but they may do so anyway -- just at a lower level (think Plaxico Burress). The interior of the defensive line is in fairly good hands with Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson as starters, but they could stand to add depth to that rotation. And while they signed Trent Edwards a couple of weeks ago, they'll keep looking for a better veteran backup quarterback option with Young sure to be gone.

What to expect: Do not -- I repeat, do not -- expect the Eagles to be the same kind of player they were in free agency a year ago. Andy Reid made it very clear several times during the 2011 offseason and season that last year was unique, and the Eagles don't like to do business that way in general. They do need linebackers, and they have the cap room to play on guys like Stephen Tulloch or Curtis Lofton or even, if they wanted to get really nutty, London Fletcher. But while you can expect them to add a veteran or two at the position, don't be surprised if they sit out the higher-priced auctions this time around.

Washington Redskins

Key free agents: S LaRon Landry, LB London Fletcher, DE Adam Carriker, TE Fred Davis (franchise), QB Rex Grossman

Where they stand: Mike Shanahan said in December that Fletcher was a priority, but he remains unsigned with less than a week to go before free agency. Presumably, they'd still like to lock him up before he hits the market. If they can't, they'll have to replace a major on-field and off-field presence. Carriker is likely to be back, but the Fletcher situation has to be settled first. Landry likely is gone unless he wants to take a low-base, high-incentive deal to stay. The Redskins are sick of not knowing whether he'll be able to take the field from week to week. Grossman could return, but only as a backup to whatever quarterback upgrade they find.

What to expect: The Redskins could have more than $40 million in cap room with which to maneuver in free agency, and they're going to need it. They need a quarterback, of course, and if they can't make the trade with the Rams to move up to No. 2 in the draft and pick Robert Griffin III, they'll look at Peyton Manning and Kyle Orton and possibly Matt Flynn, though he doesn't appear to be high on their list. What Shanahan really wants is a true playmaking No. 1 wide receiver, which is why the Redskins have their eyes on Vincent Jackson and Marques Colston, who are at the very top end of that market. They'll be able to outbid almost anyone for those guys if they want to, but they may have to get quarterback figured out first if they want to persuade one of them to take their offer over similar ones. They'll also hunt for help on the offensive line and in the secondary, as they need depth in both places.

Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News had a sit-down interview with Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid and has shared some of the interesting bits with us. One of the bits I f0und most interesting was Reid's take on wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who had some issues last year due to his contract situation and was just designated the team's franchise player in the absence of the long-term deal he seeks:

Andy has spoken to DeSean Jackson since the franchising of the wideout last week. "I think he'll sign the tender," Reid said. "He was very positive about it." Reid reiterated what he said last month, that the attitude change down the stretch convinced him he could go forward with Jackson, after a rough middle of the season. "That was important," Andy said. I don't have a good quote that conveys it, but I got the sense Reid absolutely expects to have Jackson here.

It should come as little surprise if Jackson signs the franchise tender. As I've pointed out here before, it's a nearly $9 million raise over his 2011 salary and almost certainly more than he could expect to make in the first year of any long-term deal the Eagles would be willing to give him at this point. He's 25 years old and surely will have no issues with playing for $9.4 million and trying to put himself in better position to get that long-term deal next year than he is right now.

Les covers the team every day, knows it better than I do and was the one in Reid's office having the conversation, so I'll defer to his assessment of Reid's comments on Jackson. But I'll also add (and I'm fairly sure Les would agree) that I doubt Reid would hang up the phone if someone called with a really nice trade offer for Jackson right now.

There's more to the interview, including Reid dismissing the notion of Peyton Manning in Philadelphia, explaining why he met with Robert Griffin III at the combine (he tries to meet with all of the quarterbacks) and giving a mildly interesting non-answer to a question about Plaxico Burress. Give it a click for your midweek Eagles fix.

Mornin'. Nice day here in the East. Want to start off with some links?

New York Giants

Plaxico Burress is at it again, giving interviews in which he says he'd be happy to go back to the Giants. My first reaction was, "Come on. Not this again?" But the more I thought about it, the more I figured the one thing Burress has going for him here is that neither Tom Coughlin (whom Burress has ripped at nearly every turn since his release from prison) nor Jerry Reese (whom Burress blatantly used for leverage in contract negotiations with the Jets last summer) is the sort of man who holds a grudge. And they're going to need a receiver to replace Mario Manningham. The main thing Burress has going against him is that he doesn't appear to be very good anymore.

