Oct 132017
 
New York Giants Fans (October 8, 2017)

© USA TODAY Sports Images

[contentblock id=1 img=html.png]

Game Preview: New York Giants at Denver Broncos, October 15, 2017

THE STORYLINE:
The 2017 New York Giants season is shaping up to be one of the most disastrous in the team’s 93-year old history. Fans who thought it couldn’t get worse witnessed it getting worse last Sunday. Not only did the winless Giants lose yet another game, but they lost four of their active five wide receivers, including the team’s best player, Odell Beckham, Jr.

You think it can’t get worse? Oh I’m here to tell you sunshine that it can. Thirty-six year old Eli Manning will likely take more and more hits on his aging body. It is not out of the realm of possibility that we could see Manning’s ironman streak end and Geno Smith taking over. The team is beginning to show signs of tuning out Ben McAdoo. And as losses mount, expect the injury list to grow. There are already 13 players on Injured Reserve. And six more players have been ruled “out” against the Broncos.

The 2003 New York Giants won four games. The 1983 New York Giants won three games. The 1974 New York Giants won two games. The 1966 New York Giants won just one game. How low will the 2017 New York Giants sink?

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • RB Paul Perkins (ribs – out)
  • WR Sterling Shepard (ankle – out)
  • OC Weston Richburg (concussion – out)
  • DE Olivier Vernon (ankle – out)
  • DE Romeo Okwara (knee – out)
  • LB Jonathan Casillas (neck – out)
  • S Landon Collins (ankle – questionable)

NEW YORK GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
If you choose to watch, from a fan perspective, the best way to approach the rest of the regular season is like watching an extended and more serious preseason. We don’t know if Ben McAdoo will be back. Or Jerry Reese. But many – if not most – of these players will.

  • Quarterbacks: Barring a miracle turnaround, the New York Giants will likely have a shot at one of the best quarterback prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft. And the prevailing opinion is that the Giants will draft one of them if they get the opportunity. It would be ideal if Davis Webb were a 3rd-round steal and the Giants were able to draft running back Saquon Barkley or a defensive end instead, but the Giants will simply not know what they have in Webb by the end of this year. So expect the Eli Manning era to last at least one more season in 2018 as he serves as a mentor for the team’s 1st round pick and/or Webb. How can this season get worse? Manning gets hurt and we get to enjoy Geno Smith running around like a chicken with his head cut off.
  • Running Backs: Same story with Orleans Darkwa. He impresses early in a game. Then he stops receiving carries. We later learn he got banged up again. The Giants simply can’t count on him. His touches should be going to Wayne Gallman, who has shown flashes of being a legitimate NFL back. The big offseason debate for NYG fans will be the quarterback (and which one) or running back Saquon Barkley. (This of course assumes the Giants will keep losing).
  • Wide Receivers: The Giants are down to four wideouts – three of whom were not on the 53-man roster last Sunday. Roger Lewis, Travis Rudolph, Tavarres King, and Ed Eagan?! Good Lord! At the very least, this is a tremendous opportunity for one or two of these guys to prove they belong in the NFL. Roger Lewis has the most upside, but has proven to be inconsistent. Rudolph is the most consistent, but can he separate from NFL defenders? King and Eagen have bounced around the NFL and this is their last chance.
  • Tight Ends: One would think we’ll see a heavy dose of Evan Engram and Rhett Ellison on the field together. I hope the Giants don’t force feed Engram as a wideout. As Sy’56 has already pointed out, if the Giants split him out wide, and the opposing team puts their best CB on him, he is likely to be held quiet. I would heavily use Engram and Ellison in the passing game as true tight ends/H-Backs. Try to match them up on safeties and linebackers.
  • Offensive Line: As Sy’56 and Cris Collinsworth have pointed out, Ereck Flowers has flashed signs of not sucking in recent games. But he’ll be tested to the limit in this game by pass-rush extraordinaire Von Miller. The question remains… what is his best position? Bobby Hart is struggling on the opposite side. He has 11 games left to prove he belongs in the NFL. At right guard, the Giants have one player who can’t run block (John Jerry) and one player who can’t pass block (D.J. Fluker). Is Justin Pugh worth the money he thinks he deserves or is it best to let him walk? Is Brett Jones a legitimate NFL starter? I’m rooting for a way for Chad Wheeler to play.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
For the third game in a row, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense could not hold a 4th-quarter lead. Now an open rebellion appears to be brewing on the defensive side of the ball. Olivier Vernon out again. Jonathan Casillas not playing this week and Landon Collins questionable? This could get even uglier.

  • Defensive Line: Unfortunately, given the size of their recent contracts, for better or worse, the Giants are stuck with Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon for a while. The cap hit for cutting or trading either in 2018 would be too great. It was hoped that Romeo Okwara might prove to be another rookie free agent steal, but he’s not. And he’s out for this game. Kerry Wynn, who was far too quiet last week, will start again. Meanwhile, the JPP disappearing act continues. Damon Harrison is playing his heart out. He’s got to be frustrated as hell. I personally will be spending more time watching Dalvin Tomlinson.
  • Linebackers: Jonathan Casillas was not playing as well as last year, but him not playing this week is a significant loss for a unit that has struggled to cover backs and tight ends. B.J. Goodson was the talk of training camp, but he’s embarrassing himself in coverage. Keenan Robinson has regressed and shouldn’t be back next year. The Giants may want to start rotating Calvin Munson and Curtis Grant more into the line-up and see what they can do. For any future opponent, I would keep throwing against these guys with my backs and tight ends all day.
  • Defensive Backs: Along with the defensive line, this was supposed to be one of the best units in the NFL and good enough to help carry the team. Now there is dissension in the ranks. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is suspended and he probably won’t be back in 2018, even with a regime change. Despite what the coaches say, Eli Apple was benched. He’s unhappy. Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins don’t sound happy at all about the DRC situation. And now Collins is banged up. The Giants are wasting snaps on Ross Cockrell. He’s not the future. Play Apple and Michael Hunter. They need the experience. Darian Thompson had his best game last week. Let’s see if he can build upon that.

NEW YORK GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Dwayne Harris was finally getting some chances last week and responding. Then he breaks his foot and is gone for the year. He may not be back in 2018. Travis Rudolph and/or Ed Eagan will return. Ball security could be an issue. I’d love to see Aldrick Rosas get a chance at a historic-type kick in Denver with his leg. Have I said I want Tom Quinn gone?

FROM THE COACH’S MOUTH:
Head Coach Ben McAdoo: “Nobody is giving us a chance in this ballgame. They’re saying without Odell, we can’t score points.”

THE FINAL WORD
Attention NFL and networks – flex the Giants out of all prime-time spots while you still can! Save yourselves!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Eric Kennedy

Eric Kennedy is Editor-in-Chief of BigBlueInteractive.com, a publication of Big Blue Interactive, LLC. Follow @BigBlueInteract on Twitter.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.