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Wendi and Marcellus discuss if T.O. can make his way back to the NFL, Darren talks about the Jets offseason needs, and in Did You Hear That?, Chase Blackburn tells the amazing tale of his road back to the NFL.

INDIANAPOLIS -- In case you were wondering, no, the New York Giants' first choice was not linebacker Chase Blackburn covering Rob Gronkowski all alone 50 yards down the field. But as he'd done for so much of the night, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady checked to a different play when he saw the coverage on the second play of the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVI, and Blackburn was stuck.

"I had to carry Gronkowski," Blackburn said after the Giants had secured a 21-17 Super Bowl victory. "I heard the crowd go wild a little bit, and I thought we had a sack. But I continued to see Gronk go up the field, and I just tried to stay with him. When I saw him look back, I looked back for the ball, and when I spotted it, I tried to just block out and go up for a rebound like in basketball."

Sure. Basketball. In case you're wondering, Gronkowski's University of Arizona media guide bio says he averaged 18 rebounds per game during the 2006 season at Pittsburgh's Woodland Hills High School. He has three inches and 20 pounds on Blackburn, who as recently as Thanksgiving weekend was hoping to land a gig as a substitute high school math teacher before the Giants called and said hey, how about middle linebacker instead. But Gronkowski also was playing the Super Bowl on a bad ankle, which Blackburn and the rest of the Giants knew. It's why they were, at that point in the game, using their better coverage linebacker, Jacquian Williams, on the Patriots' other tight end, Aaron Hernandez. After the check, Blackburn knew he had the big guy by himself.

"I knew it was a long way," Blackburn said. "He stopped for a second and I stopped with him. I was thinking it was a sack, but then as soon as I saw him go vertical, I knew I had to run and catch up with him."

They both jumped for the ball, but Blackburn came down with it for an interception that was the only turnover of the game. The Patriots led 17-15 at the time, and had Gronkowski caught the ball the momentum might never have swung back the Giants' way. Instead the Giants secured the kind of big stop they knew they needed to make all fourth quarter to put Eli Manning and the offense in position to win.

"We're confident in our defense," linebacker Michael Boley said. "No matter who the quarterback is, we know our front four is going to get pressure and so we need to give coverage on the back end."

For much of this game, though, they weren't. Brady led easy-peasy touchdown drives at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second to turn a 9-3 Giants lead into a 17-9 New England lead. The Giants, whose game plan had been a man-coverage defense because they believed (correctly) that Brady would try to beat them with "dink and dunk" short passes instead of deep shots, had strayed from the plan. They'd been so focused, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said, on lining up quickly that they weren't lining up in the right spots. So they pulled back a little on the man-to-man and switched to more zone, only to have Brady find holes in the zone. At one point, Brady completed a Super Bowl-record 16 straight passes.

"We just couldn't get the right people in the right coverage situations," Fewell said. "They created some mismatches, so we had to get our guys together on the sideline and get them to lock in a little bit and get back to the plan, which was man."

In a lot of ways, the defense is the Giants' 2011-12 story in a microcosm. This Giants team was about patience, perseverance and a belief that everything would get better if they just kept working at it. The defense finished 27th in the league in the regular season. Their coverage units were being ridiculed on national television. But they got healthy at the end of the season. They talked their coaches into letting them play man-to-man, and they did it well. Led by that front four and the pass rush, they allowed an average of 14 points per game during their four-game postseason run.

If someone had told you that the touchdown the Patriots scored to open the second half would be their final score of the Super Bowl, you wouldn't have believed them. Not the way the game was going at that point. But the Giants are water torture. They drip and drip and drip until they finally break you. They won the NFC Championship Game by playing smart, sound, physically tough, mistake-free football and waiting for the other team to make a mistke. They won the Super Bowl the same way. Blackburn picked off Brady. Wes Welker dropped a ball he catches every time. The Giants' defense looked lost for long stretches, but bottom line, theirs was a Super Bowl-winning effort. And they were justifiably proud of it.

"At the end of the day, we knew it was going to come down to our defense," Osi Umenyiora said. "We pressured them. We sacked them. We came through victorious."

Doesn't matter what happened along the way. Doesn't matter that a substitute high school math teacher who wasn't on the team until almost December was making plays in coverage against the best tight end in the league. Doesn't matter how it looked or what came before, and it doesn't matter that this was, two months ago, one of the least likely sentences anyone would have been expecting to type on the night of Feb. 5: The Giants' defense helped win them the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACK: Eli Manning completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown and a 103.8 NFL rating. He did not turn over the ball, which was huge for the Giants during their 21-17 victory. Manning's 38-yard sideline strike to Mario Manningham showed the raw arm talent that made Manning the first player selected in the 2004 NFL draft. Not many quarterbacks can make that throw. Manning made it when the Giants trailed, 17-15, with less than four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Manning completed his first nine attempts for 77 yards and a touchdown, staking the Giants to an early lead as they dominated time of possession to begin the game. Manning made effective use of his running backs and tight ends, executing a mostly conservative game plan. But the Giants settled for field goals too frequently. Both teams had trouble striking on pass plays down the field until Manning found Manningham in the clutch. The two had failed to connect deep down the right sideline earlier in the fourth quarter. Manning's pass was a bit wide. Manningham could have done a better job getting his feet down. Grade: A-minus.

