Why Are NFL Fans Still Sleeping On The New York Giants?
The New York Giants were a staple of poor management, awful coaching, and abysmal team play for most of the 2010s post the 2011 Super Bowl victory. There were a couple of bright spots, a few half-decent teams like the 2016 squad that lost in the wildcard round, but beyond that, not much. It got genuinely horrific from 2017 on when the Giants could not make a positive move. Any time something was going positive, things went negative right away.
While recycling coach after coach in Ben McAdoo, to Pat Shurmur, to Joe Judge, it never stopped, especially with Dave Gettleman running the front office as general manager. But the Giants fans have hope now due to two men, Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen.
Daniel Jones Is On The Come Up
The Giants are a team on the rise, and the NFL will not be able to deny their potential for long. In their first season under Daboll, the G-Men won their first playoff game since that 2011 Super Bowl and brought back true hope to a fan base that had been beaten down for years. Daboll also showed what every Giants fan had hoped for years, that Daniel Jones could be a game-winning quarterback.
Jones had struggled most of his career due to two significant issues: turnovers and coaching. Jones tended to fumble A LOT, and given his mobility and how often he does opt to run it himself, it was a devastating issue. But Daboll has worked intensely on that with him, alongside Mike Kafka, the offensive coordinator and former quarterback coach for Patrick Mahomes.
But on that topic, coaching was another major issue. Jones constantly dealt with new coaches and offensive coordinators, needing help fully adapting to a decent system and having them stay the following year. With Daboll seemingly in New York for the long haul, he will have plenty of time.
What Else Does New York Have Though?
We have yet to get into the significant acquisition of Darren Waller. Waller is a matchup nightmare, and when healthy, is a no doubt top-five tight-end in the NFL. Saquon Barkley is returning, one of the most versatile and agile players in the NFL.
With a loaded defense, with monsters like Dexter Lawrence II, Leonard Williams, and Adoree Jackson returning, there is potential for some real damage by the NYPD. This didn't even include significant additions to this defense in Bobby Okereke, who signed as a free agent, and first-round draft pick Deonte Banks out of Maryland, who will be a lovely cornerback for the future.
Quite possibly, however, the most crucial portion of the team that has improved over time is the offensive line. Another thing the Giants have always had is an atrocious offensive line, but now, that might change. Andrew Thomas is locked up for the next five years protecting Daniel Jones's blind side, the seventh overall pick in 2022, Evan Neal, is poised for a significant step-up season, and rookie John Michael Smitchz seems ready to go at center for the Giants. With a young core, it will only age well.
Can You Sleep On A Team That Made The Playoffs?
Believe it or not, yes. Despite the Giant's surprisingly good season last year, which featured a playoff victory on the road, and only getting better over the off-season, many expect them not to return to the playoffs.
Many analysts believe that due to the challenging nature of the NFC East, the Giants will fall through and be unable to replicate it. However, that doesn't make sense. Philadelphia owned the Giants last year, going 3-0 against them, but in year two of Brian Daboll's tenure, you can expect them to be better prepared.
Dallas only got worse this off-season, and with an aging offense, it is up to the defense and Micah Parsons to make up for it. Unfortunately for them, Parsons will be dealing with a fully healthy Andrew Thomas, no light task for any defender. Daniel Jones has historically dominated Washington, and last year went 0-1-1 against the G-Men. We've been shown no reason to believe that will change.
What's The Ceiling For This Team?
This team also got injured enormous amounts last year, often being depleted to insane levels with Wide Receivers you hadn't heard of stepping up and making names for themselves (Isaiah Hodgins). This team is better than last year's, and with a returning system that works, they can go far, but it relies on one man, Daniel Jones.
Jones showed his potential for sure last year, but now, he needs to prove it while scoring more and staying consistent. He was top five in game-winning drives but near the bottom in passing touchdowns. If Daniel Jones, now with more weapons than he has ever had healthy, a robust system for more than one year, and an elite defense to back him up, can put it all together, watch out for the New York Football Giants.
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