In recent memory, there are few teams that have suffered as much devastation by injury as the New York Giants. The past several seasons, the Giants have lost key players in droves, like Osi Umenyiora in 2009, Matthias Kiwanuka, Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon in 2010, as well as Plaxico Burress in 2008, to name but a few.

The 2011 offseason has been nothing short of a nightmare for the New York Giants and their fans. After a promising draft, the fans allowed themselves a glimmer of hope for this season to get back to the playoffs. That hope as fallen apart during training camp and the preseason, as the New York Giants lose important players like flies to a can of Raid.

First, the team lost first-round draft choice Prince Amukamara two days after he signed his rookie contract, severely damaging the team's depth at the cornerback position. His broken foot will heal midseason, but he will still struggle to make an impact, having missed the offseason.

Soon after, rookie second-round pick Marvin Austin went down with a torn pectoral muscle and has been placed on IR, removing the third rotating defensive tackle from the depth chart. Next was Clint Sintim, the outside linebacker who was supposed to rotate with Kiwanuka, and who has now been lost for the year with a torn ACL.

Just today, starting middle linebacker Jonathan Goff went down with a torn ACL and has been lost for 2011.

The most devastating injury of all however, is the one sustained by Cornerback Terrell Thomas in the preseason opener. The Giants' leading 2010 tackler, and arguably their most effective defensive player has been lost for the year to YET ANOTHER torn ACL.

The offense has remained largely intact, but the much-vaunted defense of Big Blue has been shattered by the injury bug this offseason. Why such a run of bad luck has fallen can only be speculated at, and no speculation can change New York's roster woes.

Unless some of the bench guys who get called up can perform effectively, 2011 promises to be a very, VERY long season for the New York Giants and their fans.

Buckle in Giants fans. This one might get ugly fast.