Preview: New York Giants at New Orleans Saints, December 17, 2023

 Posted by
Dec 152023
 
Tommy DeVito, New York Giants (December 11, 2023)

Life is often stranger than fiction

THE STORYLINE:
We have officially entered some bizarre, surreal, Twilight Zone territory. Almost overnight, the Tommy DeVito story has turned into what seems a real-life Hollywood production. You may love it. You may hate it. But at least for a small moment, it has made the New York Football Giants fun and interesting again.

Before we dive into the very meaningful short-term ramifications of Monday night’s huge (and it was huge) upset of the Green Bay Packers, we need to address the elephant in the room. Most of us are so very tired of talking about it, but the impact of DeVito-mania on Daniel Jones must be recognized.

I’ve long said to fans on the site, “It can always get worse.” Well, I broke my own mantra a few weeks back when I erroneously claimed that the 2023 season could not have gone worse for Daniel Jones. It just did. Not only did Jones only win one game in 2023, injure his neck again, and tear his ACL, but now an underdog local kid has captured the hearts and minds of much of the fan base. At this point, Jones has to be wondering what he did to deserve all of this.

The odds that Tommy DeVito ends up being the real deal are not good. It’s much more likely his name will the answer to some obscure trivia question years from now. The NFL graveyard is littered with quarterbacks who flashed early, were proclaimed the savior by the fanbase, and then unceremoniously disappeared into oblivion once opposing defensive coordinators figured them out. Two upcoming games against the Philadelphia Eagles are also likely to be an ugly wake-up call.

However… what if Tommy DeVito continues to flash? Even if the Giants don’t come out victorious, what if DeVito throws touchdown passes while minimizing mistakes? What if he truly is the best quarterback on the current roster? That’s not such an absurd statement anymore. Give Sy’56 credit. For several weeks he has been saying there is something more here than meets the eye with DeVito. You can’t ignore three straight games with a QBR over 100. No Giants quarterback has done that since Eli Manning almost 10 years ago. And Manning was an 11-year veteran at the time with two Super Bowl rings. Most importantly, DeVito is winning. He’s 3-1 as a starter.

Which brings us to the complications. I’m not going to get into the losing for a draft pick vs. winning for culture debate, but simply point out there is a legitimate downside at play here. If you had your mind set on drafting a new “franchise” quarterback in April, that’s starting to look more problematic. A lot of teams need new quarterbacks and the Giants are now falling down the draft board with each win. So that raises a number of new questions. Do the Giants still draft one of the second-tier quarterbacks early in the draft? Do the Giants risk going into training camp with just Jones, DeVito, and some free agent veteran? By signing or not signing a free agent veteran in March, aren’t the Giants telegraphing what they may do in the draft in April? Will Jones be designated the incumbent before camp even starts or will there be an open competition? Life didn’t just get strange for the Giants, it may have gotten a lot more complicated for Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll.

Somewhat lost in DeVito mania is the Giants won a game on Monday night that no one expected them to win. While the Packers may have only been 6-6, they had won three games in a row, including over the Super Bowl contending Lions and Chiefs. This was a must game for them. The Giants had nothing to play for except pride. Just as significantly, the Giants were 0-8 in their last eight Monday night games. The Giants had become the NFL’s version of the Washington Generals in primetime. The win not only (barely) put the Giants back into the playoff picture, but it arguably was one of the team’s most memorable wins in recent memory. And it happened after it appeared that the Giants had once again embarrassingly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory with the Saquon Barkley fumble. There was nothing fluky about the win. It was legitimately earned.

So in the short term, the upset win has changed the entire meaning of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. The Giants are miraculously still alive and they can stay alive with another upset in the bayou. Of the four regular-season games remaining, this is the game the Giants are most likely to win. Af the very least, the Giants have changed the narrative from when I prematurely wrote last week, “The offseason can’t get here fast enough.”

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (quad – probable)
  • WR Parris Campbell (knee – probable)
  • TE Darren Waller (hamstring – questionable)
  • RT Evan Neal (ankle – doubtful)
  • OG Justin Pugh (calf – questionable)
  • DL Dexter Lawrence (hamstring – questionable)
  • DL A’Shawn Robinson (hamstring/finger – probable)
  • ILB Isaiah Simmons (ankle – probable)
  • ILB Cam Brown (hamstring – probable)
  • OLB Azeez Ojulari (shoulder – probable)
  • CB Cor’Dale Flott (shoulder – probable)

GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
“Let’s pump the brakes on DeVito. It’s only been four games.” No shit. We know this. We also know that the clock may strike midnight for Cinderella at any time. Moreover, as I said last week, quarterback development is not linear. Even veterans have good and bad games in their prime.

However, as mentioned above, DeVito has QBRs of 137.7, 103.9, and 113.9 in his last three games with a 5-0 TD-to-INT ratio. That’s not supposed to happen for a rookie, let alone an undrafted player. Not only is he not making killer mistakes, but he is making plays with his arm and feet to win games.

So what is going on? For one, somehow the moment doesn’t seem too big for him. “It’s just a game.” What will be interesting to see if the off-the-field hype and interest starts to impact his play. Can DeVito shut out the exterior noise and continue to remain sharp? Most people can’t do that. The pressure gets to be too much. Secondly, to date, he’s not making the mistakes you expect a rookie to make, especially someone with a still shaky offensive line (don’t let the zero sacks on Monday fool you; and he has been sacked 28 times). Thirdly, his pocket presence on Monday was noticeably better. In previous games, including going back to his collegiate days, DeVito had a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and take unnecessary sacks. Was Monday night an anomaly or is he responding to coaching? Remains to be seen. Fourth, he’s been aggressive throwing the ball down the field and allowing his receivers to make plays. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, DeVito has done a good job of reading opposing defenses and throwing to the open receiver. This sounds simpler than it really is. And rookie quarterbacks are supposed to struggle with this. Some have argued that he is processing information faster than Daniel Jones. It sounds good and it makes sense, but I don’t know if it true. Only the coaches would really know. If true, that is very surprising for both the 5th-year veteran Jones and the rookie DeVito.

So I will repeat what I wrote last week: “Can he keep this up?” The odds say no. But what if he does?

There has been a lot of discussion about the play of the offensive line, especially by those who claim DeVito is only doing better than Jones because of improved OL play. This is only partially true. The loss of Andrew Thomas for seven weeks was huge and had a domino effect on the entire line. The injury bug was also impacting the position to the point where there was a new line combination every single game. At one point, the Giants fielded the greenest OL in football. The return of Thomas and the presence of veterans Ben Bredeson and Justin Pugh helped to settle things down, but the line still has not been good. The Giants continue to have issues run and pass blocking. While many Giants fans have turned Evan Neal into a bogeyman, the team needs him to get back on the field again, even if his ankle injury and rustiness leads to more problems. Neal is still part of the team’s future and he needs the work, even if the results are ugly. Tyre Phillips is not the future.

The improved play at quarterback has made the receivers more productive. Jalin Hyatt won “Rookie of the Week.” We’re seeing flashes of what Isaiah Hodgins did last season. Most notably, Wan’Dale Robinson has been improving each game. Don’t underestimate what this means for the team moving forward. For a player whose game is based on quickness, the ACL injury he suffered last year could have been career-impacting.

If the Giants are going to defy all of the odds and make a mini-run here, then I will go out on a limb and say that Darren Waller is going to have to be a big part of that. Despite the fact that Waller has been nagged by hamstring issues all season, and despite the fact that he has missed five games, Waller is still the team’s second-leading receiver with the 36 catches he caught in the first eight weeks. If he is anywhere near full-go, Waller is a match-up problem. He will open things up for Saquon Barkley and the other receivers.

What about the Saints, a 6-7 team in a bad division? Who have they beaten? Titans, Bears, Panthers (twice), Pats, Colts. Not exactly a murderer’s row. That said, statistically they have a respectable defense, 13th overall in yards allowed and 10th in points allowed (20 per game). Pass defense has been top-10, but run defense has been bottom tier, very similar to the Green Bay Packers. We may see a heavy dose of Barkley on Sunday.

GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
In the first six games of the season, during the team’s 1-5 start, the Giants were -3 in turnover differential. In the next seven games, during the 4-3 rebound, the Giants were +9 in turnover differential. Sy’56 and others have correctly pointed out that turnover differential is one of the most important predictors of team success. The problem with turnovers is that you can’t count on them. They come and go, being at the whim of the football gods. My point here is we will have to see how the defense performs when the turnovers cease.

One of the most important developments from Monday’s game was the mini-breakout of Azeez Ojulari. He not only was a factor rushing the passer (sack and three pressures) but he actually did a nice job in run defense. Like with Waller on offense, if the team is going to make a mini-run here, Ojulari probably is going to be key on the defensive side of the football. The questions remain with him, however. Can he stay healthy? Can he be consistent both rushing the passer and playing the run?

There have also been a number of random points I’ve wanted to raise in recent weeks, but failed to do so. These are issues Schoen, Daboll, and Martindale will need to consider moving forward. While not spectacular, Xavier McKinney and Jason Pinnock have been a very reliable and consistent safety duo this season. They play every snap and there are few games where you point to them being an issue. To date, Deonte Banks has had a very strong rookie season. Even on plays where he is “beat,” he’s been right with the receiver. Early in the season, it appeared Adoree’ Jackson would be relegated to nickel corner with Tre Hawkins possibly also starting. However, Jackson has largely regained his outside starting spot. It will be interesting to see how the team now handles the cornerback spot opposite Banks moving forward. One also gets the sense that the team wants Cor’Dale Flott to nail down the nickel spot. While he has flashed and played well at times, he keeps getting nicked up and has struggled too.

Isaiah Simmons did make a game-winning interception against the Commanders, but the late round fliers Schoen spent on him and Boogie Basham have not worked out. Since both Schoen and Daboll saw Basham up close and personal in Buffalo, the latter deal is even more of a head-scratcher. Basham was a healthy scratch last week.

Oddly, one of the most underreported/underappreciated developments this year has been the play of Kayvon Thibodeaux. Only a couple of months ago, many fans were lamenting his selection with the #5 overall pick. Through 13 games, Thibodeaux has 11.5 sacks despite not having a complementary outside threat opposite of him. While some offensive coordinators have taken advantage of his aggressiveness (see the Packers’ end arounds), his run defense at the point-of-attack has been much better this year too. In other words, he is developing into the player originally hoped for.

As for the Saints, the guy to worry about is running back Alvin Kamara, both as runner and receiver. Kamara leads the team with five rushing touchdowns and is second on the team with 63 receptions. This despite missing the first three games of the season. This is real test for Bobby Okereke, who has been a very good free agent addition for the Giants. But Kamara may be too quick for him. The Giants may have also caught a break with leading receiver Chris Olave being gimpy with an ankle injury. “Quarterback” but jack-of-all-trades, gadget player  Taysom Hill is a threat running and catching the ball too.

Overall, the Saints are 13th in offensive yards, being middle-of-the-pack both passing and running the football. Ex-Raider Derek Carr is the quarterback. He’s been what he has been throughout his a career, a guy who plays well one week and doesn’t the next. Much depends on which version of him you get on Sunday.

GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
Returner Rashid Shaheed, who has been battling a thigh injury, has a 76-yard punt return for a touchdown this season. He also returns kickoffs.

QUOTES:
Wink Martindale on Kayvon Thibodeaux: “I said that the guy has no ceiling. You remember me saying that before. The reason why he doesn’t have a ceiling is because he doesn’t allow himself to have a ceiling. He’s in here working every day. He and (Outside Linebackers Coach) Drew (Wilkins) are in there watching tape from everything from A to Z because that’s what he does. He’s dropping in coverage, and they handle all that. So, I can’t say enough about his work ethic, and he has that knack. To me, he’s a finisher at the football, whether it’s a sack, a strip sack, or the play you saw on Monday night when we had (Jordan) Love held up and he dug the ball out. He’s leading the defense. I mean, he’s a vocal leader out there. Like I already said, it’s crazy, because the guy is only 22 years old. He’s becoming that football savant in the NFL where he sees things before they happen. He knows what’s coming. That’s a testament to, like I said, he and Drew Wilkins, and how hard they study the game. It’s fun to watch.”

