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The Giants deal with Hakeem Nicks' foot injury, Falcons coach Mike Smith on his playoff struggles, and Marcellus and Schlereth read between the lines when Mark Sanchez talks at Jets' organized team activities.

New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was not given a warm welcome at Yankee Stadium this weekend. Tebow reportedly was booed in front of the baseball-dominated crowd, along with NBA star Dwyane Wade, Sunday during a game between the Yankees and Los Angeles Angeles.

Tebow is one of the most polarizing athletes in sports, but he's also one of the most popular. Just recently, Tebow drew about 15,000 people to a speaking engagement on Easter Sunday in Texas. A couple in Florida also paid $100,000 to spend a day with Tebow, further confirming his popularity.

So why did Tebow receive a not-so-warm welcome in the Bronx? Surely, there were New York Giants fans in the house Sunday night. After all, New York is a Giants town, not a Jets town.

But here's the one thing that's consistent about New York sports fans: You have to earn their respect. No athlete is given a free pass in the Big Apple, and Tebow won't be the exception. He will be cheered on the football field in New York once he helps the Jets win games.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2012 NFL regular season will open just as the 2011 regular season ended -- with a game at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.

The NFL announced Tuesday that the Super Bowl champion Giants will host the Cowboys in the Wednesday, Sept. 5 season opener. It's the ninth year in a row that the league will open its schedule with a prime-time game hosted by the defending champs.

If you're a regular reader, you know this comes as a surprise to me. Looking at the Giants' 2012 schedule for home opponents, I thought it made the most sense to open with the Packers. That would have been a game between the past two Super Bowl champs that had widespread national appeal. But I guess the Cowboys have as much widespread national appeal as the Packers do, and in spite of this being a divisional game, it does cross geographical lines and span a couple of time zones. The added oomph of the Giants-Cowboys rivalry can't be overlooked, either. The Giants beat the Cowboys on Jan. 1 in the final game of the regular season -- a game that decided the NFC East title and put the Giants into the playoffs while eliminating the Cowboys.

No word on other Week 1 games or any other regular-season scheduling at this point. But Giants and Cowboys fans can circle Sept. 5 on their calendars if they want to. And I'm pretty sure I'll be there.

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- As we've discussed, the Green Bay Packers are a likely opponent for the New York Giants in the NFL's annual kickoff game, scheduled for Sept. 5. Often the league announces the matchup for that game, along with a few other notable national affairs, during the owners meetings. But as of Sunday night, an NFL spokesman said, the details of the opening game had not been settled and an announcement this week is unlikely. Hopefully you can handle the anticipation. We'll let you know if anything changes.

New York is such a huge media market that it always needs royalty in place.

So who is the current sports king of New York? Can new Jets quarterback Tim Tebow fill that void?

The crown right now is on the head of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning. He’s won two Super Bowls in the past five seasons and went through the ringer with New York fans and media. Manning persevered and came out on the other side a stronger person and better quarterback. He showed the toughness it takes to be a professional athlete in New York, and he’s earned Gotham’s respect. That crown will be hard to take.

But every sports king needs a sports prince. That is where Tebow-mania has the potential to take over.

Tebow already comes to the media capital of the world with an immense fan base. The Gang Green No. 15 jersey sales will go through the roof. Tebow just needs to do his part on the field, which he did in Denver last year by leading the Broncos to the playoffs. Based on his character and work ethic, we already know no one is going to work harder. Those are admirable traits that the New York metropolitan area will respect.

