Last season, the New York Giants finished with a 6-10 record. It was the sixth time in 7 years that “Big Blue” did not make the playoffs. Legendary basketball coach Pat Riley once said, “Every 7 years, an organization has to either change the coach or change their core players.” For the Giants, a change was definitely needed. After 12 years and 2 Super Bowl Championships, former Head Coach Tom Coughlin was let go by the Giants.
It was the right move to make at the right time. The Giants became the most aggressive NFL franchise this offseason, spending over $200 million on a defense that was ranked at the bottom in almost every category. Expectations are high and General Manager Jerry Reese knows the time to win is now, as he is in the proverbial hot seat. But in order for them to triumph this year, the Giants must first answer the following 5 questions facing the team:
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Is Ben McAdoo ready to be a head coach? Only two NFL coaches have ever won a championship in their rookie year as head coach; Don McCafferty did it with the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V and George Seifert did it with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIV. The pressure is on for McAdoo, but he seems to welcome the challenge. In his very first meeting with the team, his motto was, “Get a 5th Lombardi Trophy for the case.” He understands that if the Giants don’t win a championship, the season will be considered a failure. So far, we know that his attention to detail is second to none. (He even has the Giants line up a certain way during the national anthem.) McAdoo is a coaching star on the rise, and he will do great things for this franchise. I like his confidence and his approach.
How good is the Giants offense? The Giants have not had a great running game in years. In order for New York to win their division, they’ll have to get consistent play from their offensive line. In particularly, their right side; RG John Jerry and RT Marshall Newhouse have got to be consistent. If not, they could be the Giants Achilles heel.
Who will be the #2 option on offense? Over the past 2 years, WR Victor Cruz has only played in 6 games. He has already missed time this preseason due to injuries. Someone on this offense has to “step up” and help Odell Beckham Jr.; While first year WR Sterling Shepard has shown flashes and can become a very good player, he is still a rookie. RB Shane Vereen and TE Will Tye will have to catch a minimum of 50 passes each if this offense wants to be elite.
Can Rashaad Jennings be the featured back all year? The one criticism on McAdoo is that he waited until late in the year to make Jennings the featured back. Over the last three weeks of the season, Jennings averaged 19.2 carries and rushed for 482 yards. If healthy, he can rush for over 1,200 yards in 2016. But can he handle the workload?
What about the defense? After spending over $200 million, the Giants defense has to not only be better than last year, but also be in the top 12 statistically. They are in desperate need for one of their linebackers to become a playmaker.
I like the overall look and feel to this Giants team, and think they have what it takes to win the NFC East.
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