THE FINAL WORD:
According to one statistical analysis, the Giants have less than a 1 percent chance to make the playoffs. So the odds are atrocious. Still, from fan and team-building perspective, it would be fascinating to see Tommy DeVito play at Lincoln Financial Field with something on the line for both teams on Christmas Day. To get to that point, the Giants must win a winnable game against the Saints first. Can the Giants win four in a row and reach 6-8?

Game Review: New York Giants 24 – Green Bay Packers 22

 Posted by
Dec 122023
 
Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants (December 11, 2023)

Wan’Dale Robinson – © USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

Tommy DeVito: 17/21 – 158 yards / 1 TD – 0 INT

DeVito also added 71 yards on 10 carries, including a 26-yard run that fell a yard shy of a touchdown. Saquon Barkley scored on the next play to give the Giants a 14-10 third quarter lead. The story continues on from the undrafted rookie even though Tyrod Taylor was off Injured Reserve. It was the right decision for this team to ride the hot hand. DeVito’s play overall, the fact he is a rookie with more unknown margin, and his ascending momentum made the call a near no-brainer. This offense, this team, and this fan base are all responding to this kid being under center.

Early on, DeVito missed multiple throws. I counted three wide misses (AKA awful accuracy throws), two of which were on third down. He steadied the ship and went 10/11 for 110 yards and a score after halftime, in addition to 45 yards rushing. He made clutch throws both from the pocket and on the move. He was precise, but also showed off excellent arm strength. The key trait I see in him that is keeping the hope alive that NYG may actually have something here is the combination of anticipation and a sudden release. DeVito is not a manufactured robot. He can feel the defense and can alter/adjust his approach at the final moment before delivering a clean, accurate ball. That ability makes it a lot tougher to pressure him. He is, on the fly, figuring out how to beat coverage even when the defense wins early on in a play. That is a special trait.

RUNNING BACK

Saquon Barkley: 20 att – 86 yards – 2 TD / 3 rec – 15 yards

-Barkley had a 100+ total yard and 2-TD game for the second time over their last three contests. He was used to grind out the Packers defense without much room for most of the night. But things began to open up for him in the second half, rushing for 68 yards on 11 carries. Toward the end of the fourth quarter, with NYG trying to close out the game, Barkley ripped off his biggest gain of the night (34 yards). He was tripped up, regained his footing, then tripped over the turf himself. The weird-looking play ended with him falling to the ground untouched and the ball popped out as he hit the ground. That is a fumble, and it gave Green Bay the ball back, down 5. They scored a touchdown and took the lead with under 2:00 left. We have seen Barkley make colossal mistakes at the end of games before and this would have been the worst. Situational awareness and smoothness will not be what he is remembered for.

WIDE RECEIVER

Wan’Dale Robinson: 6 rec – 79 yards / 2 att – 36 yards

Without Robinson’s big plays, NYG does not win this game. On their first scoring drive, Robinson had a 32-yard run. On their second scoring drive, Robinson caught a 4-yard pass. On their third scoring drive, Robinson caught a 25-yard pass. On their fourth (and final) scoring drive, Robinson caught passes of 5 and 32 yards, respectively. Three of the team’s four biggest plays went to Robinson. Call him whatever you want, but now that he is a year-plus removed from his ACL surgery we are seeing how much he can impact the game across multiple roles. Simply put, he is a unique playmaker who is starting to see things clearly and quickly. He alone will make this offense better in ways nobody else can.

-Isaiah Hodgins caught 2 passes for 22 yards and a touchdown. While we have not seen him build off the impressive and surprising 2022 campaign, Hodgins still breeds confidence in big situations. The routes and ball skills at his size and power presence are very usable in the right role. I would not call him a number one, two, or three. But similar to what Jauan Jennings does for San Francisco, he can be that reliable back-of-group guy who in specific situations when a short- to intermediate-play is needed.

-Jalin Hyatt and Darius Slayton each caught two passes without any explosive plays. Hyatt dropped a ball on the first drive.

TIGHT END

-Daniel Bellinger caught 2 passes for 15 yards. He was very slow and awkward post-catch. He has not gotten into a groove this year, as things seem to look too fast for him at times. That is fine for a number two guy who can block well, but he is not blocking well. NYG was stuffed on 4th-and-1 when they tried to hand it to Barkley with Bellinger leading the way as a blocker. Bellinger made contact with linebacker Eric Wilson but failed to get movement and even worse, failed to maintain contact. Wilson made the tackle and forced a turnover on downs.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-Packers outside linebacker Rashan Gary is one of the best edge defenders in the NFL. The NJ product has been among league leaders in pressure rate four straight years (and is coming off a torn ACL). He was shut down by Andrew Thomas in this match-up. The All-Pro caliber tackle allowed one pressure on the night and paved the way on Barkley’s first touchdown run. The twitchy control he plays with is incredible.

-Ben Bredeson was the main weak point to an offensive line that, as a whole, played well. He allowed three pressures. Justin Pugh allowed two while Tyre Phillips and John Michael Schmitz each allowed one.

-Schmitz continues to be a polarizing player from an evaluation standpoint. The rookie is (by far) the best option they have at center. He is an outstanding gap blocker and blocks well when moving downhill. He gets clean, productive contact at the point-of-attack before climbing to the second level and finishes off linebackers consistently. The issue that keeps popping up that causes tackles for loss is the wide zone blocking assignments. He is giving up way too much ground and loses a lot of power and balance when moving laterally. It shows up in pass protection as well. Correctable issue? Yes. But it will be vital to correct in time.

EDGE

-Kayvon Thibodeaux continued his steady play as a pass rusher. He finished with a sack and 3 pressures. His biggest play of the night was a forced fumble that Xavier McKinney recovered. While it did not turn into points for NYG, the play did take place within field goal range in a game that ended with a two-point victory. The blemish on Thibodeaux’s grade sheet was the outside contain against the run. Green Bay went after him due to the fact he crashes down so hard on blocking schemes that are going away from him. He got fooled three times and did not recover well.

-Azeez Ojulari tied his season high with 49 snaps and played his most impactful game of the year with a half-sack, 3 pressures, and 3 tackles. The pass rush will get most of the attention, but I thought his run defense was equally effective and impactful. He shined brightest in the second half, which is a sneaky-positive because of the issues that surround his durability.

-Jihad Ward is seeing his playing time decrease and struggled to make any impact at all.

DEFENSIVE LINE

-Dexter Lawrence was on a pitch count, but he still found a way to impact the game in a big way. On just 43% of the snaps (he is normally over 70%), he had 2 tackles, a half-sack, and 3 pressures. A’Shawn Robinson stepped up big in his place. He finished with 8 tackles (the most he’s had in a game since November 2021), a tackle for loss, and a pass break up. He was controlling multiple gaps and shedding blockers with ease. Big-time effort and performance from him.

-Rakeem Nunez-Roches added 2 tackles while backups D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley saw a few snaps. Davidson was flagged for a false start early and missed a tackle, while Riley made a nice run stop where he showed good stack-and-shed with an explosive finish.

LINEBACKER

-Another week, another 100% snap total for Bobby Okereke, who has not missed a single snap all season. He finished with 6 tackles. While he did allow 5 completions on 5 targets, everything was underneath and kept in front of him. The exposure I saw in his game arrived on the outside runs to GB receiver Jayden Reed. He did not reach the outside gate quickly enough.

-Micah McFadden had 5 tackles but also missed two. A.J. Dillon delivered a stiff arm to him that showed the lack of length McFadden has. In some situations that is a real issue. Isaiah Simmons rotated in a few times and also missed a tackle. His contact on the ball carrier is so weak and soft when it comes to straight ahead run defense. Any time a quality downhill rushing attack sees him on the field, they start salivating. He dances around blocks or struggles to play stout. Rarely do I see him coming out of an inside run play with a positive grade.

CORNERBACK

-Deonte Banks was targeted often by the Packers passing game. Banks was thrown at 10 times; no one else was targeted 6 times. He did allow a touchdown and 5 catches, but he also broke up a pass and finished with a team-high 12 tackles. He was close to the action post-catch, limiting extra yards and he did not miss any. One of his tackles went for loss and he had a stop on fourth down that was incorrectly called a first down by the refs. His 3rd-and-10 pass deflection on a vertical route in the end zone showed outstanding ball-tracking and speed. To sum up, Banks was all over the field and has firmly proven he is a capable pro starting corner who is very early on the progression curve. He has exciting talent.

-Adoree’ Jackson and Cor’Dale Flott played the majority of the other corner snaps. Jackson was quietly effective in coverage, but Flott had a rough go. He allowed multiple first downs and was flagged for a pass interference on a third down stop. It was a panic move by him that could have easily been avoided.

SAFETY

-Both safeties came up with big plays as they once again played every snap. Jason Pinnock picked off a pass on a bad underthrow by Jordan Love, and Xavier McKinney recovered a fumble. Turnovers have been the main catalyst to NYG turning things around and it is good to see these two joining the party. It is primary component to safety play I look for in evaluation. They both finished with 4 tackles and 1 missed tackle.

-Dane Belton played 6 snaps, ending with a pressure, and Bobby McCain was hit by the ball on a punt return, giving GB the ball back in NYG territory in the third quarter. It resulted in three points for GB.

3 STUDS

-OT Andrew Thomas, WR Wan’Dale Robinson, EDGE Azeez Ojulari

3 DUDS

-DT D.J. Davidson, LB Isaiah Simmons, TE Daniel Bellinger

3 THOUGHTS ON GB

(1) The Jordan Love situation will be one to watch this offseason. He is playing on a one-year, prove-it deal and the only thing he has proven is that we still have no idea if he can be the guy. But without a current Plan B, what are they supposed to do? If he hits the market, there will undoubtedly be a team that signs him to mid-tier starter money. If they keep him, it likely has to be another short deal that swallows a lot of cap room. At his best, Love has the talent to be special. But the inconsistencies (we saw it last night) are too frequent to assume he can play at a high-level year after year.

(2) Head Coach Matt LaFleur is from the Shanahan tree that is all over the league now. Early success (three straight 13-win seasons) was a nice start, but as Rodgers came down to earth and then got traded, along with a defense that worsened, a credible question can be asked about his future. He has a good shot at finishing under .500 for the second straight year, and it doesn’t look like he has developed Love as well as one would expect for a first rounder. Firing him this offseason would be premature, but as I said with Love above, what can they do here? Starting over is on the table.

(3) The areas of this roster (the youngest in the NFL at the start of the season) that I feel good about are at receiver and tight end. Rookie WR Jayden Reed is a player who could easily be another D.J. Moore. Second-year WR Romeo Doubs and another rookie wide receiver, Dontayvion Wicks, look like ideal complements who can be Amani Toomer-types. Tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft would start as rookies on over half the teams in the NFL and both have top-10 upside. And lastly, Christian Watson has as much talent as Tee Higgins, but health is a major concern. If I am a veteran QB looking to sign somewhere or force a trade, Green Bay would be on my short list.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

(1) There is a lot to both like and be entertained by when it comes to DeVito. But what I am looking at from evaluation standpoint that weighs the most is how he handled the 2-minute and pass rush situations. He went 4/4 – 53 yards on a drive that began on the NYG 25-yard line. He took what the defense gave and got it out clean + crisp. It summed up his game perfectly and checked another box for one of the most unlikely stories of the year in the NFL.

(2) This is what I wanted to see out of the Giants offense this year. We saw more efficiency in 2022 than the prior nightmares we called seasons. But NYG was still so down the list in explosive plays. The best offensive success they had stemmed from the Daniel Jones runs, but we know that is hard (and dangerous) to sustain. Now? We still see efficiency that grows from protecting the ball, but there are also the explosives that keep showing up. The versatility they are showing on these plays (pass, RB run, WR run, QB run, yards after catch, deep balls) will be the future of this offense. It is good to see the plan can work. Next up, consistency.