OFFENSE: The Giants came to life in the fourth quarter, a theme for them all season. They also avoided turnovers, a huge key. That excused their earlier offensive struggles, but we'll cover them anyway. New York twice committed drive-dooming penalties after crossing midfield. A first-half holding penalty against guard Kevin Boothe on a third-and-1 play proved pivotal. The infraction wasted Brandon Jacobs' 10-yard run, setting up third-and-1. The Giants went from driving toward likely points and a potential 16-3 lead to watching Tom Brady execute a 96-yard touchdown drive as New England pulled in front, 10-9. Then, with the Giants trailing 17-15 in the fourth quarter, a penalty for illegal procedure left the Giants in another third-and-10 situation, leading to another punt. The Giants did enjoy success early in the game. They were fortunate to recover their own fumbles, especially when Ahmad Bradshaw lost the ball deep in Giants territory. Losing tight ends Travis Beckum and Jake Ballard to injuries left New York with only one available tight end, Bear Pascoe. Grade: B

DEFENSE: Justin Tuck's pressure on Brady forced a safety on the Patriots' first offensive play. That was a sensational start for the Giants. Tuck closed out the game with a third-down sack with 39 seconds remaining. The Giants failed to get enough pressure between those plays, allowing Brady to shred their defense for stretches. But Brady averaged only 6.7 yards per attempt. The Giants held the Patriots to 17 points, about two touchdowns below their regular-season average. Jason Pierre-Paul was effective batting down passes. Chase Blackburn made his presence felt with a de-cleater hit on BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He also picked off a deep pass for Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots' quickness in general and Danny Woodhead's in particular gave the Giants problems, especially with Brady having time to operate. The Giants caught a break when Wes Welker got wide open and dropped a pass that would have moved New England into field-goal range while leading with about four minutes left. Grade: B-plus

COACHING: The Giants left 57 seconds on the clock when Bradshaw scored on a run up the middle to take a 21-17 lead. Bradshaw tried to sit down at the 1-yard line, but his momentum carried him into the end zone. The points were nice, but leaving that much time on the clock for Brady carried risk. The offensive plan seemed conservative and without enough play-action passing early. That was to be expected given Tom Coughlin's philosophy. That showed up when Coughlin handed off instead of taking a shot deep down the field on an early second-and-1. Grade: B

SPECIAL TEAMS: Lawrence Tynes made both field-goal attempts. The Giant did not allow a punt return. They forced New England to begin three drives inside their own 10-yard line. The Patriots never started a drive outside their own 29. No complaints here. Grade: A

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Most of the New York Giants returned to practice Thursday. Seven of them did not, including wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, center David Baas, running back Ahmad Bradshaw, cornerbacks Corey Webster and Will Blackmon and linebackers Chase Blackburn and Jacquian Williams. All seven were held out due to injury, but none is concerned about possibly missing the Super Bowl, which is 10 days away.

"Just trying to be smart and not aggravate something that's there that we'll be able to manage in a short amount of time," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said.

Nicks injured his shoulder in Sunday's NFC Championship Game in San Francisco, but he returned to the game and expects to be fine. Baas has an abdominal injury as well as the neck problem that has affected him all year. Bradshaw has been sitting out two practices a week for the past month and a half to rest his injured foot. Baas and Blackburn (calf) said they expected to practice Friday. Webster has a hamstring injury that's been bugging him for a few weeks but hasn't affected him in games. Williams has a foot injury, the team said.

Basically, the two-week break before the Super Bowl allows the Giants to rest injured players even if their injuries wouldn't require them to miss practice on a normal week. If we get to next Thursday and Nicks is still not practicing, then Giants fans would have a reason to be worried. But again, he came back into the game after injuring the shoulder Sunday. If he was fine after a half-hour, I imagine two weeks should be plenty of time to allow him to heal sufficiently to play in the Super Bowl.

The New York Giants you see before you -- a team that has made it to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs -- are not the same New York Giants we watched for most of this season. Their enthusiasm and effectiveness bear little, if any, resemblance to that of the team that lost five of six games from mid-November to mid-December. What's the difference? Well, there are many. And each day this week, leading up to the playoff game Sunday in Green Bay, we'll take a look at a player or players who have helped turn these Giants from a mid-pack pretender to a Final Eight contender.

Today: LB Chase Blackburn

The Giants decided not to bring back Blackburn last offseason opting instead to go with a rookie corps at linebacker even once Jonathan Goff and Clint Sintim went down with preseason injuries. But the November injuries to Michael Boley and Mark Herzlich were too much, and so the Giants called their old friend and brought him back Nov. 29. He started the very next game -- the one against the Packers on Dec. 4 -- and came up with an interception of Aaron Rodgers. He wasn't even on the flip card yet, and he wasn't wearing his old uniform number. A week earlier, he was working out the details of a substitute math teaching gig in Ohio. It's possible his was the most surprising interception Rodgers threw all season.

"I think he'll know who No. 93 is this time," Blackburn said earlier this week.

Blackburn's return has brought stability to the Giants' middle linebacker position, which never attained that following the Goff injury. Rookies Greg Jones, Jacquian Williams and Herzlich all took their turns in the middle, but things remained unsettled, as they often do with rookies, and the Giants suffered for it. Had Herzlich not injured his ankle, they might have continued to roll with the rookies. They take the middle linebacker off the field on passing downs anyway, and they don't view it as the most essential position in their defensive scheme.

But having Blackburn back and manning the middle has helped in ways the Giants didn't foresee. The most important element he brings is familiarity. He's played here before. He knows the scheme, the system, the terminology.