The competition for New York’s No. 2 athlete has some contenders. I consider Derek Jeter, 37, in his own category. He's run New York for so long that he's in the "King of New York" Hall of Fame. He's more of the governor or mayor at this point. Leave the rotating crowns to the younger guys. Let's look at five who are in the running for the prince role behind Manning:

• Jeremy Lin, PG, Knicks: For about a three-week period, there was nothing bigger in sports than Lin. His story of going undrafted out of Harvard to starring for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden captured the imagination of the sports world. But the Knicks have since fizzled out and so has Lin’s momentum. He’s still averaging a solid 14.9 points and 6.3 assists per game. But the Knicks are a game below .500 and in danger of missing the playoffs.
• Carmelo Anthony, F, Knicks: He came to New York with a ton of fanfare, but there are already signs that Anthony is starting to wear out his welcome. The Knicks seemed to play better without him this year, which isn’t a good sign. Maybe that’s just a coincidence, but that hasn’t stopped New Yorkers from pointing that out as the Knicks currently stand with a losing record (23-24). Anthony is averaging 20.3 points per game and his star has fallen significantly in the King of New York race.

More Coverage of the Tebow Trade

• Broncos deal Tebow to Jets
• Walker: Sanchez is the key
• Bryant: Don't cry for Tim Tebow
• Williamson: Denver had to end it
• Horton: Deal makes sense for Jets
• O'Connor: Jets made the right call
• Cimini: Logic-defying move
• Vote: Sanchez's job in jeopardy?

• Henrik Lundqvist, G, Rangers: Now, here is a dark-horse competitor. He already has the nickname “King Henrik,” and the New York Rangers are in first place and one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Winning matters more than numbers, but Lundqvist is putting up both. He has a 1.87 goals against average and a stellar 34-15 record as of Wednesday. If the Rangers win the cup, look out.
• Mark Sanchez, QB, Jets: Similar to Anthony, Sanchez had "King of New York" potential upon his arrival, but production and results have dipped of late. That basically kills his chances, especially now that Manning has that spot for the rival Giants. Sanchez helped lead the Jets to back-to-back AFC title games his first two years and was on his way to being New York royalty. But failing to get over that hump and crashing and burning last year has put him back in the pack. Having Tebow-mania waiting behind him also doesn’t help.
• Darrelle Revis, CB, Jets: Revis Island gained a good following, but it’s hard for a cornerback to get that kind of recognition -- especially a quiet cornerback like Revis. Knowing Revis, he probably doesn’t want this kind of spotlight and publicity. He leads by working hard and being the best cornerback on the field. The Jets need to win, though, and go far for everyone in New York to truly appreciate what Revis can do.

Unless Tebow can win two Super Bowls in New York -- which isn't likely, the crown isn't leaving Manning's head any time soon. But Tebow has such a huge fan base that there is potential to capture the imagination of New Yorkers and challenge for the No. 2 spot.

Cincinnati receiver Andre Caldwell tweeted that he has signed with the Broncos.

Caldwell, 26, has been a backup, possession-type and would be a back-of-the-rotation player for Denver. He had 37 catches for the Bengals last season; in 2009, he had 51 catches for 432 yards.

The Broncos are reportedly interested in reuniting new quarterback Peyton Manning with former teammate Brandon Stokley. If signed, he too would be a rotational receiver.

In other AFC West news:

The Raiders are reportedly are among the teams interested in Giants defensive lineman Dave Tollefson. The Bay Area native was on the Raiders practice squad in 2007. There is no movement on the Manny Lawson front. The Raiders are among several teams interested in him.

Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk is a former teammate and close friend of quarterback Peyton Manning. That is why you have to take Faulk's opinion seriously when he says Manning will not go to the NFC and the Miami Dolphins are potential favorites.

Faulk seemed adamant Wednesday that you can pretty much cross off 16 NFC teams, including the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Redskins, who are both considered strong contenders to sign Manning.

"If you're in the NFC, you're out. The Mannings (won't) play a regular-season game," said Faulk, also referring to quarterback Eli Manning of the New York Giants. "They're not gonna stop each other from going to the Super Bowl. Meeting in the Super Bowl? How great would that be for the family?"

Faulk continued by saying "There's no way, there's no way, there's no way" when NFC teams were mentioned. Faulk didn't seem as sure where Manning will land but mentioned Miami as a possibility.

