Will Giants Kiwanuka Be Super In 09?

(Note: Quotes gathered for this post come from an article written by Patricia Traina called Giants’ Kiwanuka Masters Adversity.)

Flash back to the 2007 season. Justin Tuck had ten sacks rotating in with other players on the Giants defensive line. In the Super Bowl, Tuck was a monster, recording six tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and two QB hurries.

Can Mathias Kiwanuka duplicate Tuck’s success in 2007 in 09?

I say yes.

Last season Kiwanuka was up and down. While he did record eight sacks, an injury at the end of the Washington game set him back for the first part of the year. He said,

“I played the first four games at less than full speed,” he said. “I had so much tape on my ankle that sometimes I found it hard to lift my foot up, and that affected my initial burst.”

In addition Kiwi seemed to wear down late last season, similar to other Giants players.

Some fans question why the Giants picked up Chris Canty, and Rocky Bernard in the off season. Don’t forget it was the DL rotation in 2007 that helped the Giants reach the Super Bowl. Add Osi Umenyiora to the mix this year and Big Blue has the potential to wreak havoc this season on opposing quarterbacks.

When Kiwanuka came into the league in 2006 he had a very good season for a rookie. In nine starts he had fifty- five tackles, twenty-three QB hurries, four sacks, and two interceptions. He moved to SLB in 2007 and broke his leg on November 18th against Detroit. He missed out on the run to the Super Bowl, and that was hard to take,

“I understood what Shockey meant when he said all those things because I felt the same way,” Kiwanuka confessed. “As much as I wanted to be a part of that, in any capacity, I understood why I couldn’t. But I won’t lie to you. It hurt me deeply.”

2009 is a new season. A new slate for Kiwanuka,

“A lot (of ) this is still a dream,” he said about his NFL career. “Playing in the NFL is definitely a privilege that has to be earned. If you’re committed to working hard, doing what the coaches tell you, and focus on your job, which I am, there’s no reason why anyone can’t be successful.”

So can Kiwanuka duplicate the success he had in his rookie season? Absolutely. Look for him to have a great year. If all goes well the Giants defense could lead the league in sacks.

This year, Kiwanuka has a real shot of  playing in the Super Bowl. A shot he’s eager to take.