"Think about it," Boley said. "You bring in a guy in Week 13 and he's never been here before, he has to spend a lot of time just learning what things are called. He's catching up. But with Chase, there was no catching up. The stuff we do is exactly the same as it was when he was here before. So he just slid right in."

The Giants' defense still runs off the big guys up front -- the four-man pass rush. And the play of the secondary is likely to matter more and get more attention this week in the playoff game in Green Bay. But Blackburn's contribution since he arrived Week 13 has been quietly significant, if for no other reason that it's allowed the Giants to stop moving pieces around as much as they were before he returned. He's made plays. He's fit in. He's been everything the Giants needed when they went out looking for a substitute linebacker in late November. And more, almost certainly, than they expected.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — They gave up 360 passing yards the last time they played the Green Bay Packers, and that wasn't even the worst day of the season for the New York Giants' secondary. It is not the strength of their team, and the main reason it's looked better lately is the effective aggressiveness of the defensive line as it pressures quarterbacks. But while he's clearly not ready to proclaim that all is well on the back end, Giants coach Tom Coughlin believes his secondary will be better in Sunday's playoff rematch in Green Bay than it was in the 38-35 Week 13 loss at the Meadowlands.

"We're definitely going to be tested in the secondary, obviously," Coughlin said before Wednesday's practice. "There has been improvement — a plastering effect, if you will. Much better than it was a few short weeks ago. I think that's the growth of the confidence that comes from the pass rush, to the ability to stop the run and then to be able to execute on the back end — knowing full well that naturally there's yardage to be gained but nevertheless that we stay away from the big play."

Against the Packers, with their dynamic and myriad receiving threats and quarterback Aaron Rodgers' pinpoint accuracy, that's the best for which you can hope. The Giants must trust their pass rushers to harass Rodgers and then make sure their cornerbacks and safeties don't get burned for anything too deep. Rodgers can beat them by throwing short all the way down the field, but at least if you force him to play that way you're giving yourself more chances to make a play to stop him or get a turnover.

"We have to do our job in the secondary and make sure we take away their wide receivers," safety Antrel Rolle said. "I understand they're an awesome opponent, but then again so are we. I wouldn't put any opponent on a pedestal."

One thing the Giants have going in their favor is that they're much healthier on defense than they were in the first Green Bay game. That day, linebacker Michael Boley was still coming back from a hamstring injury. Chase Blackburn had just been signed off the street. Osi Umenyiora was out with an ankle injury. Safety Kenny Phillips hurt his knee in the second quarter and had to come out of the game. Safety Deon Grant said Wednesday he remembers the all-hands-on-deck feeling from a game in which he had to spend some time at middle linebacker.

"A lot of guys were just out there guessing," Grant said. "So I think the biggest thing this time will be the ability to play full-speed and just being concise on everything with everybody in the right place and knowing what they're supposed to do."

Will it be enough to slow down Rodgers & Co.? We'll find out Sunday. But the Giants definitely go into this game feeling better equipped to do so than they did six weeks ago.

I was a baseball beat writer many ages ago and, recently, I was reminded of a story that applies to a rare occurrence we saw last weekend in the NFC North.

In a late 1990s game, then-Baltimore Orioles left fielder B.J. Surhoff came to bat with the bases loaded. He was facing a young, hard-throwing relief pitcher whose name I have long since forgotten. The pitcher couldn't throw strikes and quickly fell behind. Facing a full count, the pitcher was one ball away from walking in a run.

Everyone in the ballpark figured the next pitch would be a fastball, a pitcher's best chance for throwing a strike or getting contact or somehow avoiding a walk. Surhoff was sitting dead red, as the seamheads like to call it, and almost fell down while swinging early on an improbable change-up.

Furious, Surhoff stormed into the Orioles dugout. As then-manager Ray Miller told us later, Surhoff yelled to the pitcher: "Learn how to play the game!"

Yes, sometimes ignorance beats veteran smarts. That's pretty much what happened on the interception Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw in the second quarter of last Sunday's game against the New York Giants.

Trust me. I'm not trying to be a Rodgers apologist in this instance. He does in fact make mistakes, but in this case, the interception occurred mostly because Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn -- who had just re-signed with the team earlier in the week -- was out of position relative to the coverage.

Some of you might have seen ESPN analyst Eric Mangini break down the play earlier this week on "NFL Live." Rodgers confirmed Mangini's analysis during his ESPN 540 radio show this week.

Upon arriving at the line of scrimmage, Rodgers identified the Giants in a classic Tampa 2 defense with Blackburn as the middle linebacker. That meant Blackburn would have responsibility for the deep middle of the field. Given the Packers' play call, Blackburn would have responsibility for Packers receiver Randall Cobb, who was running a post route down the middle of the field.

Rodgers couldn't see Blackburn as he backpedaled from center, but said he "figured" Blackburn would chase Cobb downfield. Receiver Greg Jennings was the next read, and based on how the Packers' play call matched up to the Giants' defense, Jennings would be open.

But Blackburn was either thinking along with Rodgers, and risking a deep completion to Cobb if he was wrong, or just wasn't quick enough to get into position. Instead of following Cobb downfield, Blackburn stopped and undercut Jennings. That's why he was in position to make what appeared to be an easy interception.

Rodgers ultimately took the blame for making the throw, his fifth interception in 408 attempts this season. He called it a "deadly quarterback sin" to make a "semi-blind throw."

