Pro Bowler David Diehl fought to keep left tackle job

When the Giants tee it up in their opener against Carolina on Sunday, David Diehl will be stationed at left tackle, protecting quarterback Eli Manning's blindside from the Panthers' pass rush. Considering his Pro Bowl appearance last season, that's hardly an upset -- except that Diehl began the preseason at left guard while the club experimented with William Beatty at left tackle.

Ostensibly, the experiment really was a competition between Beatty and left guard Rich Seubert for a starting job. But Diehl wasn't thrilled with the notion of having to move out of the closest thing the offensive line has to a glamor position after the season he had a year ago when Manning topped the 4,000-yard passing mark.

"It's just like anything in the NFL," Diehl said on Friday. "Nothing is every given to you. Granted, it's weird going to the Pro Bowl last year and then people saying you can't play the position. But I just used that as motivation for myself all the way from March up until now.

"Regardless of what people say, the best thing to do is focus on the task at hand and the things you can control. For me, it was making sure I was improving each day…I've never been a guy who says much. I let my actions do my speaking for me, and I think I've done that the last eight years here not missing a game and I'm going to continue to do that."

Seubert battled injury problems last season and again in training camp, and right guard Chris Snee also had early injury problems in camp. So, that also helped create an opportunity to move Diehl to guard and give Beatty a chance at tackle. "I was fine with doing it as long as my job out at left tackle and my responsibility there was still there," Diehl said.

The signing during training camp of former Eagles Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews helped ease the situation on the offensive line because he can step in at guard if Seubert falters without necessitating a shift by Diehl, who last played guard during the season in 2006. But Diehl is hoping injuries won't interfere with the continuity of an offensive line that has been a team strength in the past.

"The most important thing for an offensive line is that you're together for a long time," Diehl said. "Not only are we on the same page, but we know what each other is thinking, we know how to work together, and we're sync when it comes to blocking. That's when you have your great o-lines in the history of the NFL are when guys have played together for a long period of time. Come game day, they know how to play together, and they're going to sell out for each other because we're not just teammates, we're brothers."