New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith has been referred to as "the other" for the last 3 years.

In 2009 however #12 of the NY Football Giants has outshined the better known Smith from the Carolina Panthers, as a matter of fact he has outshined every WR in the NFL. He is ranked as the number one pass catcher in all of football as the season heads to week 5. It is still early in the season but Big Blue seems to have found an aggressive aerial attack led by a more confident Eli Manning. Anchoring the young receiving core and considered the veteran is Smith who is entering his 3rd year in the league..

The departures of long time Giants WR Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress opened the door of opportunity for all pass catchers in the team. General Manager Jerry Reese was adamant about keeping his core of young and unproven wideouts this past off season. He refused to get into a bidding war or trade talks for any proven veterans available throughout the league. The gamble has paid off and other players at the position have stepped up to fill the void. Mario Manningham has had a great start to this season and Hakeem Nicks has been impressive in very limited action due to injury.

Smith is still the standout for the G-Men and the league with 34 receptions, 411 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Compare his ranking at this time to "the other" Steve Smith from Carolina who currently ranks in the 40th position at wide receiver. The comparison for this 4 game stretch is not meant to diminish the accomplishments of the Carolina veteran who has been one of the best at his position throughout his long career. He is by far one of the toughest players in the league and has been a big play threat for the Panthers for many years.

NY Giants fans can only hope that their version of Steve can have a similar career to the Panthers version. There have been glimpses of such a possibility. Smith came out of USC and was considered a good wide receiver who was drafted by the Giants in the second round (51st pick) of the 2007 draft. He has always received credit for being a good route runner but this season he has been much more than a route runner. He has displayed toughness, speed and intelligence on the field. I have watched all the Giants games this season and have seen Smith take some very hard shots and somehow he has been able to keep possession of the football. His crisp and sharp cuts have left defensive players completely defenseless during coverage and Eli Manning has been able to take advantage of these opportunities.

When asked about his and the Giants success, he said "That is why everybody was here in the offseason workouts in the spring and we had some good days and some tough days in training camp and the preseason. We are just glad it's coming together now.".

The future looks bright and promising for New York and their standout pass catcher. I think the time has come to refer to him as The NY Giants Steve Smith instead of "the other", he has earned it.

Carlos Caicedo
GiantsKickoff.com - Copyright 2009