As amateur observers, we all wonder sometimes how a veteran quarterback can throw the ball directly into an opponent's hands. In this instance, at least, we know why -- with big hat tips to Mangini and Rodgers.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- You could look at this two ways. You could say the New York Giants are only down by four points at the half to the 11-0 Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers and therefore have a chance to win it. Or you could say that things have gone about as well as they possibly could have gone for the Giants so far and they're still losing. But you guys know me. I'm an optimist. I'm looking at it the first way.

The first drive of the game, when they went to Ahmad Bradshaw twice and then downfield to Travis Beckum for that dazzling catch-and-run for the long touchdown, showed that the Giants have what it takes to hang with the Packers offensively. Everybody laughed when I wrote last week that the Giants have enough in the passing game to outscore Green Bay, but it's true. The Packers came into this game ranked third in the league in pass yards per game, and the Giants were fourth. That's not a mismatch, and with the Packers' defense banged up, there will be and have been plenty of opportunities for Eli Manning down the field.

They key is to avoid turnovers, since that's the food that sustains the Packer defense. Manning made a poor decision on the early second-quarter interception that Clay Matthews returned for a touchdown. You just can't allow the Packers to put points on the board while Aaron Rodgers is on the sideline. The second turnover wasn't really Manning's fault, as the pass protection broke down and Matthews walloped him from behind to force a fumble. And it didn't end up costing anything (except a chance to score more points) because the Packers missed the field goal with time running out in the first half.

But the offensive line remains a concern. It has been a major weakness all season for the Giants, and now it is very banged up. With left tackle Will Beatty already out indefinitely and David Diehl having moved from guard to tackle to replace him, center David Baas was a late scratch due to headaches. So Kevin Boothe moved from left guard to center and Mitch Petrus started at left guard. While the line has blocked surprisingly well in the run game for Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs, they've been a mess in pass protection, and that's likely to cost the Giants as they'll have to throw to keep up with Rodgers and the Packers.

There is a chance they'll be able to do it, though. They've already intercepted Rodgers once, and their pass rush seems re-engergized and has been delivering hits on Rodgers all game long. If those hits add up and begin to rattle Rodgers into mistakes, the Giants might be able to keep this game close.

A couple more thoughts:

• The main problem the Giants have with the Packers is that they can't cover everyone. Greg Jennings, their best receiver, is standing open by himself on the sideline in the first quarter. Donald Driver, their fifth-best receiver, is wide open in the end zone for a touchdown. Jermichael Finley, their huge and talented tight end, is a mismatch for anyone in their secondary. The Giants are playing with great energy, but might not have the personnel on defense that they need to stop the Packers. To be fair, though, no one in the league has this season.
• The loss of running back James Starks, who left early in the game with an injury, hasn't seemed to affect the Packers, who have been able to use rookie Brandon Saine in the screen game and the run game with some success.
• Chase Blackburn, re-signed just this last week because of the Osi Umenyiora injury, was the linebacker who made the interception of Rodgers. You could have gotten some good odds against that one a couple of days ago.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

A look at the free-agent priorities for each NFC West team:

Arizona Cardinals

1. Sign or acquire a quarterback: You've heard all the potential names by now. Kevin Kolb, Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger and Matt Hasselbeck all could be available. The same goes for Donovan McNabb, but the Cardinals aren't interested in him. How much interest they have in the others remains less clear. They liked Bulger as an option last offseason, but the timing wasn't right. Kolb reportedly stands atop their wish list now, although price is a consideration. One way or another, the Cardinals will go into the 2011 season with fresh veteran blood at the position.

2. Firm up the offensive line: Left guard Alan Faneca retired. Center Lyle Sendlein and right guard Deuce Lutui have expiring contracts. Brandon Keith showed promise at right tackle, but he's coming off knee surgery. A better quarterback would help take pressure off the line, but Arizona isn't going to find another Kurt Warner. The team has loaded up at running back, adding second-round choice Ryan Williams to an already crowded backfield. The Cardinals need to re-sign Sendlein. Letting Lutui depart would put them in the market for veteran help. I've looked through the free-agent lists for guards already familiar to the Cardinals. Pittsburgh's Trai Essex, a starter in 21 games over the past two seasons, played for Arizona's Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm with the Steelers.

3. Work toward a deal with Larry Fitzgerald: Ideally, the Cardinals would have landed their next quarterback in March, then spent the offseason working toward extending Fitzgerald's contract beyond the 2011 season. Fitzgerald is an NFL rarity. He's in line to sign three massive contracts during the course of his career. He signed the first one as the third player chosen in the 2004 draft. That deal ultimately became untenable for the Cardinals, giving Fitzgerald the leverage to get $40 million over four seasons, plus assurances Arizona would not name him its franchise player once the deal ended. Fitzgerald, still only 27, will cash in at least one more time.

Top five free agents: Sendlein, Lutui, receiver Steve Breaston, defensive lineman Alan Branch, defensive lineman Gabe Watson.

St. Louis Rams

1. Upgrade the run defense: The Rams could use another defensive tackle to take their promising defensive front to another level. Adding Fred Robbins in free agency last offseason was a good start. Barry Cofield (New York Giants) and Brandon Mebane (Seattle Seahawks) are scheduled to become free agents this offseason. Cofield played for Steve Spagnuolo and would transition to the Rams' system easily. The Rams could use an in-the-box safety, something they addressed later in the draft. They need to find one and possibly two starting outside linebackers. Chase Blackburn projects more as a backup, but he was also with Spagnuolo on the Giants. Blackburn has played all three linebacker positions. Minnesota's Ben Leber would make sense as well. Paul Ferraro, the Rams' linebackers coach, was with the Vikings previously.