Victor Cruz, the guy who blew up like a firework after the Giants failed to sign Burress last summer, has a book deal and is buying his mother a house.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jonathan Tamari has an Eagles free-agency primer, which starts with linebacker and does in fact throw the name of London Fletcher into the mix. The kind of thing that ought to scare the Redskins into making sure Fletcher doesn't hit the market next Tuesday, I think.

Former Eagle Freddie Mitchell is apparently facing federal tax fraud charges for a scheme in which he allegedly recruited pro athletes to get false tax returns. I find these stories sad.

Dallas Cowboys

There's an issue now about maybe Keith Brooking returning to the Cowboys next year, which didn't seem likely a few weeks ago but may make some degree of sense considering their lack of depth and experience at the inside linebacker position. Jason Garrett talked about it to ESPNDallas.com but said nothing of substance. If I had to guess I'd say Brooking's on a list of possible veteran options at the position as they hedge against the chances that Bruce Carter is ready to start.

Garrett also said there is no bounty program on the Cowboys and that he expects a lot of teams to be hearing from the league in the coming days and weeks to ensure that they take steps to make sure there won't be.

Washington Redskins

Mike Jones reports that the franchise tag given to Fred Davis was of the non-exclusive variety, which is common and means another team could technically get him in exchange for two first-round picks. But the likelihood of that happening is ridiculously small, and given the low cost of the tight end franchise tag this year and the good use to which the Redskins could put two first-round draft picks make it a risk well worth taking. Davis will be a Redskin next season, and I doubt he'll get a long-term deal in the meantime, given the drug suspension thing. He's got to stay on the straight and narrow for a year to convince them.

The Redskins' team site looks at three top wide receiver candidates and the connections they have to the team and/or the D.C. area, as the Redskins prepare to hunt for wide receiver help on the free-agent market.

Dallas Cowboys

What issues should the Cowboys consider before offering to extend Tony Romo's contract? ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins explores.

The NFL has never had a cheerleader older than 42. But a grandmother of two that will be 56 years old in May is trying to become a Cowboys cheerleader.

New York Giants

Running back Brandon Jacobs says the team is asking him to take pay cut. "It’s a great organization and I want to be a part of it, but if they’re not feeling the same way, then so be it," Jacobs said in an interview with NBC-4.

ESPN.com's Michele Steele sat down with Giants offensive lineman David Diehl to talk about his two Super Bowl championships and his NFL career.

ESPNNewYork.com's Ohm Youngmisuk grades the Giants' special-teams play from this past season.

Packers coach Mike McCarthy says he's still trying to figure out how his team lost to the Giants in the playoffs.

Philadelphia Eagles

Is the Eagles' front office making the same mistakes with DeSean Jackson that it did with Terrell Owens? Former governor Ed Rendell weighs in.

Sheil Kapadia of Philly.com looks at whether Plaxico Burress can be a good fit with the Eagles.

Washington Redskins

Mike Wise of the Washington Post tries to temper the Robert Griffin-mania that has gripped Redskins fans lately. "Many of the same people eviscerating this team for being so irresponsible over the years have decided responsibility is suddenly boring and want to go for it. We’re all-in again for one player who we are absolutely certain can be the answer to all the franchise’s problems," Wise writes.

The Redskins may pursue free agents Vincent Jackson, Pierre Garcon or Marques Colston in their search for an impact wide receiver.

Andrew Smith of the National Football Authority breaks down the Redskins' options for upgrading at quarterback.

Linebacker London Fletcher fired agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Herm Edwards, Merril Hoge discuss Plaxico Burress' comments that he would be happy to play with the Eagles.

Dallas Cowboys

ESPNDallas.com's Tim MacMahon breaks down the Cowboys' offensive line play last season and looks ahead to what might be in store in 2012.

The Cowboys haven't done particularly well drafting linebackers in the past decade -- with DeMarcus Ware and Sean Lee being the notable exceptions.

