Read More: Plaxico Burress (WR – NYJ), Eli Manning (QB – NYG), New York Jets, New York Giants

The New York Giants and the New York Jets are gearing up for a major NFC East showdown on Saturday. There are big playoff implications at stake and, as to be expected, personal bragging rights.

Rex Ryan, in typical Rex Ryan fashion, took some time on Monday to talk about his belief that the Jets have been the New York team to beat for two years now. Giants coach Tom Coughlin, as usual, refused to take the bait.

Following practice on Tuesday, Ryan attempted to clarify some of his earlier comments, but stuck to his guns regarding his opinion of the relative ability of the two teams.

It’s pretty well noted that I came in here, when I got this job, I want to be the team that people talk about. I want to be the better team. I’ve only been here three years now. So, I’ve mentioned from the whole time since I got here that I want to be the best team and expect to be the best team for the next 10 years. I recognize the rich tradition of Giants football. There’s no question. And I’m not trying to take a run at the Giants or a shot at the Giants. I want to be the best team in the National Football League, and the fact that we share the same stadium, the same state, both New York teams. I don’t want to be the one that is not looked at as the best team in my own state. There’s no way. I want to be the best team, period. Now, do I have the courage to say it? Absolutely. And if it doesn’t happen and we get beat by the Giants, I’ll be the first one to tip my hat to them. There’s no question. But do I believe in my heart that we’re the better football team? Yes. Did I believe we were the better team two years ago and last year? Yes. So I’ll stand by everything I’ve ever said.

Ryan also had kind words for Eli Manning and mentioned there would probably be some emotion from Plaxico Burress, who will be facing off against his former team for the first time.

Judging by what’s on the line in this game, it seems like there will be plenty of emotion to go around.

For all news and information regarding the New York Giants, please visit Big Blue View. For complete Jets coverage, head on over to Gang Green Nation.

New York Giants offensive tackle
Stacy Andrews was placed on injured reserve and will miss the
final four games of the National Football League season after
being diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs.

Andrews, 30, was taken to a hospital on Dec. 3 after two
days of spitting up blood and experiencing pain in his ribs,
NFL.com said. The 6-foot-6, 318-pound Andrews didn’t play in the
Giants’ game the next day against the Green Bay Packers.

The Giants’ medical staff said the blood clots are believed
to have originated in Andrews’s legs. They may have been caused
by long airplane flights, a recent back injury or a hit in
practice.

The Giants signed tackle Tony Ugoh to replace Andrews, who
played in nine of the team’s first 11 games and made three
starts. The 6-foot-5, 304-pound Ugoh was Indianapolis’s second-
round draft pick in 2007 and played with the Colts and Detroit
Lions from 2007 to 2010. He most recently played with the United
Football League’s Las Vegas Locomotives.

At 6-6, the Giants are one game behind first-place Dallas
in the National Football Conference’s East division and visit
the Cowboys this week.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Erik Matuszewski in New York at
matuszewski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at
msillup@bloomberg.net

The New York Giants are 6-2 so far this season with road wins against the New England Patriots, who had won 20 straight home games before playing New York, and Philadelphia Eagles. Yet, there are some people who don’t believe in them. And I can understand why.

The Giants aren’t loaded with fantasy football stars. Check the waiver wire in your fantasy football league and you may see a few G-Men. The Eagles, on the other hand, may be a fantasy football “dream team,” but they’re one loss to the Giants away from being knocked out cold for 2011—the two teams meet again on November 20 at MetLife Stadium.

The Giants did not have a single player on Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Cole’s “2011 All-Midseason Team.” But the two-and-six Carolina Panthers had two players, Steve Smith and Ryan Kalil(notes), on his list, and the floundering Minnesota Vikings (2-6) had one (congrats, Jared Allen(notes)). But in the National Football League, big names don’t always win games. And this isn’t fantasy football.

Some Giants fans and so-called football experts predicted doom for the Giants when rising star Terrell Thomas(notes) suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason. Linebacker Jonathan Goff(notes) went down next, as the Giants suffered a series of setbacks before week one. Furthermore, some fans were outraged when New York let free agents Steve Smith and Kevin Boss(notes) get away.