2. Help out Steven Jackson: Adding a third-down back such as Darren Sproles would lighten the load for Jackson, who has played through several injuries in recent seasons. Jackson has 654 rushing attempts over the past two seasons despite missing one game and playing for a team that has often trailed its opponents. Only Chris Johnson (674) has more carries during that span. Sproles isn't the only viable potential option. Jason Snelling, DeAngelo Williams and Reggie Bush also could become available. Upgrading at right guard would also help out Jackson.

3. Figure out the situation at receiver. It's questionable whether the Rams will find any clear upgrades at receiver in free agency. That could lead them to stand pat at the position. They have quantity, but not enough high-end quality. Adding more quantity wouldn't solve much. Plaxico Burress gets mentioned as an option for his ties to Spagnuolo, but he's been out of the game and might not offer much. The Rams thought about claiming Randy Moss off waivers last season. Moss could make more sense for the Rams now that Josh McDaniels is offensive coordinator. He worked well with Moss in New England. Sidney Rice could also have appeal.

Top five free agents: receiver Mark Clayton, guard Adam Goldberg, defensive tackle Clifton Ryan and tight end Daniel Fells.

Seattle Seahawks

1. Sign or acquire a quarterback: Bringing back Hasselbeck remains an option. The team expressed interest in Kolb last offseason. The team could also add a lower-profile veteran to the mix -- perhaps a Matt Leinart type -- for an open competition with Charlie Whitehurst. That would not excite Seattle fans, of course. Getting a young quarterback to build around would be ideal, but the Seahawks are adamant they will not force the situation in the absence of viable options. They weren't going to do it in the draft, when they passed over Andy Dalton for tackle James Carpenter. They probably aren't going to do it in free agency, either.

2. Solidify the offensive line: Tom Cable's addition as assistant head coach/offensive line puts the Seahawks in position to court Oakland Raiders guard Robert Gallery in free agency. Gallery has said he's not returning to the Raiders. Seattle has drafted its starting tackles, starting center and starting right guard in the past few seasons. Max Unger and Russell Okung need better luck with injuries. Okung would also benefit from an experienced presence next to him at left guard. Gallery qualifies as such and he would fit the zone system Cable wants to run. Green Bay's Daryn Colledge could be available, too. He has ties to Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Former Seattle starters Chris Spencer, Sean Locklear, Chester Pitts and Ray Willis might not return.

3. Plug holes on defense. Mebane appears headed for free agency. The Seahawks want him back, but how badly? Mebane could fit better in a purer 4-3 defense. He also might command more money elsewhere. Injuries along the defensive front could also affect the Seahawks' needs. Red Bryant is coming off season-ending knee surgery. Injuries affected Colin Cole and Chris Clemons last season as well. Cornerback is another area to monitor once free agency opens. Does Marcus Trufant still fit at his relatively high price? The Cincinnati Bengals' Johnathan Joseph and other free-agent corners could appeal.

Top five free agents: Hasselbeck, Mebane, Locklear, linebacker Will Herring, defensive end Raheem Brock.

San Francisco 49ers

1. Re-sign Alex Smith: Smith and the 49ers renewed their vows informally this offseason. The official ceremony should come when free agency opens and Smith signs with the team. Smith's name continues to show up on free-agent lists in the interim, but there's no chance he'll sign elsewhere. He's given his word to the 49ers. The team, in turn, has entrusted him with its playbook. Smith even took the lead in teaching what he knew of the offense to teammates. Re-signing Smith takes pressure off rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick. With a new coaching staff, a young prospect in Kaepernick and no access to players during a lockout, this wasn't the year for San Francisco to make a bold play for a veteran passer from another team.

2. Make a decision on Aubrayo Franklin. The 49ers' plans on defense remain a bit mysterious. Coordinator Vic Fangio did not distribute playbooks to players. The team's needs could change based on whether Franklin, a solid nose tackle, leaves in free agency. Franklin's status as a franchise player last season raised the stakes for a new contract. What does Fangio think of him? What specifically does Fangio want from his defensive linemen? How much will Fangio change to suit the 49ers' personnel? How much new personnel might he want? General manager Trent Baalke said the 49ers will not be aggressive in free agency. The team has shown restraint on that front in recent seasons. Losing Franklin would hurt.

3. Figure out the secondary: The pass defense was problematic last season. Personnel changes in the secondary are on the way. Veteran cornerback Nate Clements stands to earn more than $7 million in base salary in 2011. That price appears prohibitive. The team could release Clements or find a way to keep him at a lower rate. Free safety Dashon Goldson does not have a contract for 2011. How much is he worth? Baltimore's Chris Carr is one free-agent cornerback with ties to the 49ers' staff. He and Fangio were together in Baltimore.

Top five free agents: Smith, Franklin, outside linebacker Manny Lawson, center David Baas, linebacker Takeo Spikes.

Believe it or not, we're a little more than three weeks away from the Dallas Cowboys opening training camp. The rest of the NFC teams will open camp soon after. With vacation looming for at least one blogger, let's take a close look at the most compelling storylines for all four teams:

Dallas Cowboys: The defending NFC East champs are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, although they've asked me not to write those words. There are a number of intriguing story lines, including the development of wide receiver Dez Bryant. How long will it take the former Oklahoma State star to overtake Roy Williams in the starting lineup? I'd give it at least six games.

