Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the biggest weakness of the 2009 season for every team and explain how the franchise can address the issue. The series continues with the Giants, who finished third in the NFC East (8-8).

Biggest problem in 2009: Jacobs' power loss

Brandon Jacobs(notes) rushed for 835 yards and 5 touchdowns in '09.
(US Presswire)

The New York Giants had two problems that kept them out of the playoffs for the first time since 2004: a defense that suffered a severe downturn from the one that helped them win Super Bowl XLII, and a rushing attack that lost almost all of its power. It's thought that the defensive issues will be solved with three additions: new coordinator Perry Fewell, first-round defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul(notes), and big-time free-agent safety Antrel Rolle(notes). The rushing attack is a more complicated matter.

The "Earth, Wind and Fire" trio of

Here are a few NFL items to mull over while realizing that yes, this is exactly what Rex Ryan throwing a baseball should look like...

-- Oh, great sweet hot flaming death. Having alienated and jettisoned every single one of their offensive playmakers from the pre-Josh McDaniels era, the Denver Broncos are now threatening to reduce Elvis Dumervil's(notes) $3.168 million restricted free agent tag to about $600,000 (10 percent more than what he made last year) if he doesn't sign the one-year tender by next Monday. Next: the inevitable McDaniels standoff, followed by the trade or release of the best pass rusher in the NFL. Then, McDaniels can get on with the business of trading Ryan Clady(notes) and the deed to Invesco Field for a third-round draft pick in 2014.

-- Other contract issues: The New Orleans Saints vs. running back Pierre Thomas; and the San Diego Chargers vs. receiver Vincent Jackson(notes) and left tackle Marcus McNeill(notes). Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, whose usual

While many football fans find labor discussions about as interesting as the ingredient list on the back of a breakfast cereal box, things are amping up on the side of the NFL Players Association. The NFLPA's latest move could affect now only how, but whether you will see your favorite sport in the near future.

We recently went over the Supreme Court's interpretation of the American Needle case, which walled the owners off from permanent antitrust immunity. Now that they, unlike the lords of baseball, are required to act in good faith, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith has fired the next shot in what looks to be a protracted border war. On Wednesday, the players association filed a Special Master claim, contesting that the league took lower revenue (the kind that would be shared with the players under any agreement) in exchange for guaranteed money in the event of a lockout in 2011 (not a cent of which the players would see) in a renegotiation of television contracts. Smith and

Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the biggest weakness of the 2009 season for every team and explain how the franchise can address the issue. The series continues with the Titans, who finished third in the AFC South (8-8).

Biggest problem in 2009: Johnson not a cure-all for offense

Vince Young(notes) (R) hands off to Chris Johnson vs. the 49ers.
(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Tennessee Titans were a team of two distinct seasons in 2009. There was the disastrous 0-6 start, when head coach Jeff Fisher found himself on the hot seat (a rare occurrence), and starting quarterback Kerry Collins(notes) got worse every game. In the sixth game, a franchise-worst 59-0 loss to the Patriots, Collins completed two of 12 passes for minus -7 yards. That was enough for Fisher (and owner Bud Adams), who replaced Collins with Vince Young over that bye week. Offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger worked

When I interviewed former Notre Dame and current Seattle Seahawks receiver Golden Tate(notes) for the Washington Post in March, I should have asked him if he had a sweet tooth. Evidently he does, and it seems to have gotten the rookie in a bit of trouble. As first reported by TMZ.com, Tate was given a trespass warning by police in Bellevue, Washington (a suburb of Seattle) when the owner of the Top Pot donut shop below the apartment complex in which Tate lives noticed that there were intruders in his place of business at 3:00 last Saturday morning. The Seattle Times reports that Tate and a friend got in via a common door that was left open.

Tate said that the idea was to go into the shop to grab a few maple bars, which are apparently addictive to the extreme. "They're irresistible," Tate told the media after his pastry caper was made public. "It was kind of a foolish mistake that won't happen again. But if you ever want some maple bars, that's the place to go.

"A buddy made the mistake

Less than a month ago, we brought you the tale of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers(notes) and his Twitter battle with ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay. Rodgers opined that McShay should take his challenge and watch some game film with him, ostensibly in order to prove his expertise. McShay was the only guy that Rodgers called out by name, but his shot at "some of ESPN's experts" was merely a lead-in to his most recent comments. On ESPN's own Milwaukee station, Rodgers mercilessly bashed "Monday Night Football" broadcaster Ron Jaworski and former MNF cohort Tony Kornheiser. First, his take on Tony:

You know who was better than Tony Kornheiser? Dennis Miller was ten times better. Dennis Miller was a great comedian, but one of the worst Monday Night Football guys ever. And he was ten times better than Tony Kornheiser. His stuff was actually funny. Tony stuff wasn't funny at all. He did no research. We'd sit in those production meetings and he would add absolutely nothing to the

Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the biggest weakness of the 2009 season for every team and explain how the franchise can address the issue. The series continues with the Redskins, who finished fourth in the NFC East (4-12).

Biggest problem in 2009: The Haynesworth contract albatross

The Redskins' Albert Haynesworth(notes) must adapt to the 3-4 defense.
(Fernando Medina-US Presswire)

The Washington Redskins have a long history of favoring expensive free agents over development through the NFL draft, and the franchise went all-out with the signing of former Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth in February of 2009. The deal, which is worth $100 million over seven years, pays Haynesworth a guaranteed $41 million, including a $21 million option bonus he received in April of this year. When the Redskins wrote that particular check, the only remaining member of the front office was

Editor's note: Yahoo! Sports will examine the biggest weakness of the 2009 season for every team and explain how each franchise can address the issue. The series continues with the Jaguars, who finished fourth in the AFC South (7-9).

Biggest problem in 2009: An ill-fitting 3-4 defense led to a non-existent pass rush

Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio is hoping for a more explosive defense in 2010.
(Fernando Medina-US Presswire)

In the past decade, many teams have tried to follow the Super Bowl-winning examples of the Patriots and Steelers by switching to 3-4 defenses as their primary schemes. Nearly half the teams in the NFL now run the 3-4 to a greater or lesser degree (some teams mix in different kinds of four-man fronts around it), and the ramifications when you don't have the personnel for the switch can be severe. The pre-Rex Ryan Jets tried the move under head coach Eric Mangini, and their