John Fennelly , Executive Editor

I’ve been getting a number of questions via email and other means…let me answer them now before tonight’s game (and I change my mind)

What position worries you the most?

I’d have to say left tackle. Will Beatty’s back could flare up at any time and shelve him indefinitely. Right now, journeyman Sean Locklear is playing in his place, but do you really want him as your LT for the whole year? No, and James Brewer is not ready, otherwise he’d be playing. If the Giants have to slide David Diehl back over from RT, that would be a step backwards but it might be their only move.

Who is your candidate for breakout player this year, your ‘Victor Cruz’?

I don’t see anyone going from zero to sixty like Cruz did last year, but there are some players that I see stepping out of the shadows. TE Bear Pascoe will probably not garner a lot of attention from defenses, just like Jake Ballard last year. He could become a reliable target for Eli because he’ll probably be open every down. LB Mark Herzlich is healthy. He already has the football part down, so now that his body is cooperating he could end up being a force on the Giants’ defense. WR Jerrel Jernigan could be a wild card on that offense. He looks like he might be able to get behind defenses and spread them out. If he can do that, it will be like shooting fish in a barrel for Eli.

Who is your key to the season?

My key was – and is – Terrell Thomas. He is the playmaker on defense. I don’t trust these young CBs, especially when they need to code switch between pass and run. Thomas is great against the run. They missed him greatly last season.

Will Eli rack up the stats again this year?

Yes. He may not reach the levels he reached last season because the Giants are re-committing to the run, but he’ll get his shots in. He’s just a great competitor who is in the prime of his career.

Will Jason Pierre-Paul break Michael Strahan’s single season sack record?

If anyone can, it’s JPP. But he needs the interior line and the LBs to help him out. He’ll draw double-teams from just about everyone. If the players around him begin to get pressure, teams will have to back off doubling him. The Giants can counter that by moving him around, which could be the plan for all I know…

Will the Giants miss Brandon Jacobs and Mario Manningham?

On the field, they’ll miss Manningham more. He was quietly turning into a solid wideout. The Giants have Jernigan and rookie Rueben Randle on deck and who knows, they could be better. Jacobs failed too many times in short yardage situations for my liking, but his personality and presence in the locker room will be missed.