But there's also this little thing about getting Bryant under contract. You might recall that he's represented by the same folks who advised San Francisco receiver Michael Crabtree to skip camp last year. The good thing for the Cowboys is that Jerry and Stephen Jones have a good working relationship with Bryant's agent, Eugene Parker. But it's something that bears watching. It would not surprise me one bit if Bryant missed the first week of camp while waiting for some other players to sign.

But the most compelling story line to me is whether Doug Free can adequately replace Flozell Adams at left tackle. I think Free has all the tools, but there will be bumps along the way. The Giants, Eagles and Redskins will structure their game plans around putting pressure on Free. Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett needs to be ready to counter. I keep reading that the left tackle spot is not as important as it used to be. I think that's a dangerous line of thought.

I've seen one position hold whole teams hostage, and that's why I'll have a close eye on how Free does in training camp. Can Alex Barron challenge Free for the starting spot in camp? I know that the other NFC East teams believe that to be the case.

New York Giants: I think the Giants are the X factor in the NFC East. There's a chance they show that the past season was an aberration caused by a rash of injuries. But I could also see them struggling again. The Giants will either have Jonathan Goff or rookie Phillip Dillard starting at middle linebacker. I suppose Chase Blackburn's in the mix, but we pretty much know what he is at this point. The Giants should be infinitely better in the secondary. Last season was a nightmare for the unit.

Safety Antrel Rolle will immediately solidify this situation and Kenny Phillips' return would be an enormous boost. But the Giants have protected themselves against Phillips not being ready to go. Deon Grant's a decent option who is very durable. And Aaron Ross is capable of playing either cornerback or safety.

But the No. 1 story line for this team revolves around new defensive coordinator Perry Fewell's ability to rev up the once-great pass rush. Truth be known, we haven't seen the Giants' vaunted pass rush since Nov. 2008. There was a significant falloff late in that season and the defensive line has never regained its swagger.

Fewell has to put the best pass-rushers on the field while being able to manage Osi Umenyiora's enormous ego. That's no easy task. Just ask former defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan about that situation. But if Fewell can get Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka going again, the Giants could be in the mix for a playoff spot. Seriously, who has the best chance of winning the division outside of the Cowboys? I can't remember it being this much of a crapshoot. And that's why the Giants have a major opportunity next season.

They're stacked at wide receiver -- especially with Hakeem Nicks' development. If Brandon Jacobs can rediscover the player that he was in 2007 and 2008, this can once again be a dangerous offense. But again, the most important piece to this puzzle is the pass rush. Can Linval Joseph and Jason Pierre-Paul help that situation immediately? Your guess is as good as mine.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles attempted to retool their defense via free agency and the draft. I'm still concerned about the depth at the back end of the defense, but the linebackers are in a lot better shape. The Eagles need defensive end Brandon Graham out of Michigan to make an immediate impact. I took a long look at him during an organized team activities session and was impressed with his motor. But he's raw in terms of pass-rushing moves at this point. He's going through a crash course right now of watching smaller pass-rushers such as Elvis Dumervil on tape. And he's doing a nice job of bringing it to the field.

But this season will be all about whether Kevin Kolb's up to the task of replacing Donovan McNabb. I think he is and that's why I believe the Eagles are the second best team in the division right now. The former Houston Cougar will be smart enough to let all his weapons makes plays for him. Jeremy Maclin has made a huge leap this offseason, according to the folks I've talked to in the organization. The most important thing for Kolb is to protect the football.

He'll go through some growing pains, but I think the Eagles have enough talent to help Kolb survive the process. To me, this will be just as fascinating a story line as how McNabb performs for the Redskins. But that's just me.

Washington Redskins: Since I don't think Albert Haynesworth will be playing for the Redskins this season, I'm going to stay away from him in this column. The most compelling aspect of this season for Washington is obviously the performance of Donovan McNabb.

And that first matchup with the Eagles is going to be one of the most intriguing moment of the season. He's trying to play it down, but I think McNabb realizes that he has an opportunity to change his legacy if he can get the Redskins to the playoffs.

But is one man worth six additional wins? I have my doubts. Even with the addition of Jammal Brown, you still have questions along the offensive line. And Santana Moss has more on his mind than just football. Can Malcolm Kelly or Devin Thomas emerge as a consistent threat? That remains to be seen.

McNabb makes this a better team, but he's not a miracle worker. He had Brian Westbrook in his prime when he was going to all those NFC title games. How will he do with three aging running backs? We're about to find out.

The timing seems a bit odd, but the decision shouldn't come as a shock. The New York Giants have decided to release linebacker Antonio Pierce -- and he seems OK with it.

"I was shocked at first, but I'm not the one up there up in the office, and they said they felt they needed to go in another direction," Pierce told ESPN's Rachel Nichols on Thursday. "They said it wasn't my health, or the way I played, but just that -- that they were going in another direction. We left everything smooth and peaceful and I'm happy about that -- I felt like I said everything I needed to say to them. I've loved my time in New York and won't have anything but good feelings about being with this team."