(3) Yes, NYG is still in the playoff hunt. The odds are incredibly small, but with how the NFC is shaping up and the rate of injuries we see league-wide, don’t sleep on the idea. The biggest road block will be the two match-ups against PHI. While I won’t be betting on NYG in those games, don’t overlook how hard PHI is crashing down to earth. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. New Orleans is a team on the bubble and a head-to-head win there could make things very interesting if a couple of other chips fall into place. This is a low-key, very big game. NYG is a team that has absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Preview: Green Bay Packers at New York Giants, December 11, 2023

 Posted by
Dec 092023
 
Tommy DeVito, New York Giants (November 26, 2023)

Tommy DeVito – © USA TODAY Sports

THE STORYLINE:
When the NFL schedule was released in May, New York Giants fans noted the late bye. The hope and expectation was the team would hover around .500 or above during the first 12 games, regroup at the bye, and make a final push for a playoff spot in the last five games. The defense had been strengthened in the offseason with notable additions on the defensive line, at linebacker, and at cornerback. Quarterback Daniel Jones was having his best camp in late July and August, with Darren Waller and Parris Campbell being his favorite targets. Right tackle Evan Neal was supposed to make a big jump.

Nobody saw the 2-8 start coming, made a little more respectable by the recent 2-game winning streak. The season has pretty much been all but officially over since October. Some fans cling to the notion that the team was “this” close to being 6-6, but that’s always a dangerous game. The Giants are also “this” close to being 0-12. We’re talking about a team that at the macro level is still dead last in offense, 31st in scoring with 13.3 points per game, and 28th in defense. These are worst-team-in-the-league type numbers.

At 4-8, most fans know the real drama unfortunately will not come during a late-season push in December, but in the offseason in January, February, March, and April. Which coaches stay and which go? Which free agents will be allowed to leave? Who will be signed and re-signed? Who will be drafted? These are monumental questions that include uncertainty with all three coordinators, not to mention who quarterbacks this team moving forward.

As for the final five games, just a few weeks ago, it appeared that three of them might actually be winnable for the Giants. Three weeks ago, the Packers and Rams were 3-6. Both are now two of the NFL’s hottest teams, each having won three games in a row, and now standing at 6-6 in a largely terrible conference. Both are playing much better than the Giants right now, and both actually are very much in the playoff hunt. The Giants also still face the Eagles twice and a 5-7 Saints team that has lost three games in a row. It’s hard to see the Giants winning more than one more game at best. Not with a team that struggles to score 10 points per game.

The offseason can’t get here fast enough.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • QB Tyrod Taylor (ribs – probable)
  • WR Parris Campbell (knee – questionable)
  • TE Daniel Bellinger (illness – questionable)
  • RT Evan Neal (ankle – out)
  • DL Dexter Lawrence (hamstring – questionable)
  • DL A’Shawn Robinson (hamstring – questionable)
  • ILB Isaiah Simmons (ankle – questionable)
  • ILB Carter Coughlin (hip – probable)

GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
The Daniel Jones situation has been discussed to death, including my recent article (The Risks of Tripling Down on Daniel Jones). The most interesting thing that occurred at the position this past week was Brian Daboll deciding to stick with Tommy DeVito as the starter over Tyrod Taylor, who is now healthy enough to play again. I did not expect this. Regardless of how you feel about Taylor, he is still a 13-year veteran who has started 56 games in this league (winning half of them). He’s also far more mobile than DeVito, which helps behind this offensive line. Point blank, Taylor gives the Giants the best chance to pull off an upset or two in the final five weeks.  The coaches know it. The players know it.

What’s so fascinating is that Daboll (most likely in consultation with Joe Schoen) feels comfortable enough with his status to continue to evaluate the undrafted rookie free agent. This isn’t best for the short-term, but it is for the long-term. There is a very good chance that the injury-prone Taylor won’t be re-signed, especially after his has just been semi-snubbed by Daboll (Taylor took the high road this week, but he was not happy with the decision). The Giants need to get a good read on DeVito heading into the offseason. Is he capable of being an adequate back-up in this league? Is there a chance he can be even more than that? Regardless, every play matters. He may not have a long leash. “I’d just say let’s get ready to go this game and then we’ll, like we do every week, revisit things,” said Daboll on Tuesday.

So the pressure is on DeVito to perform if he wants to keep playing. This is good. Let’s see what he’s made of. While the Giants are not scoring a lot of points, DeVito has had a QBR of over 100 in his last two starts. That’s really impressive. As Daboll said, he’s earned the right to keep playing. Can he keep this up? Quarterback development is not linear. At some point, the rookie is going to make a really bad play. How he responds to that will be telling.

The problem for DeVito and the Giants is they face yet another defense that is stingy giving up points. The Packers are 9th in scoring defense, allowing an average of 20 points per game. Green Bay has also quietly become one of the league’s more effective pass rushing teams, one of the reasons they are top-10 in pass defense. However, their run defense is actually worse than the Giants, suggesting a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley. Green Bay knows this, which makes the cat-and-mouse game between Daboll/Kafka and defensive coordinator Joe Barry interesting. Do the Giants come out throwing with the rookie? Or do they run Barkley into the teeth of a defense looking to stop the run first and foremost?

With the expectation that Green Bay is likely to win this game, why should Giants fans watch? Aside from DeVito, my eyes will be focused on important players moving forward such as Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, and John Michael Schmitz. We also still need to get a more thorough evaluation on guys like Ben Bredeson, Daniel Bellinger, and Isaiah Hodgins.

GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
This has been a weird year for the team’s defense. With offseason additions such as Bobby Okereke, A’Shawn Robinson, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Isaiah Simmons, and Deonte Banks, more was expected than the 28th overall defense through 12 games. Football is indeed complementary so some of that is on the offense. And there have been noticeable upticks in performance where the defense has looked very good, most notably in games against the Bills, Commanders, Jets, and Patriots. While one could say the defense is trending in the right direction, there were really disappointing setbacks too in recent contests against the Raiders and Cowboys. The Giants also began the season allergic to turnovers and now they are coming in droves. The head-scratcher remains why Wink’s defense was so good in Baltimore but continues to be bottom-tier in New York.

I really think these last five games are more important for the defense. The offense has some structural issues at quarterback and on the line that can’t be addressed until the offseason. While the defense obviously needs more help at edge, especially with the pass rush, it has fewer excuses. What kind of effort and results can we expect from the defense against the Packers, Saints, Rams, and Eagles? Will the defense be trending upwards or downwards against teams far stronger on offense than Commanders, Jets, and Patriots?

Adding unnecessary drama to the mix is the question about the relationship between Daboll and Wink Martindale. It’s been widely reported there is tension between both of these strong personalities and there may be a parting of the ways after the season. The way both Daboll and Martindale have responded to these allegations has been somewhat guarded, as beat reporter Dan Duggan pointed out:

Martindale did an adept job of straddling the line of neither confirming nor denying the report. He said his relationship is “fine” and the “same as last year.” Joe Schoen made the same reference to the relationship not changing from last year. I think that’s because there’s always been an element of friction, but they’ve been able to work through it. As Martindale said, these types of reports happen when you’re 4-8 instead of 8-4. Martindale said he wants to stay here, but said he doesn’t know what will happen. He tried to keep the focus on the players. Sounded like a parent trying to work things out for the kids.

Make no mistake, changing defensive coordinators would be a step back in the rebuilding process. Wink has had a say in who the team has acquired the past two seasons. Furthermore, players could have to learn an entire new system and terminology with a new defensive coordinator unless it is an in-house promotion. At the same time, while the defense has played better than the offense this year, it hasn’t been good enough. The net effect of all of this is January will be very interesting. I suspect there is a good chance that Martindale is let go despite what all parties are claiming right now.

Enter the red hot Green Bay Packers, who are playing their best football of the season with wins over the 5-7 Chargers, 9-3 Lions, and 8-4 Chiefs. Much of that has to do with an offense that has scored 26 points per game in its last three contests and the improved play of quarterback Jordan Love. His QBR in the last three games has been 108.5, 125.5, and 118.6 while throwing eight touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s elite level.

As I’ve harped on in recent weeks, the team’s pass rush will remain a problem for the remainder of the season unless Azeez Ojulari somehow plays light’s out for the final games. Leonard Williams is gone. Dexter Lawrence missed the last game with a hamstring injury that could remain an issue. Kayvon Thibodeaux is now a marked man. What I want to see is the run defense improve. Personally, I can’t stand how many yards this team gives up on the ground. I want to see dramatic improvement there.

GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
We finally saw some kick-ass special teams tackles in the last game, notably from Carter Coughlin and Cam Brown. More of that please. Those type of plays are tone-setters.

QUOTES:
Saquon Barkley on the remaining schedule: “We’re in this motherfucker, to be honest. I’m going to keep it real. We’re not looking too far, we’re not looking in on the hunt or the playoff pictures, but we take care of what we’ve got to take care of, everyone can say what they want about the season, but it’s week whatever and everything we want is still there. So, we don’t need any extra motivation. Every game is a critical game no matter what, but especially now.”

THE FINAL WORD:
The Packers beating the Lions and Chiefs in the past two weeks is a real eye-opener. They need this game too. Staying close for the Giants with DeVito at quarterback would be a moral victory. In the end, the Giants will likely finish 2023 going 0-5 in prime time games. Ouch.

The Risks of Tripling Down on Daniel Jones

 Posted by
Nov 302023
 
Daniel Jones, New York Giants (September 10, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 NFL season could not have gone worse for Daniel Jones. Now the New York Giants find themselves at yet another crossroads with the controversial quarterback, a decision that very well could impact the fate of team management, the coaching staff, and the future competitiveness of the team.

THE HISTORY

The Giants first bet on Jones by selecting him sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Jones was the second quarterback taken in that draft, behind Kyler Murray, who was selected first overall by the Arizona Cardinals. The only other quarterback drafted in the first round that year was Dwayne Haskins by the Washington Football Team with the 15th overall selection. While both Murray and Jones have flashed, both have been disappointments given where they were drafted. Haskins not only flopped in Washington, but he was killed last year. Needless to say, it was not a good draft for quarterbacks.

Jones’ initial season was promising. He started 12 games, threw for over 3,000 yards, and completed 24 touchdown passes on team largely devoid of surrounding offensive talent. His biggest negative was a ridiculous number of fumbles. Eleven of his 18 fumbles were recovered by opposing teams, and combined with 12 interceptions, Jones was personally responsible for 23 turnovers. The other issue, which would grow with time, was that Jones missed two games due to an ankle injury. The Giants finished 4-12 on the season with Jones being 3-9 in games that he started.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants (April 25, 2019)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

2020 was a huge disappointment for Jones. Head Coach Pat Shurmur was fired in January and replaced by Joe Judge. The new offensive coordinator was Jason Garrett. The team marginally improved its record to 6-10. But Jones missed two more games due to injury (hamstring and ankle). Worse, despite starting more games (14), Jones threw for fewer yards and far fewer (11) touchdowns. And turnovers remained an issue with 11 fumbles (6 lost) and 10 interceptions. Rather than building on his rookie season, Jones got worse.

2021 was train wreck for the entire franchise. Garrett was fired in November. Judge began to melt down in post-game press conferences and was fired after the season. General Manager Dave Gettleman, who drafted Jones, was “retired.” The team finished 4-13, losing its final six games in progressively more embarrassing fashion. As for Jones, he missed those final six games with a neck injury that landed him on Injured Reserve, fueling speculation at the time that his career might be in jeopardy. In the 11 games that he did start, he threw for just 2,400 yards and 10 touchdowns. His turnovers fell to 10 (seven interceptions and three lost fumbles). Rumors circulated that Judge had everyone playing scared, including Jones, who seemed to stop taking chances down the field.

