After two consecutive losses, one can't help but wonder if the Giants can actually make an impact on NFL football odds this season. A few weeks ago New York was stating its case as the best team in the NFL, having racked up five straight wins to open the season. What happened? And can the Giants get back on track?

The first problem was handicappers and fans overestimated New York's impressive play because of a powder puff schedule. The Jints won five straight, but who wouldn't have against Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Oakland. Dallas is the only quality win during that stretch—the other four teams are a combined 5-23.

Then along came New Orleans and Arizona (which presently sport a combined 10-2 record). The biggest culprit in New York's descent has been the defense. The G-Men allowed just 71 total points during their five-game winning streak, a 14.2 per game average. In the past two losses, they've surrendered 72 total points, or 36 per contest.

The offense hasn't been especially strong either. Last week, against Arizona, Eli Manning and Co. turned the ball over four times while giving up three sacks. The vaunted running game hasn't necessarily been ineffective, but it hasn't blown the doors off either.

At the end of the day, Giants fans should calm down—it's not the end of the world, nor is it the end of the Giants season. New York's biggest concern heading into the 2009 season was a green receiving corps, but that problem has been surprisingly rectified by Steve Smith, Mario Manningham and rookie Hakeem Nicks. The "D" has struggled, but that can be largely blamed on injuries. The Giants have more talent on this unit than anyone in the NFL, and they'll regain their groove eventually.

The biggest problem is the schedule. Yes, the soft schedule actually hurt New York. This team simply wasn't prepared to handle good teams like New Orleans and Arizona. Now, after two weeks of becoming battle tested, the Giants should be prepared for Philadelphia and resume their winning ways.