Pierce was the emotional leader of the defense on the '07 Super Bowl team. And even as his ability seemed to fade in '08 and '09, players still looked to him for leadership. He was in the New York area to have an MRI on the herniated disk in his neck when he stopped by to visit with coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese. Here's something interesting that Pierce told Nichols:

"I have no wish list," he said. "If I had a preference, it would be to stay in the NFC East, since I know the division so well. But I just want to go somewhere I can help a good team."

Pierce was about to enter the final season of a six-year, $26 million contract. At 31, it's not like he'll command a huge contract with another team. But I think a team will sign him to a one-year deal to see if he can overcome the bulging disk in his neck. Even after being placed on injured reserve last season, Pierce remained on the sideline and encouraged his teammates. And it's his influence in the locker room that will be remembered most by the Giants. Players such as Justin Tuck and Mathias Kiwanuka fed off Pierce's emotion.

In talking to Mike Garafolo from the Star-Ledger this afternoon, Pierce didn't show any animosity toward the Giants. In fact, he appears to be showing a lot of grace:

"If there’s anything anybody wants to know about me, it’s that I know for a fact I left a stamp on this organization, this city, my teammates," said Pierce. "I know I made guys better, I know they learned from me. I know I taught them lessons and I learned lessons from them. It was perfect. It maybe didn’t end the way I wanted it to end. If anything’s disappointing, it’s that. Am I angry? I’m not angry. I’m very positive about everything. I feel that my career is far from short and over. I just have to do it elsewhere."

“When we brought him in here, we were interested in A.P. for all of the dimensions he brought to the table -- his leadership qualities, his natural charismatic ability to rally the troops, he loved football, he’s a very smart football player -- he took great pride in studying the tape and knowing what everybody did on defense,” Coughlin said. “He had the ability to communicate assignments on defense as the leader in the huddle. He was a three-time elected captain here with the New York Giants. He demonstrated great leadership. He has been an outstanding football player. Think of the screen play against Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game and the tremendous play that he made. Had he not made that play who knows where that ball would have gone?”

So where do the Giants go from here? Jonathan Goff and Chase Blackburn have taken turns filling in for Pierce, but it's not like either player really distinguished himself. It wouldn't surprise me if the Giants thought about taking a linebacker with the No. 15 pick overall.

They'll certainly find a player with fewer injuries and more speed than Pierce. But it will be virtually impossible to replace the competitive spirit that he brought to the Giants over the past five seasons.

If you asked me where Pierce is going to end up, I'd point to the Rams first. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo has immense respect for his former linebacker. And just because I know you'll ask, I don't think he'd be a good fit in Jim Haslett's 3-4 scheme.

We've spent all week talking about how the Giants finally have everyone healthy, but the club delivered some bad news Friday evening. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce, a team captain, has a bulging disk in his neck and will be out indefinitely. Pierce released a statement through the Giants:

"I'm shocked with what I heard from the doctors this afternoon," Pierce said in the statement. "I had no idea that what happened a few weeks ago could keep me off the field. I didn't think it was that serious. I'm going to do everything the doctors tell me to do so I can get back out on the field as soon as possible."

The Giants play the Falcons on Sunday in the Meadowlands. Chase Blackburn will probably replace Pierce in the starting lineup. Blackburn's a steady player, but he's only started one game at middle linebacker since '05. Pierce is the defense's emotional leader and he had 55 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble this season. Some defensive players have talked about having some communication issues -- and Pierce's absence won't help.

He can often be seen checking the Giants into proper calls. Blackburn's an intelligent player, but he doesn't have nearly as much experience as Pierce. It looks like the best-case scenario for Pierce returning is about six weeks from now.

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	Will the Giants defenders be able to slow down Drew Brees and the Saints' passing attack?

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Let's admit it. The NFC East hasn't exactly provided us with great theater through five games of the '09 season. You could argue that Chiefs-Cowboys was an instant classic -- as long as you skip the first three quarters. But on Sunday, the Beast emerges from its five-week slumber with a matchup between two heavyweights in the NFC.

We pretty much assumed the Giants were going to be in the Super Bowl conversation heading into the season, but the Saints were a different story. For all their prolific offensive numbers, they had not been a good defensive team under coach Sean Payton. But after winning a bidding war for defensive coordinator Gregg Williams this offseason with some of his own money, Payton and the Saints appear to have as good a chance as anyone from the NFC.

Could this be a preview of the NFC Championship Game? It's hard to say at this point, but it should be an entertaining matchup. The Beast blog now presents my five favorite storylines heading into Sunday's game in New Orleans:

Manning

1. Eli Manning is going home to play in the Superdome for the first time. It's hard to believe that the youngest Manning boy grew up in New Orleans, hung out with his father at Saints games, but has never played in the Superdome. Brothers Peyton and Cooper played high school games in the famous stadium, but the one NFL game Eli was supposed to play in New Orleans was moved to Giants Stadium in 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina.

Manning hasn't lost his "aw, shucks" demeanor, so it's hard to tell how much this game means to him. I think he'll take a moment before the game to sort of soak everything in -- and then he'll go about his business like any other road game. The outcome of this game isn't going to determine whether the Giants make it back to the Super Bowl, but it will give them a great idea of how they stack up against a pretty impressive team. The Giants have devoured the dregs of the league (Bucs, Chiefs, Raiders, Redskins), and that's why it's hard to truly know how good they are at this point.

Manning has thrown 10 touchdowns against only two interceptions this season and he's kept his passer rating over 100 the past four weeks. He's certainly right in the middle of the MVP conversation and a big game in front of a hostile crowd would only enhance his chances. A lot of folks have him trailing big brother Peyton right now, but I think a win on Sunday would put Eli in front. Williams has done a tremendous job with the Saints' defense, but so far this season, Manning has been unflappable. I don't see that changing.