January 2022 was the first low point for Daniel Jones. The promise of his rookie season had been wiped out due to his poor 2020 and 2021 seasons. He had yet to stay healthy in any of his three seasons, and there was concern about his future due to the neck issue. The national media had never accepted him as a legitimate quarterback and unprofessionally openly mocked him. The New York fanbase had now turned on him as well. It was widely believed that new General Manager Joe Schoen and Head Coach Brian Daboll would not exercise the 5th-year option on Jones’ contract. In a vote of no-confidence, they did not, rejecting the option on the first day of the 2022 NFL Draft.

So Jones entered 2022 in the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. While the team had not selected his replacement in the draft, it was expected by many that Jones would leave in free agency after the season. Some even speculated that newly-signed Tyrod Taylor would likely supplant Jones during the year either due to poor play or injury. Most believed his replacement would be drafted in April 2023 as the team was entering yet another complete rebuilding cycle and had shed $40 million against the salary cap.

This is where things started to turn around for Jones. Doctors said his neck was structurally sound enough to return to the playing field. Daboll and new Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka were clearly an upgrade over Judge and Garrett when it came to handling Jones. The offense still had its issues. The line was shaky. The starting tight end was a rookie. And the four wideouts who were supposed to form the heart of the receiving corps – Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, Sterling Shepard, Wan’Dale Robinson – either flamed out or got hurt. The coaches continually had to adjust on the fly, finally finding a run-centric RPO style that seemed to suit Jones well and make reads simpler for him.

The team started off surprisingly strong, winning nail-biter after nail-biter against favored teams, en route to a 7-2 start. The Giants were not scoring a lot of points, but they were keeping games close and finding a way to win in the 4th quarter. As injuries mounted on both offense and defense, the team fell back to earth, losing four games in a row. The season was saved with a defensive struggle in Washington followed by a 38-10 beatdown of the lowly Indianapolis Colts two weeks later, securing a playoff spot. Since the last game was now meaningless, the starters did not play in Week 17.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants (January 15, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

The 2022 regular-season was arguably Jones’ best. He had improved his completion percentage to over 67 percent. He had reached a career-high QBR of 92.5. He had a career low in turnovers with eight (5 interceptions and three fumbles). For the first time in his pro career, he did not miss a game due to injury. Most importantly, he was 9-6-1 as a starter and the Giants were headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The downside? His career high 3,205 passing yards was pedestrian and his 15 passing touchdowns were very low by contemporary standards. That was partially offset, however, by 708 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns (single-season franchise records).

The high point for Jones came on January 15, 2023 against the 13-4 Minnesota Vikings. Jones was spectacular in that game, completing 24-of-35 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions (114.1 quarterback rating). He also ran  the ball 17 times for 78 yards, including two 4th-and-1 conversions. New York’s Cinderella ride ended against the Philadelphia Eagles the following week, as the Giants were hammered 38-7. Jones barely completed half his passes for just 135 yards and threw a pick.

THE CONTRACT

The Daniel Jones’ redemption story in 2022 was a complete surprise. Jones went from an object of mockery and derision to a hero receiving a standing ovation exiting a late-season game at MetLife. Fans who once wanted him gone were now complaining that the team had not exercised the 5th-year option. Very few were now calling for the Giants to move on. The questions became what was his true upside, and therefore, how much valuable salary cap space should the Giants use in an attempt to retain him as an upcoming unrestricted free agent?

As free agency approached in early March, the team had three options: (1) designate him a Franchise player (1-year, $29.7 million contract), (2) sign him to a long-term extension, or (3) let him test the free agent waters. No one was arguing for option #3 as there were a number of quarterback-hungry teams that might break the bank for Jones. Complicating matters was the team was having a hard time re-signing running back Saquon Barkley, who was seeking a bigger and possibly longer contract than the team was willing to give him. The Giants could only use the Franchise tag on one player and the clock was ticking. Right before the deadline, the Giants and Jones agreed to a new deal. The team then slapped the tag on Barkley, who was not happy about this turn of events.

The initial numbers surprised many. It wasn’t the the length of contract, four years, but the overall value, $160 million. $81 million of that contract was initially fully guaranteed. (It is largely forgotten that the contract was tweaked in September in an effort to create more salary cap space for the team, with an additional $8.42 million in salary converted into signing bonus).

What pundits and fans noticed was that the contract made it virtually impossible to part ways with Jones in 2023 and 2024 with $81.5 million and $69.3 million in dead money, respectively. However, it would be easier to cut or trade him in 2025 ($22.2 million) and 2026 ($11.1 million). “It’s really just a 2-year deal,” was the rose-colored glasses argument. “He’s an ascending player and this contract will look like a bargain in a couple of years.”

By all accounts, the 2023 training camp was Jones’ best. He played one series in the preseason and the starting offense looked like a well-oiled machine on that single drive. While the Eagles still might be too good to unseat, the Giants were ready to challenge the Cowboys for second-place in the NFC East.

THE 2023 DISASTER

The 2023 NFL season could not have gone worse for Daniel Jones. And it is easy to pick the exact moment that it all fell apart. On the initial drive of the home opener against the Cowboys, the Giants reached the 8-yard line. On 3rd-and-2, Andrew Thomas was penalized for a false start. A bad snap led to a fumble that lost 14 yards. Graham Gano’s 45-yard field goal was blocked for a touchdown, with Thomas suffering a pulled hamstring that would cause him to miss seven games. The Giants and Jones never really recovered.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants (October 8, 2023)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

Jones would start the first five games of the season. He was forced to leave the game early in the 4th quarter of the Week 5 contest against the Miami Dolphins with yet another neck injury. Understandably, the alarm bells started going off again with this being his second neck injury in three years, the first having ended his season. The “good news” was that he only missed the next three games. But that was short-lived with Jones tearing the ACL of his right knee on the last play of the 1st quarter in his first game back. Season over.

The final numbers for Jones in 2023? 1-5 record as a starter. Two touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown. All three scores came in the second half of his only win. He didn’t score in the other five losses. Six interceptions and one fumble. 909 passing yards and 206 rushing yards. Sacked 30 times. Career-low 70.6 QBR. The team never scored an offensive touchdown in the first half of any game that Daniel Jones started.

THE BACKUPS

When Jones went down with the neck injury, Tyrod Taylor filled in until he suffered a rib injury in the first half of the Week 8 game against the New York Jets. Then undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito was pressed into service. Taylor went 1-2 as a starter, with two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 92.1 QBR. DeVito has gone 2-1 as a starter, with seven touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 92.4 QBR.

With the schedule softening, the Giants improved their overall record from the 1-5 start to 4-8, with two games they should have also won against the Bills and Jets. Shockingly, the Giants were “this close” to being 6-6. Nevertheless, a 30-6 loss to the Raiders and 49-17 loss to the Cowboys were still rude doses of reality. Aside from a 24-point offensive “explosion” against the Commanders, the Giants are still struggling to score more than a touchdown per game.

THE NEVER-ENDING DEBATE

In the 28 years of this website, no subject has been debated more than Daniel Jones. When you consider the individual teams and personalities associated with this franchise since 1995, that’s quite an accomplishment. There are those who made up their mind on Daniel Jones from the moment he was drafted and will never like him. There are those who will make every excuse in the book for why he hasn’t been more than a losing quarterback. And there are those who hope for the best, root for the guy, but are still waiting for him to deliver the goods. Many remain on the fence, but after five years, their patience is running out.

“We’ve done everything possible to screw this kid up since he’s been here.” Let’s call this the John Mara defense. It is without question that the New York Giants have been a mess since Daniel Jones was drafted in April 2019. Since that time, they’ve changed general managers twice, head coaches three times, and offensive coordinators four times. Jones has never enjoyed even an average offensive line, having been sacked an astounding 179 times. He’s had starting receivers who were barely worthy of being practice squad-caliber. Jones hasn’t benefitted from being on a team with strong defensive or special teams units either, compounding the pressure placed on talent-deficient offenses. Jones proved in the Minnesota playoff game and others that he can get the job done when provided with enough support. Don’t just look at what he brings to the field as a passer, but also as a runner. Jones has the right “Eli Manning” personality for the city.

“He just stinks.” Let’s call this the Go Terps critique. It’s been five years. If you are still trying to decide if your quarterback is good after 61 starts, then he’s not. Jones is 23-37-1 (regular and post-season). Since his rookie season when he threw 24 touchdown passes, he has thrown just 38 touchdown passes in four seasons (less than 10 per year). He does not elevate the team around him. He has no special traits. Jones was at his best when running a remedial offense in 2022, but teams who are disciplined enough to guard against the backside quarterback run have shut that down and Jones has been unable to adapt. He doesn’t challenge defenses enough vertically down the field. He’s at his best when running, but now he is now coming off two neck injuries and an ACL. Three of his five seasons have just been awful. Perhaps most damning of all, there was no noticeable difference in the offense when Taylor and DeVito played, providing a direct, in-season comparison.

HINDSIGHT

Barring some miraculous Daniel Jones renaissance in 2024, it’s clear the team screwed up in offering Jones the 4-year, $160 million deal. “But, but, but…” No buts. Don’t give me this “it’s only a 2-year deal” crap. It’s not. It gets easier to cut him after two years but we’re still talking about $22 million in dead cap space in 2025. It would have been better to franchise him for 1-year, $30 million and re-visit the contract this offseason. The situation with Barkley? You either give him what he wanted or let him test free agency. You can’t let Barkley force your hand with Jones.

The issue here is Daniel Jones was not some unknown commodity to Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll. They had Jones up close and personal for more than a year before they signed him to the new deal. They should have known his strengths and limitations, especially given the way they constantly had to fiddle with the offensive schemes in 2022. The offense the Giants ran at the end of that season was not the one they intended to operate in September.

There are a number of possibilities here, but none of them are a good look for the team. Schoen and Daboll could have decided, based on the way Jones played in the simplified scheme, he could handle more responsibility and complexity in 2023. They may have felt if teams wanted to take away the RPO, Jones can be just as effective as a drop back passer. Did they overrate the Minnesota playoff game while underrating the Philadelphia playoff game? Some claim it’s “conspiracy theory’ but it is not out of the question that ownership exerted pressure to keep Jones. They love the kid.

TRIPLING DOWN ON JONES?

Entering his sixth year with the team, the endless debate continues. The ACL should take 8-10 months to recover from, meaning Jones would be cleared for contact sometime in July, August, or September 2024. Some players recover sooner, some take longer. No one can claim that timeline is ideal. Jones will likely miss OTAs and mini-camps. He may start training camp on the PUP and miss most or all of the summer practices and preseason. Even Schoen publicly admits Jones may not be able to play early in the regular season.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants (August 11, 2022)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

Relatedly, Jones’ injury history is worrisome. In his five seasons, he has only been able to stay healthy once. He has suffered two neck injuries, one serious enough to end his season. He has now suffered a serious knee tear, with the team refusing to state whether or not it is more involved than just the ACL. “I’m not getting into specifics of the surgery,” said Schoen when asked. None of this is good for a quarterback who is at his best when running the football. Washington’s Robert Griffin III, another running quarterback, was never the same after his tore his ACL.

Beyond the injuries, is he good enough? Is he the guy you envision going into Philadelphia on Sunday night and outshining Jalen Hurts? Can he beat Pat Mahomes in a Super Bowl and hoist the Lombardi Trophy? With the game on the line, with everything at stake, will he raise the play of those around him and get the job done?

Lurking in the background is the opportunity to simply move on. The Giants are likely to be picking in the top 10 once again, perhaps in the top 5, in a draft with at least three possible franchise quarterbacks. The Giants also have an extra 2nd-round pick if they choose to move up in either the top or bottom of the 1st round.

So do the Giants triple down on Jones? They drafted him. They re-signed him. Do they pass on the franchise quarterback and stick with him for yet another go around? It’s not hyperbole to state that the fate of the franchise for the next five years hangs in the balance.

