EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Osi Umenyiora doesn't think there is anything easy about preparing to defend against Drew Brees and the Saints' offense.

"I would never say that," Umenyiora said. "I'd never say there's anything easy about playing against him. He's one of the best quarterbacks in this league. We definitely have our work cut out for us."

Umenyiora disagreed with the notion that the Giants' defense will have an easier time -- as Jason Pierre-Paul put it -- with more traditional Saints offense than it did trying to figure out what the Redskins and Robert Griffin III were doing in their option read offense.

Pierre-Paul was saying the Giants should have an easier time from an assignment standpoint facing a more traditional offense than playing against Washington, which had the Giants on their heels.

"We don't have to play the option, but that's about it," Umenyiora said. "We still have a lot of work. They do a lot of different protections. The secondary has their work cut out for sure with all the stress that (Brees) puts out there. It's probably a tougher game physically than playing against Washington."

Umenyiora also disagreed with Antrel Rolle's observation that the Giants need to be less complimentary toward opponents before games and save the hugs and kisses for after.

"That's Antrel's opinion," Umenyiora said. "He's one of our leaders. He's one of the very good players we have on this team, so he's entitled to that. But at the end of the day, if a guy's a good player, I'm going to call him a good player, period."

"We're playing against Drew Brees," he added. "He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I'm going to say he's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. If anybody has a problem with that, I guess they'll take that up with me in private. But you guys know I'd never do that, call somebody good if he's not good. But if he is good, I have no problem saying it."

Umenyiora did say there's a positive to praising an opponent.

"You don't want to give anybody bulletin-board material," he said. "You don't want to say, 'Oh these guys [stink]' and then he comes out there and throws for 13 touchdowns on you. So, if anything, you want to err on the side of caution and say how good he is and then go out there and knock his head off. I think that's pretty much what we're trying to accomplish when we say things like that. Nobody's in awe of anybody."