Guess what? The Giants are still standing tall.

Corners Cory Webster and Aaron Ross(notes) have filled the void left by Thomas. Webster made two key interceptions against Buffalo, while Ross stole a pair of passes in week three against Philadelphia. The Giants won both games. Victor Cruz(notes) and Jake Ballard(notes), who replaced Smith and Boss, have a combined seven touchdown and 983 yards receiving. Meanwhile, Smith and Boss have a combined 255 yards and one touchdown. Score one (or two) for Giants general manager Jerry Reese.

Leading the way, of course, is Eli Manning(notes), who declared himself an elite quarterback earlier this year, then went out and lived up to his words and made his critics eat theirs. He is on pace for a career-high in completion percentage and yards with 62.9 and 4,754, respectively. Furthermore, Manning has led fourth-quarter comebacks against New England, Miami, Buffalo, Arizona and Philadelphia.

The coaching staff deserves credit, too. Tom Coughlin, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and defensive guru Perry Fewell have been thrown under the bus in New York many times before. However, all of them have done a masterful job at working around injuries. The coaching staff’s finest moment this season may have been last week in the Giants’ upset win against the Patriots.

With the toughest part of their schedule in front of them, the Giants still have their doubters. I’m not one of them. I stood by the Giants in the preseason when the injuries were mounting; and I’m on record predicting a post-bye week record of 6-4 with a playoff birth.

Believe it or not, the Giants are this good.

More Giants content from this Yahoo! contributor:

New York Giants’ mid-season report cards (part 1): Fan’s take

New York Giants’ mid-season report cards (part 2): Fan’s take

Sources

Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The New York Giants signed free-
agent wide receiver Brandon Stokley, a 13-year veteran who won
Super Bowls with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens.

Stokley, 35, spent last season with the Seattle Seahawks,
catching 31 passes for 354 yards. He has 338 receptions for
4,673 yards and 34 touchdowns with the Colts, Ravens, Seahawks
and Denver Broncos in his National Football League career.

The Giants didn’t disclose terms of the contract.

The Giants lost receiver Steve Smith as a free agent during
the offseason and Hakeem Nicks sustained a bone bruise in his
knee during a season-opening loss to the Washington Redskins.
Nicks said yesterday he expects to play against the St. Louis
Rams on Sept. 19.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Erik Matuszewski in New York at
matuszewski@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net

NEWS

» by Randy Roper June 6, 2011, 11:22am

Plaxico Burress Released From Prison

Ex-New York Giant Plaxico Burress was released from prison on Monday after serving almost two years on a gun charge.

Burress was released from the Oneida Correctional Facility in central New York around 9 a.m. EST, and briefly spoke with reporters outside of the prison sayings, “I just want to thank God for bringing me through one of the most trying times in my life.”

“It’s a beautiful day. It’s a beautiful day to be reunited with my family. I want to go home and spend some quality time with them.”

“I’d like to thank everybody for their prayers and words of encouragement,” he continued. “I’d like to thank all my fans all around the world for the thousands of letters, for their unwavering support. As far as football is concerned, if and when everything gets settled, when they get back on the field, I’ll be ready.”

Burress, 34, is looking to follow in the footsteps of NFL quarterback Michael Vick, and return to the National Football League after serving his time in prison.

“I wouldn’t rule out any team, I wouldn’t rule out the Giants, I wouldn’t rule out any club,” Burress’ agent Drew Rosenhaus said of his client’s chances of returning to the New York Giants. “I really won’t talk about specific teams because I don’t want to hurt his position. As far as the Giants, my personal opinion is he wouldn’t rule them out. I certainly wouldn’t.”

“We are going to be open to all 32 teams,” Rosenhaus continued. “Ultimately this will be Plax’s decision, not mine. I am here to help him pick the best spot and get the very best contract. And that is what we will do.”

Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison in September 2009 after accidentally shooting himself in a New York nightclub and pleading guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

Burress won a Super Bowl championship with the Giants in 2008. He missed the last two NFL seasons.

The NFL wide receiver plans to return to his Florida home to spend time with his family, and begin training to rejoin the NFL.

Burress will not face any additional punishment from the NFL, and can sign with any team, pending the league’s lockout.