Is there a rift between owner Jerry Jones and former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens?

New York Giants

After his breakout 2011 season, receiver Victor Cruz feels he's outplayed his current contract and now he's looking for a new deal. "Honestly, with what I did this year, statistically and the records and everything like that, obviously I feel like just looking at the top players in the league and looking at what I did this year, I feel like naturally there should be an increase in pay," Cruz said.

The Giants will be looking for tight end help this offseason. GM Jerry Reese said tight ends Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum will likely both start the 2012 season on the physically unable to perform list.

Philadelphia Eagles

Free-agent receiver Plaxico Burress (45 catches, 612 yards, 8 TDs in 2011) expressed interest in coming south to join the Eagles.

New secondary coach Todd Bowles is intrigued by Philly's talented secondary. "You see a lot of athletes, you see some playmakers back there, and you see some guys that can hit, so you see potential," said Bowles. "You see potential, but you just have to bring it all together."

Washington Redskins

The Redskins need to resist the temptation to fill their hole at quarterback by chasing a short-term fix like Peyton Manning, argues the Washington Post's Jason Reid. Instead, Reid would like to see the Skins acquire Baylor's Robert Griffin III.

Meanwhile, Mike Jones makes a case for the Redskins to tab Kyle Orton as their quarterback.

INDIANAPOLIS -- New York Giants punter Steve Weatherford set a Super Bowl record on Sunday night with three punts that forced the New England Patriots to start inside their own 10-yard line. Elias Sports Bureau reports that Weatherford is the first Super Bowl punter ever with three such punts. He could have had four, but a bad bounce carried his second one into the end zone before the Giants' coverage team could down it.

Now, I know some of you complain when I talk about punters, but Giants fans who remember the Matt Dodge era know what Weatherford has meant to the team. He was one of the "non-sexy" signings GM Jerry Reese talked about in the offseason when I and others were ripping Reese for inactivity, and Weatherford's performance in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl capped an outstanding season.

A couple of other Giants set records Sunday night as well. Tom Coughlin became the oldest coach ever to win a Super Bowl, at the age of 65. And Eli Manning set a Super Bowl record for most consecutive completed passes to start a game. Manning completed his first nine.

Additionally, Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw became the fourth player to score the game-winning touchdown in the final minute of the Super Bowl (even though his team was telling him not to score it). The others are John Taylor, Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes, which means it's now been done in three of the last five Super Bowls.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Stars ignite quickly in New York, and when new stars get hot they burn bright enough to obscure the ones that were there already. So it is with Victor Cruz, the New York Giants wide receiver who's salsa dancing on the morning talk shows and making tabloid headlines with the birth of his first child.

Cruz is so hot right now that people have nearly forgotten about Hakeem Nicks, who was the budding star No. 1 receiver around these parts not four months ago. But Nicks doesn't mind. Part of the reason this all works -- and a large part of the reason the Giants find themselves preparing for a divisional-round playoff game Sunday against the Packers in Green Bay -- is that neither of the Giants' star wide receivers is the kind of guy who acts like, well, a star wide receiver.

"We're great friends," Cruz said Wednesday. "We talk all the time. We text each other all the time. When I'm watching film, I'll text him and ask him about something. And because he has a little girl himself and I just had one, I ask him for advice all the time on that. So he's a guy that I definitely look at as a friend -- a guy who's behind me and supports my career 100 percent."

Yeah, these two guys are a real coach's nightmare. Nicks spends his spare time in the film room, as he has since high school, obsessing over the finer details of his craft, because he never wants to miss an opportunity to get better. Last summer, Cruz took it upon himself to attend every one of Eli Manning's player workouts during the lockout, buddying up to the Giants' quarterback just in case he was going to get an opportunity. Just in case the Giants didn't bring back Steve Smith or sign Plaxico Burress or give Domenik Hixon the preseason reps at slot receiver or any of the other things they planned to do before giving Cruz a shot.

The Giants' star wideouts are workaholics. They're humble. They're generous and engaging and easy to like. In short, they bear absolutely no resemblance to the cliched profile of the diva wide receiver.