SCHOEN’S PRESS CONFERENCE

Predictably, the press conference did not provide conclusive evidence of the team’s thinking. Schoen was never going to throw Jones under the bus. And he obviously chose his words carefully. Most likely, fans heard what they wanted to hear. However, there was enough to make both sides be happy or worry.

Evidence they are sticking with Jones: “The expectation is when Daniel’s healthy that he will be our starting quarterback… that’s the expectation moving forward… The quarterback position is important, but it’s ultimately a team game and it’s not all on Daniel by any means.”

Evidence they may be moving on: “It doesn’t (mean we won’t draft a quarterback). I think we’re going to have to do something on the quarterback, whether it’s free agency or the Draft… We’re still going to have to address the position at some point because there’s no guarantee he’s going to be back Week 1.”

The most notable and possibly troublesome quotes (depending on your view of Jones) were these:

If the team would use a #1 pick on quarterback: “We’ll take the best player available. If the best player available for our team is at a certain position, we’ll take it. I mean, we won’t shy away from it.”

If the team still believes in Jones: “I mean, I’ve seen it. You guys all saw last season. The guy won 10 games. He won a road playoff game for the Giants. You guys saw the preseason. I just think we got punched in the nose early on and we dug ourselves a hole and we weren’t able to get out of it. We’re trying to right now, but we still believe in Daniel and the person… Who can we bring in that can maybe help us win a couple of games while Daniel gets healthy, or maybe Daniel will be ready Week 1.”

On one hand, it seems pretty clear Schoen is saying that Jones is still their guy. On the other hand, no team would even consider drafting a quarterback in the first round if they are happy with their starter and that guy is still in his prime. And the general manager did not close the door on that possibility. One can argue that Schoen is simply providing the usual best-player-available talking point and we should not read too much into it? Perhaps. At the same time, do you expect a team in the Giants situation to state before the draft that they are moving on from their starter and are definitely in the market for a quarterback in the first round? I don’t. That is not only an unnecessary insult to Jones at this time, but it doesn’t help the team hide their intentions. Furthermore, the team’s “intention” to have Jones start the 2024 season does not necessarily mean they won’t draft his replacement. Kurt Warner went 5-4 for the Giants before Eli Manning finished 2004 by going 1-6.

Would Schoen parse his words like a lawyer? I don’t know. As I said, fans will read into the press conference what they want to read. Only time will tell.

WRAPPING THIS UP… THE RISK

Did you make it this far? Thanks for sticking with me.

Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll are fools if they don’t recognize the risk here. John Mara will react to empty seats. He did so in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022. When fans stop showing up, he starts firing people. He’s done it over and over again. Those claiming otherwise are not living in the real world. Twelve years of mostly shitty football has taken its toll on this fanbase. America of the 2020’s is not America of the 1960’s-1970’s. Demographics, entertainment options, attention spans, and patience levels are vastly different. I think I have a a decent feel for the pulse of the fanbase. They are tired. This isn’t fun anymore. It’s one thing to lose for a decade, but it’s another to constantly get embarrassed, especially by the Cowboys and Eagles.

Daniel Jones, New York Giants (December 18, 2022)

Daniel Jones – © USA TODAY Sports

I made this claim in The Forum and I’ll make it again here, I’m not sure the fanbase will accept heading into 2024 with Daniel Jones as the projected year-long starter at quarterback. If the team somehow starts off 3-1, opinions and support levels can change rapidly, but the odds on that happening are not great. It’s far more likely that the League schedules a Giants-Cowboys Sunday or Monday night game to start the season, with a rusty Jones getting shellacked 35-10. You could see the bottom drop out in Week 1 or 2. And would anyone be shocked to hear these words in Week 6? “Daniel Jones is questionable to return with a neck injury.”

Whether they know it or not, Schoen and Daboll will be on thin ice in 2024. Unless something strange happens to all three teams, the Eagles and Cowboys will still be vastly superior to the Giants next year. I’m not sure Schoen and Daboll can survive another 5-12 type season with no hope at quarterback. The stands will be empty. On the other hand, some young exciting player at the position buys them time because the fans have hope. They will come out to watch a losing product if they have hope in the future and there is someone entertaining to watch, be that Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels.

There is also the possibility the team trades up into the late first round, and take one of the lesser regarded prospects. Jones then serves as the bridge quarterback until this guy is ready. The risk there is this, do the Giants want to look back on 2024 as they year they passed up on Williams, May, or Daniels for someone like Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy, or Michael Penix?

So do Schoen and Daboll want to continue to tie their fate to Jones? There is no guarantee that even if the Giants fix the offensive line and add more weapons that Jones will win. His injury history suggests he will have trouble even finishing the season healthy. But won’t Schoen and Daboll also be tying their fate to the new quarterback? Yes. But maybe they would feel better sinking or swimming with the guy they drafted, who isn’t already damaged goods.

Meanwhile, there are those still clinging to the belief that Jones’ injuries won’t be an issue. That if you just give him an offensive line and a #1 receiver, everything will be fine and Jones can lead the Giants past the Eagles and Cowboys. Jones will triple his TD throw average of the past four years. It’s not impossible. It would be a really nice story for the young man. But it’s starting to sound more like a prayer than accepting reality at this point.

If ownership did not have any deciding role in retaining Daniel Jones, they should be asking uncomfortable questions as to why they were asked to write a $160 million check for someone who the team is already possibly seeking to replace. On the other hand, if ownership did have a role in bringing back Jones because of some emotional connection, this is further evidence they should keep out of personnel matters. This is a time for tough decisions, not misplaced loyalty.

Your move Joe and Brian.

Game Review: New York Giants 10 – New England Patriots 7

 Posted by
Nov 282023
 
Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants (November 26, 2023)

Jalin Hyatt – © USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

-Tommy DeVito: 17/25 – 191 yards / 1 TD – 0 INT / 103.9 RAT

Add another level to DeVito’s ascending performances this season. Add another level to DeVito’s comfort and responsibility within this offense. And add another level of trust that DeVito has earned in the eyes of both coaches and fans. The fun ride continues and it feels like he (and the team) have found the exit inside a dark tunnel. That light is still far away but it has at least been located and the team is inching toward it. Without getting too ahead of ourselves, I just want to break down a few elements of his game that credibly mean something. One, his ability and confidence to progress through reads as he reads the coverage. His internal clock is improving with each week. Two, his release and accuracy on downfield passing are notable. He is comfortable and confident as he throws the deep ball. He hit Jalin Hyatt near the sideline for gains of 41, 29, and 22 yards. Zero hesitation, pinpoint placement, and repeatability. And last, footwork and ball fakes. DeVito’s mechanics for the position look outstanding. It does not mean everything, but it means something. Everything he is doing right now looks clean. An undrafted rookie who looks like this on a team that has been losing like this? Hard to remember seeing anything that resembles what he is doing in the league.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 12 att – 46 yards / 1 rec – 6 yards

40 of Barkley’s yards came in the first half on 8 carries. Two of those runs came in the first quarter that gained 33 yards. Overall, it was a quiet game for him with a congested point-of-attack and inconsistent run blocking inside. The big runs were to the right side where the crease was big enough and there long enough for him to burst through. Barkley had two negatives on the day – an allowed sack and a drop. Those show up too often.

-Matt Breida added 6 yards on 2 carries and a 10-yard gain in the passing game. He was on the field for just 10 snaps.

WIDE RECEIVER

-One of the best traits DeVito has shown is the ability to spread the ball out to his pass catchers. He knows what his guys are good at, and he knows where to use them the most. Enter Jalin Hyatt. A career-game for the rookie who has been frustrating to watch for no reason other than lack of usage. He caught 5 passes for 109 yards. Three of them were explosive plays (20+ yards) and all three were high-level plays. I have been saying it since the beginning of the season, Hyatt has a few special traits that are hard to find together. We can see the speed and acceleration. But the plays on the ball he made near the boundary with the combination of coordination and footwork can make him a lethal weapon. And I mean, absolutely lethal. The move he put on J.C. Jackson after the catch was not something I expected to see either, as the short area change of direction and hip fluidity were a bit of an unknown with the ball in his hands.

-Wan’Dale Robinson was used underneath over and over, totaling 26 yards on 4 catches with one drop. The average depth of target was just 2.8 yards. That will often be the case. His usage (and frame) are similar to Zay Flowers from Baltimore (Flowers is a tier or two higher with what he can do downfield) in that you will often see games like this, an average-per-catch that looks like what you see out of a running back who had a good game on the ground. The explosive plays will come, though. Just wait.

-Isaiah Hodgins scored the lone touchdown of the game for NYG on a 12-yard pitch and catch where he used his pure strength on a stiff arm to finish off the play into the end zone. Sterling Shepard had a catch for 6 yards and a drop, and Parris Campbell caught one ball that resulted in a 2-yard loss.

TIGHT END

-Daniel Bellinger played the majority of the snaps with Lawrence Cager occasionally showing up on the field. Mike Kafka used 11 personnel for most of the game. Bellinger caught his one target for 8 yards and performed as usual in blocking roles. He was solid in the trenches, but he struggled to get across the face of his man when he needed to cut off the backside. It caused a TFL on one play and a stop at the line of scrimmage on another.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-Left tackle Andrew Thomas is human after all. He allowed 1.5 sacks on plays where he lost the initial angle and was unable to recover. He usually shows enough lower body adjustment to put himself back into the right position to make a save, but it appears his anchor is not 100%. Even though it was not his best day, those truly were his only losses of the day.

-Tyre Phillips and Ben Bredeson were the ones who paved the way on the best running gains we saw on the afternoon. Bredeson also did a fine job as a pass blocker, albeit against a low-level group of interior pass rushers. This is where Phillips struggled. He allowed 1.5 sacks and 3 hurries. His lockout game is a difference maker as a run blocker because of his length and heaviness. But in pass protection, where swifter footwork is necessary and the ability to react is more important, this is where he struggles. He did receive help from the tight end on occasion and it made a big difference. Considering Bellinger is not much of a threat in the passing game, I do feel that this is a better role for him. Help out then run a short-delayed route for dump-offs.

-Rookie center John Michael Schmitz allowed a pressure and a TFL. I am seeing a repeated problem with his outside zone blocking. He gives a bit too much ground (in an effort to get more downhill momentum) but the guy he is assigned to beats him to the spot and out-leverages him, creating more lost ground. Combine the two and the running back is multiple yards behind the line of scrimmage when he has to make his first adjustment. Schmitz gets the job done when he does not need to move far from the starting point, but he continues to struggle when he gets further away from it.

-Justin Pugh allowed 2 pressures and a TFL as well. He was the one getting pushed around when NYG tried to run left and did not have success. He is the one getting displaced and even though he can recover well, the point still remains. He is not getting enough movement at the point-of-attack.

EDGE

-As I have said in previous reviews, there are always things to keep an eye on when it comes to the team and future. This was the first game Kayvon Thibodeaux has been on the field without Dexter Lawrence. Leonard Williams was traded weeks ago. So how did Thibodeaux respond to being the one guy on this front who needed to be schemed against? He finished with 5 tackles, 2 TFL, a half-sack, and a forced fumble. I thought it was some of the best run defense we have seen out of him and the reaction speed to screens (which NE ran a ton of) was excellent. Combine that with what I read about his preparation + leadership shown during the week, and I would say that is nearly as good as you can expect for Thibodeaux without Lawrence on the field.

-Jihad Ward and Azeez Ojulari essentially split reps. While they don’t exactly play the same role and alignments, Ward was on the field for 40 snaps, Ojulari 38. Ward is the one who played the better of the two and it was by a sizable margin. He finished with 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks. One of those came on a 3rd down in the fourth quarter, a big play in a big moment. It is the first time Ward has had more than 1 sack in a game over his 8-year career. Ojulari had a QB hit early on, but was shut down the rest of the game again.

