Smith To Pro Bowl?

You take a look at Steve Smith's stats, and you get the feeling he's just a few catches away from becoming the first Giants Pro Bowl wide receiver since Homer Jones went in 1967.

That's 42 years, in case anyone's counting. And it's entirely possible if Smith keeps up his current pace. Right now, he's second in the NFC in catches with 78 catches, just five behind leader and current top Pro Bowl vote-getter Larry Fitzgerald of Arizona. And his 979 yards sit second behind Minnesota's Sidney Rice.

There's no telling how these things go, of course. Given the fact that he only has five touchdowns and, really, is just becoming recognized as a go-to receiver around the league, it's not unfair to think Smith won't make it. But it's a nice thought, anyway.

"Wow, I didn’t know it was 42 years," Smith said the day after he caught six passes for 110 yards against the Cowboys. "Can’t really worry about all that stuff right now. That would be nice, but I am just trying to help my team win."

Smith, just four short of Amani Toomer's franchise record for single-season receptions, will probably pass that mark Sunday against Philadelphia. And he certainly has a shot to pass Toomer's yardage mark of 1,343 by season's end. But those numbers won't necessarily get him into the Pro Bowl, since there are more recognizable names out there with numbers close to his.

But as he said, that's not important. Beating the Eagles, who sport the league's 11th-best passing offense headlined by big-play receiver DeSean Jackson, is the pressing issue here. The Giants saved their season with Sunday's win over Dallas. Now they must continue to pull the division back to them by beating the NFC East co-leaders.

Besides, there's a lot going against him that could not only affect his chances for personal recognition, but the team's chances for a postseason berth. Eli Manning's right foot is obviously bothering him, and it's not going to get better anytime soon.

And even if his quarterback was completely healthy, there's the matter of the cold and windy conditions of East Coast football at this time of year. Consider that the Giants play three of their last four games between Giants Stadium and FedEx Field before heading out to Minnesota's dome for the season-finale. The Giants will have to make a point of ramping up the running game and throwing the shorter routes to keep the sore-footed Manning out of trouble.

Those aren't the strategies that produce Pro Bowl wide receivers. But they do make for winning efforts, which is what Smith is what consumes Smith right now. He's absorbing the renewed energy in the locker room.

"I feel like I do feel a sense," Smith said. "Just from talking to the guys, I think there is a different bounce of energy around here. Talk is good, but you just have to go out and do it. So I feel like guys aren’t really talking as much about what we want to do. I think we are just going to go show it."

Smith said he'll remember that this 8-4 Eagles team ended the Giants' postseason in a one-and-out domination at Giants Stadium last year.

"Yeah, of course. Any time you lose, especially to a team in your conference, it is tough and it hurts. I think guys are going to remember that and are going to come out and play our butts off."

Personal glory will have to wait. There are bigger things at stake this week.

EP