"Matt Flynn just doesn't do it," Faulk said. "(He's) not Aaron Rodgers, let's be honest."

If Faulk is accurate about his good friend, Peyton Manning, this is an interesting development. Teams like the Dolphins and New York Jets would basically have their competition cut in half, especially with strong suitors like Arizona, Seattle and Washington out of the mix. We will see if Faulk's prediction holds true.

The AFC East blog continues its series this week on ranking team needs in the division.

On Wednesday, we take a look at the reigning AFC East champion New England Patriots, who finished 13-3 last season.

No. 1 need: Cornerback

Analysis: If you watched the Patriots all season, this shouldn't come as a surprise. New England's 31st-ranked pass defense was horrific last year. Even casual observers who only watched the Patriots in the Super Bowl saw New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning carve up New England and earn MVP honors. New England starting cornerback Devin McCourty took a big step back last season. Kyle Arrington had a lot of interceptions but also gave up plenty of big plays. McCourty is young and can still improve, but I don't think his ceiling is high enough to become a Darrelle Revis-type corner, who can shut down one side of the field. If New England feels it can get that caliber of corner free agency or the draft, the team should jump on it.

No. 2 need: Safety

Analysis: Many would argue safety is New England's biggest need, and it's certainly a valid debate. However, the reason I put cornerback over safety is because corner is more valuable in today's NFL. In my opinion, cornerback is the second-hardest position to play behind quarterback. You take the corner over the elite safety every time. But there's no avoiding New England's need at safety. Patrick Chung is a good, young player who needs someone next to him to take the pressure off on the back end. This is a great year for safeties in free agency. Therefore, New England could have this need filled before the draft.

No. 3 need: Pass-rusher

Analysis: This need could be helped if New England retains free-agent defensive end Mark Anderson, Andre Carter, or both. The Patriots' two best pass-rushers are set to hit the open market. Anderson most likely will generate more interest due to Carter’s season-ending quad injury. He had a great year with the Patriots and registered 10 sacks. But even if New England keeps Anderson, the team needs another threat on defense to get to the quarterback.

That is our list for the Patriots. Using our SportsNation poll, let us know if you agree or disagree on team needs for New England.

There has been plenty of offseason speculation that the Miami Dolphins would be interested in trading up from the No. 8 overall pick, presumably to land Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

But something that hasn't been discussed nearly as much in this draft is the idea of Miami trading down. Should the Dolphins consider it?

I think it makes a lot of sense. Miami's needs in the first round (quarterback, right tackle, safety) may not be available or too high for the No. 8 overall pick.

For example, quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Griffin III would both be targets of interest for the Dolphins. But both are expected to go within the top two picks. Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill also could be of interest, considering his ties with Miami offensive coordinator Mike Sherman, but not at No. 8. If Miami trades back, the interest in Tannehill would increase.

Right tackle is huge position of need for Miami with starter and pending free agent Marc Colombo not expected back. But smart teams do not draft right tackles in the top eight. Left tackles are much more valuable.

Also, is there a safety worthy of the eighth pick in this draft? I don’t see it.

If Miami uses the pick, I think the team should look at the best pass-rusher on the board at No. 8. The Dolphins have outside linebacker Cameron Wake (8.5 sacks), but I don’t think you can ever stockpile enough pass-rushers in today’s NFL. The Super Bowl champion New York Giants are a great example.

But taking a pass-rusher wouldn’t fill Miami’s biggest needs, which is why the team should also consider trading out of the No. 8 pick in April.

The New York Jets reportedly have given starting linebacker Bart Scott permission to seek a trade. Scott’s agent told ESPNNewYork's Rich Cimini that the linebacker would go to the New York Giants "in a heartbeat."