-Benton Whitley, just recently signed off the Vikings practice squad, played three snaps and made an impressive play on a pass break up. He’s bounced around a few different practice squads since 2021. He is a heavy-handed, vertical threat with the straight-line burst to put some pressure on a tackle. He will also factor on special teams.

DEFENSIVE LINE

-A’Shawn Robinson and Rakeem Nunez-Roches were the starting interior defenders with Dexter Lawrence sitting out with a hamstring injury. Nothing against these two but what a difference it was to not have #97 in there. Robinson can hold his own and he plays an active game. He finished with 5 tackles and Nunez-Roches added one pressure.

-D.J. Davidson and Jordon Riley rotated in, and while they struggled to get off blocks in the passing game, I thought their stoutness against the run was solid. Where they currently struggle is shedding the blocks and making plays on the ball carrier. Riley missed two tackles.

LINEBACKER

-Bobby Okereke had another high-impact game. He had 8 tackles and added 3 pressures. He missed a tackle on a play that would have resulted in a sack. Mac Jones threw an interception right to him. He took possession of the ball inside the red zone and returned it 55 yards giving NYG the ball on the NE 26-yard line. This is the drive they ended up scoring the lone touchdown, further strengthening how big of a play it was.

-Micah McFadden added 6 tackles (with one miss), including one TFL on a play where he read the screen in a blink of an eye and broke on the receiver instantly.

-Isaiah Simmons had 2 tackles and a miss on a third down that resulted in a first down. His untouched pressure led to the Okereke interception. When McFadden missed a few snaps with a hand injury suffered by friendly fire, Simmons played the inside linebacker role. I noticed there and other alignments as well that he is simply late. That is the way to describe his game. Big-time athlete who can do a lot – but he is almost always late. Late to recognize, late to see, late to react.

CORNERBACK

-Adoree’ Jackson returned and remained outside with Deonte Banks on the other side and Cor’Dale Flott in the slot. I’ve always felt this has needed to be their trio of starters at the position. Jackson did miss two tackles, but he was steady in downfield coverage. Banks intercepted a pass in the first quarter near the sideline. Nice catch, good awareness and read. Banks has cleaned up some of his footwork in zone coverage and it is encouraging to see him advance throughout his rookie year. He had to offer a public apology for, you guessed it, a social media mistake. That really isn’t worth addressing here but I am glad he came out and played a solid game with a big play in a defensive battle. Banks does need to shore up some of his run-defense habits. They are borderline atrocious.

SAFETY

-Xavier McKinney is on a hot streak and it hit the climax on one of the better interceptions you are going to see a safety make in this league. It was a thing of beauty – the way he tricked Mac Jones into thinking he was dropping deep, knowing the route concept, breaking back down at the exact right moment so Jones had no idea, and then finishing the play off by coming down with the ball. Oh, and he led the team with 10 tackles and broke up another pass. While he was not perfect in coverage, he kept things in front of him and showed a good feel for what the Patriots were doing.

-Jason Pinnock played all 68 snaps and added 6 tackles, 1 of which went for a loss. With the number of screens and quick passes New England used, Pinnock did a nice job of getting to the action and disrupting. That quick trigger means a lot for this defense and even though he finds himself on the wrong side of blocks at times, he is getting the job done.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Randy Bullock: 1/1 (Made 42)
-P Jamie Gillan: 8 Punts / 45.4 avg – 40.3 net

3 STUDS

-S Xavier McKinney, EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, WR Jalin Hyatt

3 DUDS

-OT Tyre Phillips, EDGE Azeez Ojulari, RB Saquon Barkley

3 THOUGHTS ON NE

(1) Mac Jones is up there with the worst starting quarterbacks in the league. While the situation around him leaves much to be desired, it is hard to see where the future is. From my summary in 2021: “The upside is where I lose it a bit with him. He will be solid, but I don’t ever see him being great”. Remember this was after an all-time season with Alabama and there were rumors San Francisco was going to take him #3 overall (they opted for Trey Lance). He’s been yanked multiple times, he has gone backwards after a solid rookie season, and there simply isn’t anything to his game that stands out in a league where you need to have a trait or two that stand out.

(2) There is smoke surrounding Head Coach Bill Belichick. He’s been there since 2000 (the year Kerry Collins led NYG to the Super Bowl, Ron Dayne’s rookie season). He is 264-117 as the Head Coach for NE and he’s won 6 Super Bowls and 9 AFC Championships. But this team has gone 27-34 since Tom Brady left town. He has made several odd, head-scratching decisions involving the offense,  including operating without a true offensive coordinator in 2022, cutting Bailey Zappe in the preseason, and playing games with Jones’ status as the starter. Add in some odd draft decisions on that side of the ball that would have been harshly lambasted in any other city and it appears to be time. Would that be the end? Or does the 71-year old get another crack with a win-now team? Looking at you, Chargers.

(3) There is a good chance New England winds up with the first or second pick of the draft. Because they currently have no hope at quarterback and a pretty awful roster (especially on offense), one has to think they will press the restart button and draft one of the top 3 quarterbacks: Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, or Jayden Daniels. Does Robert Kraft bring back someone he loves in Josh McDaniels (for a third time)? Or does he go after the hottest name in the league in Bobby Johnson from Detroit? NYG fans should want that because you don’t want him calling the shots in Washington.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

(1) The Giants head to their bye week with a 4-8 record (somewhat still in playoff contention by the way) before the final five games on the schedule. They have two matchups against the Eagles and three games against 5-6 teams (Packers, Saints, Rams). Three of the five are at home. Take away your desire for a high draft pick for a moment. What do you want to see out of this team? What can they use over those five games to help build the future? First of all, it is DeVito or bust the rest of the way. Each game that comes is another opportunity to answer a key question for the 2024 season. Who is the backup quarterback moving forward? Tyrod Taylor can come back to be second string, a nice security blanket. But DeVito has played better. He simply presents more upside and carries some unknowns with him. We know what Taylor is. That is the component that needs to be figured out.

(2) I’m not sure if “turnaround” is the right word for where the Giants are right now since their November 12th 49-17 loss in Dallas. But they have won two in a row and are +13 in turnover margin since week five. By the way, that ranks NUMBER ONE in the NFL. It is the BIGGEST margin of any 8-game span in the league all year. Yes, since October 8, NYG leads the NFL in turnover margin, one of the most sure-fire stats to impact wins and losses. Criticize the coaching staff all you want, but the truth is, they have steadied the ship. On both sides of the ball.

(3) The offensive line cannot be considered a strength, but like the team overall, it has become a reliable-at-times unit. Andrew Thomas being on the field means a ton. It cannot be understated. But watching them on tape, the unit simply looks cleaner. The first half of the season was full of defenders getting free runs to the backfield. We had blockers running into each other. And we had whiff after whiff. It is clear NYG will need to add a body or two in the offseason, that fact will not change. But can any of these guys be brought back to provide depth? Possibly even a starter spot? Chemistry means a lot and we cannot just assume they can fill these spots with a rookie or journeyman free agent. I do not believe spending big will be in their budget plans.

Preview: New England Patriots at New York Giants, November 26, 2023

 Posted by
Nov 242023
 
Saquon Barkley, New York Giants (November 19, 2023)

Saquon Barkley – © USA TODAY Sports

THE STORYLINE:
As addressed previously, we’re in a weird dynamic right now where the games are a distant secondary to the upcoming offseason. This has pretty much been the case ever since the Giants lost heartbreakers to the Bills and Jets in Weeks 6 and 8, respectively. So now the Giants stand at 3-8, with two of the team’s three wins coming against the Washington Commanders. What makes matters even more depressing is that the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys continue to demonstrate on a weekly basis the huge gap that lies between them and the New York Giants. The Cowboys have already swept the Giants by a combined score of 89-17. The annual bitch-slapping by the Eagles will occur in Weeks 16 and 18.

Giants vs. Patriots? It used to have a special meaning. But those days are long gone.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • RB Eric Gray (ankle – questionable)
  • WR Darius Slayton (neck – doubtful)
  • WR Sterling Shepard (hip – probable)
  • OC John Michael Schmitz (finger – probable)
  • LT Andrew Thomas (knee – probable)
  • RT Evan Neal (ankle – out)
  • OT Tyre Phillips (knee – probable)
  • NT Dexter Lawrence (hamstring – doubtful)
  • DL A’Shawn Robinson (back – probable)
  • ILB Bobby Okereke (hip/rib – probable)
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion – probable)
  • CB Tre Hawkins (shoulder – probable)
  • S Bobby McCain (illness – probable)

GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
Despite the team’s record, these remaining games are important for many players, and one of those guys is Tommy DeVito. Midnight may be approaching for the Cinderella story, undrafted rookie free agent who won “Rookie of the Week” honors for his performance against Washington. Instead of throwing three touchdowns this weekend, he is just as likely to throw three interceptions. But the Jersey kid seems to be having fun and making the most out of his opportunity. Despite being sacked nine times last week, DeVito did something Daniel Jones has not been able to do in four years, that is, throw three touchdown passes in one game. Now he has six touchdowns on the season. Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor have combined for four. What if DeVito has another strong performance? Do the Giants stick with him after the upcoming bye week, or does Daboll turn back to Taylor, if the latter is healthy? DeVito could make the decision easy or difficult for Daboll based on how he plays against the Patriots.

DeVito and the offense had a 24-point “explosion” against the 29th-ranked defense last weekend. The 16th-ranked Patriots will be a tougher test, especially given their top-10 run defense. Bill Belichick has a knack for taking away the opposing team’s best offensive threat so I anticipate him focusing the defense’s complete attention on Saquon Barkley as a runner and receiver (Barkley is coming off an impact game as a receiver). I also expect him to do a better job of confusing the rookie quarterback by more effectively disguising his coverages. Can DeVito and the coaching staff adjust? Complicating matters is that another favorite target for DeVito, Darius Slayton, appears to be battling a stinger injury.

The book on DeVito coming out of school was a tendency to hold onto the ball too long. His emphasis on looking for bigger chunk plays down the field paid off against Washington and stood in stark contrast to Daniel Jones, but it also led to nine sacks. Another day like that and DeVito has a good chance of getting hurt with Matt Barkley entering the game. While I am dying to see DeVito take a couple of deep shots to Jalin Hyatt, he also needs to use the short passing game more when coverage and/or the pass rush dictates that response.

Speaking of pass rush, the Giants’ offensive line continues to disappoint. While not all of the nine sacks were on them, it’s astounding that a team that was winning the turnover battle 5-0 had to rely on the sixth turnover to seal the victory. The nine sacks and shoddy first-half run blocking were a big reason why. Andrew Thomas, despite playing injured, is still clearly the best OL on the team. John Michael Schmitz is battling injuries and still learning on the job. Justin Pugh, Ben Bredeson, and Tyre Phillips are not playing well and likely are not NFL-calibre starting material. I find the decision to start Pugh over Glowinski more than a tad curious. I also wonder if Schmitz wasn’t so green that we might be seeing more of Marcus McKethan, but the coaches have already alluded to the benefits of Schmitz being flanked by two veterans. Regardless, the offensive line ONCE AGAIN needs massive work in the offseason. Evan Neal’s wasted year has been devastating.

Assuming the Patriots take Barkley out of the game, someone else needs to step up. Wan’Dale Robinson? Daniel Bellinger? Jalin Hyatt? Will anyone answer the bell?

One last item to note. With the bye coming up after this game, the Giants may be getting some reinforcements back in December such as Tyrod Taylor, Darren Waller, and Evan Neal.

GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
The defense’s six turnovers won the game for the Giants last week. But that was clearly an anomaly. What is absolutely driving me nuts is Wink Martindale’s horrific run defense. I don’t get it. With the Ravens, in a very tough division, his run defenses were ranked 4th, 5th, 8th, and 1st the four years he was defensive coordinator. With the Giants? 27th and 28th. 2022 made more sense given the lack of quality and injury issues on the defensive line and inside linebacker. What’s the excuse this season? Wink’s defense is allowing 135 rushing yards per game. It just gave up 174 rushing yards to the Commanders. You can’t win consistently allowing these kind of numbers, and this is happening with arguably the best nose tackle in the game and an inside linebacker who is near the league-lead in tackles. It doesn’t make sense. I’d prefer the Giants to not change defensive coordinators this upcoming offseason, but Wink has a lot of explaining to do.