"I think the main thing with both of those guys is that they want to be successful, and they want to be successful as a team," Giants safety Deon Grant said. "They don't consider themselves individuals. They know the best way for them to be successful is if we're all successful. And that's a special thing, to have guys that think that way. That's why this is a special group of guys we have in here."

There is a remarkable lack of ego about these Giants. The quarterback doesn't carry himself like a star. The coach doesn't hold himself out as the smartest guy in the league. Even the remarkable self-confidence the Giants have been expressing outwardly over the past few weeks has rung sincere -- a genuine outgrowth of their own improved play on the field. They believe in themselves and each other, and nowhere is that more evident than in the mutual admiration society that is their wide receiver corps.

"We are a dangerous corps," Nicks said. "I feel like we're all No. 1 receivers. With our offense, if you try to take one guy away, it opens it up for the other two guys. You try to take two guys away, it opens it up for the third receiver and the tight end as well."

The third receiver is Mario Manningham, a player of considerable skill in his own right who began this season apparently poised for his own stardom before Cruz raced past him as well. Manningham has struggled with knee injuries through the second half of the season, but he had a big game last Sunday in the victory against the Falcons, and says he doesn't mind if people would rather talk about Nicks and Cruz.

"I hope they forgot about me," Manningham said of the Packers. "I like not being under the microscope."

Microscope, spotlight, whatever. The Giants' receivers are perfectly suited to roll with any or all of it. In a town that pumps up its stars to unsustainable levels of fame and expectation, the men who are turning Manning's short passes into long touchdowns every week remain grounded. They remain humble. They remain good friends and good teammates who believe hard work and dedication are the paths to success. For goodness' sake, they are NFL receivers who don't mind if somebody else catches the ball.

"Our coaches are always preaching the mantra of taking the names off the backs of the jerseys," Giants tackle Kareem McKenzie said. "Those guys, because of their personalities, they're a great example of that."

They're exactly what the Giants need. And that's a huge part of the reason the Giants are still playing.

People come up with funny ideas for topics on which to poll the public, and for some reason someone decided to find out which NFL player was the most disliked. I personally think this is a far too grouchy and negative question and can't condone this level of negativity, but according to Forbes.com, other people can, and the results show that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is the NFL player the public can stand the least:

Forbes.com reported Monday that Vick is the NFL's most disliked player, according to a poll by Nielsen and E-Poll Market Research. Forbes.com reports that 60 percent of those polled picked said they "dislike," "dislike somewhat," or "dislike a lot" the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback. Second on the list was New York Jets receiver Plaxico Burress at 56 percent, who also has returned from a prison stay, followed by Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was accused of sexual assault last year but wasn't charged.

No surprise, I guess. The top two guys have both done jail time over the past half-decade and the guy at No. 3 at least danced with the possibility. That's the kind of thing that makes the public dislike a guy, especially when a segment of the population remains inclined to feel like people who commit those kinds of crimes shouldn't be allowed to return to multi-million-dollar-per-year jobs playing football. That's not the way I feel. I think, if you do your time, you should be allowed to go back to work if you can. But lots of people feel differently, and the results of this poll indicate that.

I do find it humorous that two of the players in the top 10 are Eagles quarterbacks, as Vince Young came in at No. 7. And on an NFC East-related note, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo came in No. 9. But anyway, Vick's No. 1 and I thought y'all might like to know that as he gets ready to be on your TV sets Monday Night.

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Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 8:

Trouble getting started: According to the ESPN Stats & Information Group, a big part of the New York Giants' problems running the ball this year have had to do with what happens before their running backs ever get hit. SIG's "next level" stats show that the Giants, who are averaging 3.3 yards per carry this season after averaging 4.6 yards per carry over the previous three seasons, are only gaining 1.6 yards per rush before initial contact. The league average of yards per carry before contact is 2.4, and only the Cleveland Browns (1.3) have a lower number in this category than the Giants do in 2011. Makes you think that maybe Ahmad Bradshaw's complaints about the offensive line weren't far off.

When is home not really home?: The Buffalo Bills have a 3-0 record at home this season, but this week's game against the Washington Redskins is in Toronto. It's the fourth year in a row the Bills have played a home game in Toronto, and they're 0-3 in the games so far. This is good news for the Redskins, who have lost five straight to the Bills since beating them in Super Bowl XXVI and who haven't won in Buffalo since 1987.

