EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) – Winning the NFC East again won’t be good enough for the New York Giants this year. Not even close.

It was OK last year when the Giants, honoring the memories of deceased owners Wellington Mara and Bob Tisch, made the playoffs for the first time in three years, and the first time since Tom Coughlin became the coach in 2004.

The expectations are higher this year.

“Super Bowl. That’s all I care about, Super Bowl,” halfback Tiki Barber said.

To a man, the Giants believe the goal is realistic.

Barber, Eli Manning and tight end Jeremy Shockey headline an offense that returns all 11 starters from a unit that scored the second-most points (422) in franchise history.

Bookend Pro Bowl defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora apparently will have more help this year. Middle linebacker Antonio Pierce is healthy again. LaVar Arrington was signed to a $49 million contract to play beside him again, and the seemingly no-hands secondary was revamped and improved with the free-agent signings of cornerbacks Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters and safety Will Demps.

Even the no-nonsense Coughlin has found a little room to close the gap with his players, particularly Barber, who criticized him for being outcoached in the Giants’ 23-0 first-round playoff loss to John Fox and the Carolina Panthers.

“We’re on the same page,” Barber said.

For the veterans that is important. Time is running out for a lot of them.

Barber is entering his 10th season, one less than receiver Amani Toomer. Strahan, who went through a messy offseason split with his wife, enters his 14th season and punter Jeff Feagles goes into his 19th. Each is looking for his first Lombardi Trophy.

“There are too many guys on this team, older veterans, that realized we had a good team last year and we failed to get to where we wanted to,” Feagles said. “Tiki, Amani and Strahan have gone to the Super Bowl but didn’t win. I haven’t been to one. Our sights are high, very high. Winning the division is just the first step this year, not the final one.”

Repeating in the NFC East won’t be easy. Washington, Dallas and Philadelphia have improved.

The Giants also face one of the NFL’s toughest regular-season schedules. It starts against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts and includes seven other games against teams that made the 2005 playoffs, including two with Washington.

“I learned from Dan Reeves that there are realistic goals and then there is the optimum goal,” veteran tackle Bob Whitfield said. “It’s going to be a very competitive division and to win it will be a phenomenal feat. But the optimum goal for us is to go to the Super Bowl. With the offensive firepower we have and the defense we have, the optimum should be the reality. This year’s goal is the Super Bowl.”

There are some concerns that could derail a Miami trip in February.

With all its weapons, the offense was a no-show in the postseason against the Panthers.

Manning, whose 24 touchdown passes during the regular season was the most by a Giant since Fran Tarkenton threw 29 in 1967, was limited to 113 yards passing and sacked four times. Barber, who rushed for a career-best and team-record 1,860 yards, was limited to a season-low 41 yards rushing. Plaxico Burress didn’t catch a pass and the offensive line played so poorly that Manning was under pressure all day.

Injuries also can create problems. If Manning went down, could Jared Lorenzen or Tim Hasselbeck adequately replace him? The same holds for Barber. While big Brandon Jacobs looked good in the preseason, he would need to prove himself as a regular.

Shockey, whose 65 receptions earned him a third Pro Bowl berth in four years, also needs to avoid those nagging injuries that have slowed him.

While third-year guard Chris Snee, Coughlin’s son-in-law, is emerging as one of the NFL’s top linemen, there is concern about tackle Luke Petitgout and his chronic back problems.

Whitfield can fill in, but if the 15-year veteran is needed for any extended period, New York might be in trouble.

“I know just because you had a good offense the year before with the same people doesn’t mean that this season is going to be good,” Toomer said. “You have to go out and make the plays.”

The defense, which only gave up two touchdowns to opposing offenses in the preseason, has to prove it can stop the run with Fred Robbins and rookie Barry Cofield at the tackles. Cofield is replacing Kendrick Clancy, who signed with Arizona as a free agent.

Arrington also is a question mark after two turbulent and injury-hampered seasons in Washington under Joe Gibbs. The three-time Pro Bowler (2001-03) saw limited action in two preseason games.

The secondary of Madison, cornerback Corey Webster, Demps and safety Gibril Wilson will be tested right away by Peyton Manning. Madison and Webster replaced Will Allen and Will Peterson, whose claim to fame was dropping passes that should have been intercepted.

If everything comes together though, New York can repeat, and go even farther.

“I don’t think there will be that same type of complacency winning the division this year,” fullback Jim Finn said. “We want the satisfaction of winning in Miami.”

AP-ES-09-05-06 1612EDT