On the flip side, I was impressed at how well the Giants rushed the passer last week. I’ve harped on this for a couple of weeks, but the departure of Leonard Williams really hurt the team’s ability to get after the quarterback. The Giants’ two best pass rushers right now are Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence. Opposing teams know it and concentrate the blocking on these two as no one else is picking up the slack. Azeez Ojulari has returned from injury, but thus far, he has been a complete non-factor. Don’t be shocked when the pass rush completely disappears against better offensive lines. The Giants don’t have the numbers to make other teams really sweat. It’s why as much as the Giants need to address quarterback and the offensive line in the offseason, pass rush is right up there too.

As for the Patriots, they are struggling this year because their quarterback play has been awful. It’s not clear who will even start against the Giants and we may see multiple quarterbacks play in the game. The Patriots are also not rushing the ball well, being limited to less than 95 yards per game. However, if Dexter Lawrence does not play or is limited, things could get really ugly in terms of the run defense and pass rush.

GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
I do think the Giants signing developmental prospect Cade York off of Tennessee’s Practice Squad a few weeks ago was a bit of a red flag. While York was waived this week and re-signed to the Practice Squad, his presence in addition to the signing of Randy Bullock makes me wonder if Graham Gano’s knee injury has the Giants concerned beyond 2023. That would be bad news, not only because Gano is one of the NFL’s best, but because the Giants had just re-signed him to a 3-year, $16.5 million contract. This is something to note moving forward.

The special teams finally contributed on the field last week with a forced fumble that was recovered by the Giants. This is the type of play I talked about last week that was missing. Good job.

THE FINAL WORD:
I find myself rooting for the Giants but worrying about losing draft position. I can’t help it. I know we still need that quarterback. The Patriots do too. So you can see where my mind is going here. Is a win really a win? Is a loss really a loss?

Game Review: New York Giants 31 – Washington Commanders 19

 Posted by
Nov 212023
 
Tommy DeVito, New York Giants (November 19, 2023)

Tommy DeVito – © USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

-Tommy DeVito: 18/26 – 246 yards / 3 TD – 0 INT / 137.7 RAT

The ascent continues. DeVito went from a guy who the coaches did everything within their power to prevent from throwing a pass in a close game to producing the highest QB rating a Giants quarterback has had since September 23, 2018 (among games with 20+ passing attempts). In addition, the three touchdowns were the most by a Giants quarterback since Week 16 of 2019 (also a game against Washington). Say whatever you want about the future of the Giants quarterback situation, but what DeVito has done in a short time is nothing short of impressive. He did all of this on a day where he was sacked nine times. There were a few instances of mental mistakes, mainly holding onto the ball too long when the pass rushers outnumbered the blockers, but it was a clean game for the undrafted rookie. He sprayed the ball all over the field and came up with three high level balls while avoiding turnovers. I look forward to seeing if he can continue the climb.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 14 att – 83 yards / 4 rec – 57 yards – 2 TD

For the third straight week, Barkley averaged over five yards per carry. The last time he did that was in 2018, his rookie season. While he was fully contained on the ground in the first half (-2 yards on 6 carries), he made two elite catches, one being the first of two touchdown receptions. His explosive plays were vital to the team’s offensive success. He rattled off two 30+ yard runs and was responsible for 4 of the 7 largest gains for the offense. Barkley’s one dent was the fact he allowed two sacks. Running backs are not expected to sustain blocks for a long time, but he barely even made an impact on these two whiffs. This is an area of his game that has never solidified. All in all, the team does not win this game without this performance by Barkley.

WIDE RECEIVER

-Despite missing the second half with a hand/wrist injury, Darius Slayton led the team with 82 yards on 4 catches, including a touchdown, his first of the season. On that play, we saw an impressive burst to the end zone after a subtle stutter-step that froze the WAS defender just enough to create that lane to the end zone. That kind of athleticism is part of what creates the optimism around his game. A drop on third down is what creates the frustration around his game. The up and down element to his game lives on.

-Wan’Dale Robinson had 3 catches for 35 yards, including an explosive play that gained 21 yards. That gain was essentially all him after the catch. We have seen the flashes over the last month that strengthen the notion he will be an important building block next season and beyond. I also noted a couple of high-effort blocks he made.

-Rookie Jalin Hyatt was thrown to twice and he caught one of them for seven yards. While it is disappointing that they seem to struggle getting him consistent targets, I am optimistic DeVito will throw the ball downfield to him in the coming weeks. The training wheels are coming off. One question I would like the answer to is how well does Hyatt know the playbook? While watching the game from the All-22, there were a couple plays where there appears to be miscommunication between the two. It is hard to tell who that’s on, but that could be a reason for the disconnect between what I think Hyatt can do and what opportunities he gets.

-Isaiah Hodgins added 22 yards on 2 catches and Sterling Shepard had 1 catch for 7 yards. The latter was targeted in the end zone as well.

TIGHT END

-It was another full day for Daniel Bellinger. He had 38 yards on 3 catches and played most of the snaps. His 26-yard gain that ended just shy of a touchdown was his longest of the day. As Waller sits out, I am interested to see if the second-year pro from San Diego State gets some of his swagger back. Some players need a lot of reps to get and stay fresh. Bellinger did allow a TFL on a play where he lined up at fullback, but his blocking was better in this game than previous weeks.

-Tyree Jackson and Lawrence Cager shared spot duty and both were manhandled by the physical Washington front a few times. Neither were thrown to.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-On paper, the offensive line was torched. But on tape, it was not nearly as bad as the 9 sacks make it look and they had stretches of solid pass protection. While the OL still is a significant weakness that holds the offense back, they have now gone up a step on the ladder from dysfunctional to inconsistent. Having Andrew Thomas back is such a difference maker, and it is an easy example to point to when discussing the sheer value of a high-quality left tackle. He allowed one pressure and created good push it the running game.

-Tyre Phillips is a hit or miss blocker. Because he has lower body movement limitations, he needs to get the initial win. When he doesn’t, the odds of him coming out on top are slim when there are deeper drop backs. He allowed 2 pressures and 1.5 sacks in addition to being flagged for illegally blocking downfield. Justin Pugh allowed a sack and was poor in the run game. His initial punch does not displace or stand anyone up. Therefore, he needs to be incredibly precise and when he is off by just a little bit, the operation blows up. Jonathan Allen ate his lunch a few times.

-Ben Bredeson allowed two pressures and a half-sack and rookie center John Michael Schmitz had his worst game of the season. The latter allowed 2 TFL and a sack. I’ve highlighted his movement issues recently and it appears the league has caught onto them as well. The lateral speed and adjustments are a notch too slow, and it’s lessened his power impact. He was put on ice skates a few times and it disrupted the zone running game.

EDGE

-Kayvon Thibodeaux shined once again as he lined up across from Washington left tackle Charles Leno. If you do not watch much outside of the Giants games, you may not know that Leno is probably one of the ten best pass-blocking left tackles in the game. About a month after Thibodeaux recorded 1.5 sacks vs. Washington in New York, he added 2 sacks, 3 pressures, 1 QB hit, and 5 tackles to his season total. He now has 10.5 sacks and is the first player in a Wink Martindale defense to reach double digits in that department. There are six games left. He won inside, he won outside, he won with burst, he won with power.

-Jihad Ward recorded a sack very much because of a pressure from Thibodeaux that made Sam Howell run right into his arms. He and Boogie Basham excel at controlling a gap but when it comes to lateral speed and adjustments, they’re awfully slow and lethargic. Brian Robinson ran for 73 yards, the second most of the year, and a lot of it stemmed from that lack of speed on the outside.

-Azeez Ojulari was nowhere to be found following a pressure he had early in the game. On 49 snaps, he had zero tackles and nothing outside that first pressure.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

-Dexter Lawrence should pay rent for the amount of time he spent in the Washington backfield over their two matchups this season. He had 4 pressures, 2 TFL, and a sack. Double teams, single teams, and even triple teams do not stop the eventual All-Pro.

-A’Shawn Robinson played just over a third of the snaps but he came up big in big spots. He ended with 4 tackles, one of which was a big third-down stop, and added 2 pressures. That snap count works well for him because while I do not think he has the engine to play a full snap load, he can still be effective in flashes.

-Rakeem Nunez-Roches and D.J. Davidson spelled Robinson a lot through the second half. The former had a pressure and a tackle and the latter added one tackle. Nunez-Roches is a hustler, too. He was 20-30 yards downfield chasing guys down. That kind of effort matters, especially from a backup.

LINEBACKER

-Another active and productive game for the linebacker duo of Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. Okereke led the team with 14 tackles and forced two fumbles. McFadden added 8 tackles, one of which was for a loss, and recovered a fumble in addition to a pass break up. They both missed tackles, one of three by McFadden’s led to a touchdown. The two seem to feed off each other, displaying chemistry. Watch some of the top linebacker pairs in the league and you will see that often. They move off each other well and can control an extra gap. These two have been fun to watch.

-Isaiah Simmons made an impact play for the first time since being acquired via trade from Arizona 12 weeks ago. He intercepted Sam Howell (the team’s sixth forced turnover of the day) and returned it 54 yards for the pick-six. He added 3 tackles on the day and missed one. This could be the turning moment for Simmons that he needed.

CORNERBACK

-It was an active game for the young group. Rookie Deonte Banks allowed a touchdown but was otherwise very solid in coverage down the field. Cor’Dale Flott continued his ascent with a forced fumble and two tackles. These two have been positives we will look back on after the season when projecting the potential of this defense moving forward. Their movement traits are both outstanding, but looking at them from the All-22 is encouraging as well. Their feel and route recognition are notably better.

-Nick McCloud intercepted his first pass of his career in the first quarter to set the defensive tone. It was an outstanding play on a deep ball where he displayed speed, ball tracking, and hands on a diving, over-the-shoulder grab. McCloud is a nice player who was a key part to their secondary in 2022 who we have not seen much of this season. He also added a team-high two special teams tackles. He is a guy who wears multiple hats for this team that all good defenses have.

-Also picking off a pass was Darnay Holmes, who has done just enough to stick around over his four-year career. If he does shake free in the offseason, you can bet your bottom dollar he will get signed. It was his second pick of the year. Tre Hawkins struggled, leading the defensive backs in yards allowed, and he was flagged for illegal contact (a questionable call). A big part of the remaining balance of this season will be getting the young guys more and more snaps, Hawkins included. The tough question will be how much and at what expense? McCloud does more for this defense right now.

SAFETY

-Xavier McKinney and Jason Pinnock were on the field for 100% of the snaps yet again. McKinney deserves the mention, as he seems to be in the crosshairs of some because of comments to the media and a lack of playmaking overall. He was outstanding. He finished with 12 tackles, 1 TFL, and a fumble recovery. While he did get beat in coverage a few times, he did a nice job of containing and keeping the action in front of him. He was all over the field and played with a ton of grit and hustle.

-Dane Belton had 5 tackles and continues to add a needed physical element to the defense.

-Welcome to the playmaker’s list rookie Gervarrius Owens. He made a tackle and recovered a fumble on special teams. The safety room is crowded but this kind of experience will be good for the 7th rounder who opened eyes throughout preseason.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K Randy Bullock: 1/1 (Made 36)
P Jamie Gillan: 7 punts / 45.4 avg – 42.6 net

3 STUDS

-EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, DT Dexter Lawrence, QB Tommy DeVito

3 DUDS

-EDGE Azeez Ojulari, OC John Michael Schmitz, CB Tre Hawkins III

3 THOUGHTS ON WAS

1. It’s safe to say the Giants have the Commanders number similar to what Dallas has done to the Giants in recent years. Different regimes, different quarterbacks, different personnel. No matter the case, NYG over WAS has become a near-given as of late. The one thing I sense about the Commanders, especially offensively, is the fact they have nobody on offense who truly scares you. Terry McLaurin is a solid player, but he won’t keep anyone up at night when preparing for them. They have plenty of quality wins against good opponents over this span of NYG dominance, but the fact they do not have any elite playmakers (and haven’t for a long time) is a key reason why they have not gotten over the hump.

