National Football League

Giants more concerned about next season, not 2014

Published May. 27, 2010 8:43 p.m. ET

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The New York Giants are finished celebrating the selection of New Jersey and New York as the site of the 2014 Super Bowl.

Less than two days after NFL owners voted to play the championship game at the New Stadium at the Meadowlands, the Giants went through a voluntary workout Thursday with their focus back on 2010, and making amends for last season's melt down.

Forgotten already?

After winning their first five games, the Giants lost 8 of their final 11 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

The end of the season was as ugly as it gets, with the Giants being outscored 85-16 in losing their final two games.

``This season is going to be huge,'' veteran guard Rich Seubert said. ``We definitely want to get back to where we were. We know we need to get better and we know we need to improve. We're trying to get there now. Nobody likes to be home during the playoffs, watching on TV. Once you get that taste once, you don't want to lose it.''

Quarterback Eli Manning said it was hard not to get caught up in the excitement surrounding the joint bid by the Jets and Giants to be the host site for the 2014 title games.

The story was played prominently in the media and the players all realized how much it would mean to the New York-New Jersey area with more than $550 million expected to flow into the region.

``Now that they've got it, I'm happy for both teams and the area, but our focus is on this year and getting ready for this season,'' Manning said. ``There are a lot of Super Bowls before that 2014 one, and unless we are in that game it doesn't affect us as players.''

Giants owner John Mara, who ripped his team for the way it finished last season, was blunt in saying that he is more concerned about how his team performs this season in its new $1.6 billion stadium rather than in 2014.

It's a message that has already seeped down to the players.

``We're expecting more,'' cornerback Terrell Thomas said. ``We disappointed the owners, the fans and everybody. We have a lot to prove, and in my opinion, the last two years have been disappointing. We lost a heartbreaker to Philly in the playoffs (NFC semifinal) two years ago and we didn't make the playoffs last year after a great start. We have to get back to playing Giants football, being disciplined and getting this thing rolling again.''

When asked about the Super Bowl, he noted the one he cares about is being played in the Dallas Cowboys' new stadium in 2011.

Receiver Steve Smith said that 2014 is so far away it's hard to imagine who on the current roster will still be on the team in 3 1/2 years.

Nine starters from the Giants' Super Bowl game against New England in February 2008 are no longer with the team, including Michael Strahan, Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress and Antonio Pierce.

``You have to take it one year at a time,'' Smith said.,

Placekicker Lawrence Tynes was a little more optimistic.

``If you look at the age of our team, we're pretty young so it's feasible that a lot of the guys could be here,'' he said. ``Same thing with the Jets.''

NOTES: Giants DE Osi Umenyiora missed Thursday's workout with a sore hip. DT Barry Cofield was not there because his wife was in labor. TE Kevin Boss (ankle) and guard Kevin Boothe (pectoral muscle) had surgery earlier this week and were not at the workout. ... Second-year receiver Ramses Barden made a nice one-handed catch. ... DB D.J. Johnson intercepted Jim Sorgi's pass and returned it for a touchdown. ... Giants rookies attended the Phillies-Mets game on Wednesday and safety Chad Jones, a former LSU baseball player, was impressive hitting and pitching before the game.

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