Shockey

2. The Giants will see an old friend in tight end Jeremy Shockey. I realize this storyline is getting a little tired, but we're not going to run from it. Earlier in the week, Shockey told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he still had a "bitter taste" in his mouth about his very public split with the Giants. The reality is that Shockey acted like a baby when the Giants didn't coddle him leading up to Super Bowl XLII. Like many injured players, he felt estranged from his teammates down the stretch -- but a lot of that was his own doing. Payton has a good understanding of Shockey because he once served as offensive coordinator for the Giants. He knows how volatile Shockey can be and I think he'll do a good job of trying to prevent the tight end from going overboard Sunday.

Shockey's a very talented player. He's also incredibly childish. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the Giants' defenders try to bait him a little bit during the game. Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce has been very complimentary of Shockey this week, but I wouldn't be shocked if he changed his tune after kickoff.

3. Can the Giants' front four get to Drew Brees? Quick, name the Saints' starting left tackle. Unless you follow this team on a weekly basis, you'll have a hard time coming up with Jermon Bushrod and his understudy Zach Strief. The Saints lost Pro Bowl left tackle Jammal Brown for the season -- and it hasn't mattered. Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the league at getting the ball out quickly. Payton has provided the perfect system for Brees' skills -- and he takes advantage of some tremendous weapons. NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas has even tried to make the argument in the past that Brees is the best quarterback in the league. I think this will be a fascinating cat-and-mouse game between Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and Payton. Here's where I think the Giants can hurt Brees: Players such as Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka have enormous wingspans. They're not always going to get to Brees, but I think you'll see them bat down some passes.

I think the Giants will move defensive end Justin Tuck inside even more than usual Sunday. The Giants want to bring pressure up the middle in an effort to force Brees out of the pocket. He can move around a little bit, but it's not as if he's great at throwing on the run. I also think you'll see the Giants bring some pressure from their cornerbacks and safeties. I like the way Pierce checks into different calls right before the snap. He did that against the Cowboys and it paid off with an interception return for a touchdown by Bruce Johnson. The Giants will do everything they can to make Brees uncomfortable.

4. With linebacker Michael Boley out with an injury, how will the Giants account for the Saints' RBs? This is the topic that's not getting enough play nationally. The Saints finally have all their running backs healthy. Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush pose a serious threat to any defense -- but especially one that has had trouble covering running backs in space. That's what Boley was brought in to do after Brian Westbrook exposed Pierce last December. Just as he did in 2006, Payton uses Bush as his primary receiving back. He'll use him in a variety of ways in the passing game -- and occasionally he'll even hand him the ball.

Thomas and Bell probably will end up splitting the carries. Thomas may be the closest thing to a feature back that the Saints have -- and he's been excellent lately. Bell was really good early in the season and now he's ready to go again. I guarantee you that Sheridan's almost as concerned about the backs as he is about the Saints' wideouts. Chase Blackburn's a solid replacement for Boley against the run, but he could struggle trying to cover Bush. Someone should be spying on Bush at all times.

Sharper

5. Manning has to know where Darren Sharper is at all times. If Manning has a nemesis, it's this guy. Sharper's one of those crafty safeties who seems to constantly lure quarterbacks into mistakes. And he's driven Manning nuts in the Meadowlands. Sharper has picked off Manning four times, returning two of those for touchdowns. Manning joked this week that he has single-handedly kept Sharper going to Pro Bowls.

Like his brother, Manning does an excellent job of making pre-snap reads. He rarely checks into the wrong play. And he'll know where Sharper is at every moment Sunday. The crowd noise is going to be a factor and I think the Giants will be ready to go with a silent count if they need to. Manning's been superb on deep balls through five games. I'd look for him to try to hit Mario Manningham or Hakeem Nicks on a double move early in the game. He'll try to take advantage of Sharper's daring ways.

The Beast has reserved a seat in the Superdome press box Sunday, so make sure you join me for all the action.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Bernard

The fact that defensive tackle Fred Robbins and linebacker Michael Boley are starting training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list shouldn't catch anyone by surprise. But Rocky Bernard's listing on the non-football injury list caught everyone by surprise.

According to Tom Coughlin on Sunday, Bernard finished up the club's offseason program with a banged up shoulder and hamstring. Most people thought, though, that Bernard would be ready to go at the start of camp. Apparently it's the hamstring that is keeping Bernard off the field early in camp.

"The surprise is Bernard," Coughlin said Sunday in his state-of-the-team address. "I didn't expect this. He left [after the offseason program] with a hamstring [injury] and a shoulder (injury). The shoulder seems to be feeling okay, but he does have an issue with his hamstring."

Not a good sign that two key players from free agency, Boley and Bernard, will both miss time during training camp. We already knew Boley would miss camp because of hip surgery. Without those players, defensive tackle Chris Canty and Barry Cofield should get a lot of reps in practice. And at linebacker, expect Bryan Kehl, Chase Blackburn and Gerris Wilkinson to see even more work than usual. It's imperative that Wilkinson stays healthy throughout training camp. He has always been a talented player, but the Giants are going to lose patience with him at some point. And that time may be sooner rather than later.

By the way, the "non-football" injury status means that Bernard suffered an injury while not under supervision of team officials.