Are the defending Super Bowl champions a good landing spot for Scott? Here are some thoughts:

• I think this would be a good fit for Scott. It's well-documented that the Giants lacked linebacker depth this past season. A hard-nosed player like Scott would bring more toughness, depth and attitude to the group. For Scott, he doesn't have to go far. The Giants and Jets play in the same stadium, and the Giants also train closer to the Meadowlands.
• But there is no reason for the Giants to help the Jets by giving up a late-round pick and taking on Scott’s $4.2 million salary. Scott, 31, experienced declining production in 2011. His 66 tackles were his lowest total in seven seasons. It's doubtful there will be much (or any) interest in Scott under his current contract. The Giants, if interested, can simply wait until Scott is released, negotiate a more reasonable contract and preserve a draft pick.
• Either way, Scott’s return to the Jets appears unlikely. Having permission to seek a trade usually is the first step to parting ways. The team usually is trying to get a parting gift -- a draft pick or two -- on the way out the door. That seems unlikely for the Jets.

Suzy and Adam discuss Joe Flacco's contract situation, Tim talks about Steve Johnson's future in Buffalo, and in Did You Hear That?, Mario Manningham might be on his way out of New York.

Thursday, we looked at the possibility of cornerback Stanford Routt staying in the AFC West. It appears that one team in the division is indeed considering the idea.

ESPNDallas.com reported that the Kansas City Chiefs are one of the teams that have interest in Routt, cut Thursday by the Oakland Raiders. Kansas City has yet to arrange a visit with Routt.

If the Chiefs sign Routt, that likely means they will allow cornerback Brandon Carr to become a free agent. The Chiefs could yet choose to place the franchise tag on either Carr or receiver Dwayne Bowe.

The Chiefs could be comparing the price tags for Carr and Routt; they could also be showing interest in Routt to demonstrate to Carr that they would be willing to go elsewhere.

I think it is a smart move for the Chiefs to at least see what Routt is looking for and to give themselves options in case they think Carr will leave. Because there is so much interest in Routt, this process could take some time.

In other AFC West news:

New Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio talks about adjusting to his new unit in a radio interview.

The Chiefs reportedly are interested in a member of the Super Bowl champion Giants for their offensive-line coaching job.

NFL Films does a wonderful job replaying live sound from the previous week's games. That is why I was interested to hear what players and coaches had to say during Sunday's Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and New York Giants.

It was an emotional game where momentum swung from New York to New England and back to New York. The Giants won the game, 21-17. But there were two very interesting tidbits I took from New England's perspective.

First, following a fourth-quarter drop by Patriots receiver Wes Welker, NFL referee John Parry said to another official: "That was the game." Keep in mind New England was winning, 17-15, late and was about to punt the ball deep in New York's territory.

It showed even officials involved in the Super Bowl knew that New England's 31st-ranked defense wasn't going to make a big stop to win a championship. The ref's thought process at that moment wasn't any different from the media and fans who closely watched the Patriots all season.

Second, on New York's final drive, Patriots coach Bill Belichick encouraged his defense to let the Giants throw to Mario Manningham, who made the big 38-yard grab to get New York's Super Bowl-winning drive started.

"This is still a [Victor] Cruz and [Hakeem] Nicks game," Belichick said on the sidelines. "I know we're right on them. It's tight but those are still the guys. Make them go to Manningham, make them go to [Bear] Pascoe. Let's make sure we get Cruz and Nicks."

The Patriots were a team this season that thrived and executed under pressure. But these fourth-quarter mishaps by Welker and Belichick/New England's defense were the difference in Super Bowl XLVI.

Wendi and Mort discuss the legacy Ricky Williams leaves behind, Darren wonders if the Eagles can follow the Giants' path, and in Did You Hear That?, Gronk puts on his dancing shoes.

Suzy Kolber and Chris Mortensen discuss the biggest surprises from Super Bowl XLVI, Herm Edwards debates what options the Indianapolis Colts have with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft, and in the "Did You Hear That?" segment Eli Manning speaks from Disney World.