Irresistible force, immovable object: The Philadelphia Eagles rank first in the NFL with 170 rush yards per game, which SIG says would be their highest total for a season since 1950. Star running back LeSean McCoy ranks seventh in the league with 569 rush yards, and quarterback Michael Vick ranks 21st with 372. However, the Dallas Cowboys rank first in the NFL at stopping the run. Dallas allows just 69.7 yards per game on the ground and just 3.3 yards per carry. So it will be interesting to see which side wins out -- and especially interesting to see whether the Eagles stay committed to the run if they're not having success with it early.

Keep it safe, Tony: Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo did not throw an interception last week against the Rams, breaking a streak of three straight games in which he'd thrown at least one. Since Romo became the Cowboys' starting quarterback, the team is 17-6 in games in which he does not throw an interception, and 25-19 when he throws at least one. The Eagles have intercepted seven passes in their first six games, but four of those seven came in their most recent game, two weeks ago against Rex Grossman and the Redskins.

Touchdown Shady: McCoy has scored a touchdown in each of the Eagles' first six games this season. He's the first Eagle ever to do that and the first player on any NFL team to do it since 2007, when both Plaxico Burress and T.J. Houshmandzadeh did it, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The only other running backs in the past 15 years to score touchdowns in each of their team's first six games of a season were LaDanian Tomlinson of the Chargers in 2005, Emmitt Smith of the Cowboys in 1999 and Robert Edwards of the Patriots in 1998. Smith did them all one better, scoring in each of the Cowboys' first seven games that season.

Have you ever had a boss who was real good at what he did but wasn't so great with the bedside manner? The kind of boss who was quick to tell you when you'd screwed up but never seemed to tell you when you'd done something well? Yeah. So have I. And so has Plaxico Burress. The difference is, once I was through working for the guy, I didn't wander around telling everybody who asked what a miserable time I'd had doing something I love for someone I didn't.

This is what Burress has done, again, with regard to New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin in an interview with Men's Journal. Burress talks, as he has in the past, about how tough it was to play for Coughlin because Coughlin is a tough, old-school coach. From the ESPNNewYork.com story on this:

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AP Photo/Kathy WillensIn an interview, Plaxico Burress, right, said he was unhappy that Eli Manning, left, and Tom Coughlin did not visit him in prison.

"He's not a real positive coach," Burress told Men's Journal for the article that hits newsstands Sept. 16. "You look around the league, the Raheem Morrises and Rex Ryans -- when their player makes a mistake, they take 'em to the side and say, 'We'll get 'em next time.' But Coughlin's on the sideline going crazy, man. I can't remember one time when he tried to talk a player through not having a day he was having."

And ...

"I'm like, forget support -- how about some concern? I did just have a bullet in my leg. And then I sat in his office, and he pushed back his chair and goes, 'I'm glad you didn't kill anybody!' Man, we're paid too much to be treated like kids. He doesn't realize that we're grown men and actually have kids of our own."

Waaaah. Guess what? Coughlin is 65 years old. He's of a generation that didn't coddle its children. He's the kind of coach who believes he should demand excellence from his excellent players and call them on it when they don't deliver. The kind of boss who thinks asking a player to take responsibility for his own performance is treating him like a man. That might not be for everyone, but there are a pretty fair number of people who've had a pretty fair amount of success playing for Coughlin and others just like him.

Burress is upset that Coughlin and Giants quarterback Eli Manning didn't visit him in prison. Can't figure out why they didn't do that. Apparently, he hasn't considered the possibility that they can't stand him, and that that might have something to do with (A) the way he conducted himself when he was playing for the Giants and/or (B) the fact that he (not them!) committed a stupid crime that let them and the rest of the organization down, wrecked at least one season and basically left them all out to dry while he went away for two years. Somebody does that to me? And I didn't like him in the first place? I'm probably not going to visit him in prison.

If that makes me more a Coughlin than a Rex Ryan, so be it. My advice to Burress, when he gets his copy of Men's Journal in the mail, is to look at the first word of its title, the first three letters before the apostrophe, and think about maybe being one.