2. With that in mind, this thought crossed my mind in relation to roster building. Would you rather have a couple of elite pieces you can build around but a lesser support system around them, or a solid supporting cast with volume of quality players but missing the elite pieces that are the cornerstones? Washington has a lot of usable pieces, but they no longer have the defining players. The Giants have a few elite players, but they’re missing the much-needed depth. Something to chew on.

3. Washington traded not one, but both, of their defensive ends who were heading toward free agency this upcoming March. They received a second-round pick from Chicago (likely a top 35 pick) and a third rounder from San Francisco (likely a top 96 pick). The writing was on the wall, as Washington already locked up the interior guys Jonathan Allen and DaRon Payne and the resources have to be spread out when it comes to the larger contracts. Sweat and Young will both be getting monster deals this offseason. It is a new era coming in Washington and the next move will be the firing of Ron Rivera. I cannot see him making it to 2024.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. This is an awkward time of year for fans. They have their eyes firmly set on the NFL Draft. Any and every win lessens their chance of getting the top pick and the player they feel will change things around. I do understand it, but I’ve always felt it was a meaningless approach and a waste of time. Texans Head Coach Lovie Smith was crushed by the fans and media for a meaningless win last year at the end of the season. It pushed them out of the number one overall pick. Here they are a year later with the second quarterback taken and will end up as the comeback team of the season. It looks like they may have the next big thing at quarterback. We see examples of this all the time. Giants fans were upset they did not get Chase Young and had to settle for Andrew Thomas. The team needs to find the pieces on this roster who are worth building around. They need to find guys who are good at football and who can be relied upon. That is the goal. If they find them, it will lead to wins, period. This would be a net-positive even though it may mess with your mock drafts and fantasies.

2. Turnovers change everything. It took seven games for the Giants to reach six turnovers for the season. They took the ball away six times in this game alone. I can recall discussing the lack of turnovers early in the year (zero through 4 games) as being the defensive catalyst to poor play. The Giants are now +3 in turnovers on the year, an encouraging sign because that ratio is tied to win-loss as much as any stat in football. For me, it has been the pass rush that has led to increased number of turnovers. It is more effective, and it now has a true inside-out force. Add another piece (or two) and watch how much this will change the outcomes of games. The offense needs personnel improvements, yes. But the pass rush is close to being something that makes a true difference.

3. I am interested in seeing how this coaching staff handles the workload of Saquon Barkley moving forward. He is on pace for the most touches per game in a season over his entire career. We all know about the contract situation, and we all know there is nothing behind him who comes even close to matching what he can produce. There is a lot of football left and Barkley has proven to be a team-first guy, but if they do not slow down his usage, we could see him suffer another breakdown. Yes, “it is part of the game” but I do wonder if there will be a point where they pull him back a bit, especially if they plan to keep him around in 2024.

Preview: New York Giants at Washington Commanders, November 19, 2023

 Posted by
Nov 172023
 
New York Giants Super Bowl Trophies (January 5, 2016)

© USA TODAY Sports

THE STORYLINE:
Given that I run one of the oldest New York Giants fan sites on the internet, I think I have a pretty good feel for pulse of the fan base. My sense is that fan morale is at an all-time low, probably reaching levels not seen since the 1970’s. And it’s not that fans are angry or upset. It’s reaching the more troublesome indifference stage. I’m seeing more and more fans who have posted for years on this site, fans who live and breathe Giants football, simply say, “I’ll DVR the game and watch it if they win” or “OK, I’m turning this off. I can’t take it.”

We’re talking about a fan base that once patiently waited 30 years (1956 to 1986) to see their team win another championship, and filled waiting lists and stadiums in the interim. It’s not just that the Giants are losing (only one winning season in the last seven years), but it’s that they aren’t even competitive. In the old days, the Giants were lovable losers. They usually came up short in the W-L column, but they scratched and clawed, and you were still usually watching the game in the 4th quarter because the contest was still undecided. The Giants would break your hearts, but at least you were being entertained. Now it’s just sad and depressing with games over by halftime. Coaches and athletes making millions of dollars per year and simply going through the motions. Only a masochist would want to watch the thing they love get humiliated on a weekly basis.

Governments, institutions, organizations, and companies that are poorly run use a neat trick. They find ways to distract the masses from their incompetence. So like clockwork, in less than two months, John Mara will stand in front of the press and convince many that he understands our pain and that changes will be made. Heck, he may even fire the general manager and head coach again. Or some of the assistant coaches may be forced out. In the past, this has worked. The scapegoats made fans feel better in the short term, buying ownership a couple of years, until the cycle was repeated. Are we really going to fall for it again? Some will.

So how do the Giants turn this around? Make better personnel decisions, draft better, don’t spend like crazy in free agency, find a difference-maker at quarterback, focus on the lines of scrimmage, hire competent coaches, acquire tough players rather than soft, injury-prone ones. The Giants lose because they haven’t done these things. They don’t have a quarterback. They don’t control the lines of scrimmage. They never have cap space. There is no depth. And they are soft and always hurt.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • QB Tommy DeVito (left shoulder/knee – probable)
  • RB Saquon Barkley (ankle – probable)
  • RB Deon Jackson (concussion – probable)
  • WR Wan’Dale Robinson (knee – probable)
  • WR Jalin Hyatt (concussion – probable)
  • LT Andrew Thomas (knee – questionable)
  • RT Evan Neal (ankle – out)
  • OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux (concussion – probable)
  • OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle – probable)
  • ILB Bobby Okereke (hip – probable)
  • CB Deonte Banks (ankle – probable)
  • CB Cor’Dale Flott (shoulder – probable)
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion – out)
  • S Xavier McKinney (rib – probable)
  • S Jason Pinnock (thumb/ankle – probable)

GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
As predicted, Dallas’ 3rd-ranked defense toyed with New York’s dead-last offense. A last-second, garbage-time touchdown was the only thing preventing the Giants from being held to 10 points again. The Giants are basically dead in the water with Tommy DeVito learning on the job at quarterback. But would the offense really be that much better with a healthy Daniel Jones or Tyrod Taylor starting? Sadly, DeVito already has more touchdown passes than either.

On this side of the ball, the entire focus of the front office in the offseason should be acquiring a legitimate quarterback and fixing the offensive line once and for all with tough guys who don’t miss games. A game-breaking wideout would be really nice, but what difference would he make if you don’t have someone to throw him the ball or an offensive line to allow anything to function?

GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
I’ve said for years that fans should not over react to the last game, but look for trends. The defense was trending in the right direction for three games, albeit it against struggling offenses. In the past two games, the defense has played like dog shit. The defense is demoralized, the loss of Leonard Williams is having an impact, injuries are mounting, young players are hitting the wall, and the competition has improved. Regardless, it is completely unacceptable to allow seven touchdowns and over 600 yards against any opponent, let alone a division rival. I’ve been a big advocate for Wink Martindale and his style of defense, but he’s losing me at this point. The Giants may not win another game this year, but we expect competent defense moving forward. Do your job and fix it.

In the offseason, again, focus on the line of scrimmage. Find tough guys who don’t get hurt and who can rush the passer.

GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Giants special teams are just so bland and boring. In the old days, when Giants’ teams were bad, it was mainly because the offense was terrible. But the defense and special teams kept New York in games and made the contests somewhat exciting with a big hit, forced turnover, downed punt, blocked kick. Now, this is just another part of the team that loses on game day. And as has been pointed out by many, strange personnel/coaching decisions were made all year that negatively impacted the special teams product on the field.

THE FINAL WORD:
Washington is a better team than the Giants faced a month ago. New York is a worse team. This game should cement the Giants dead-last finish in the NFC East.

Game Review: Dallas Cowboys 49 – New York Giants 17

 Posted by
Nov 142023
 
Tyre Phillips, New York Giants (November 12, 2023)

Tyre Phillips – © USA TODAY Sports

QUARTERBACK

-Tommy DeVito: 14-27 / 86 yards / 2 TD – 1 INT

The first career start for Tommy DeVito was his third game with extensive playing time. Even though the numbers look ugly, I can say there is progress with each one of these games. And this is the first time he prepared all week as the starter. Early on, as expected, there appeared to be a lack of rhythm and feel. He missed a couple of easy throws to the flat (equivalent to a layup in basketball or a routine ground ball for a shortstop in baseball) and then evaded non-existent pressure in the pocket, which in turn created pressure. DeVito got to show off his arm a few times and while there was an underthrow deep to Jalin Hyatt that resulted in an interception, he proved he can sling it well to the outside. DeVito can make the throws, he can create with his legs, and there is a toughness about him. With that said, it is glaringly obvious he is in over his head now and offers little chance at leading this team to a win against a quality opponent. It is worth noting that both of his touchdown passes, the second one specifically, were well-placed balls with tempo and touch. Remember, a win here would be DeVito cementing himself as a capable backup for the future.

RUNNING BACK

-Saquon Barkley: 13 att – 66 yards / 1 rec – -5 yards

Another gutsy performance by Barkley who had minimal-to-no space to run through for most of the game. For the second straight week, he averaged over 5 yards per carry. That is the first time we have seen that since weeks 16/17 of 2019. They took him off the field late in the game as it got out of hand and there was no point in exposing him to more injury. Barkley was the victim of a couple poor throws by DeVito as well.

-Matt Breida and Jashaun Corbin got a couple looks late in the game but there was not anything noteworthy. Corbin did catch all three of his targets for 12 yards.

WIDE RECEIVER

-Darius Slayton led the receiver group with 3 catches and 21 yards. There appeared to be some drama with him on the sideline and at the time of this writing, I’m not sure what happened. There is not much worth commenting on. But after a game where I simply don’t have much for you from an evaluation and analysis perspective, let me say this, the players are frustrated too. This does not even seem like competitive football at times. The offense can barely function and at any given point, it is understandable and even acceptable to see a player lose his cool on the sidelines. This happens more often than people think (on every sideline) but media coverage can sway viewers into thinking a certain way as they look for intra-game storylines in a matchup that offers very little to watch between the lines. That’s all.

-Sterling Shepard caught one pass for a two-yard touchdown. We do not know when he will catch his final touchdown in a Giants uniform and this could have easily been it.

-Wan’Dale Robinson had two catches for 6 yards and Paris Campbell had one catch for 6 yards. They also handed the ball off to Robinson once and even though it ended as a no-gain, it left me wanting to see more of him in this kind of offense. Robinson can be a key part to the team moving forward but we need to see the scheme force-feed him a bit more. Get his experience level up, let him show which plays he can make and which he cannot, and allow the coaches to gain chemistry with the skill set.

-Speaking of breeding experience for the sake of potential future gains, Jalin Hyatt had just one target again. It is the fifth time he has had 1 or less targets in a game. He is being thrown to, on average, once every 21 pass plays. He was underthrown, again. Hyatt almost seems too fast for the NYG quarterbacks no matter who is back there. The effortless burst and always-available next gear is fun to watch but there is much more to chew off here than what we have seen.

TIGHT END

-Darren Waller was placed on Injured Reserve after suffering a hamstring injury before facing his former team last week. Daniel Bellinger and Lawrence Cager will see an uptick in playing time and snaps. Even though we have not seen much improvement in year two for Bellinger as a blocker, this set up will likely result in some increased effectiveness in the trenches. He led the team with 34 yards on 2 catches and Cager scored the first NYG touchdown on a 10-yard pitch and catch. His burst and agility showed up and reminded us what he can do in open space. A definite weapon for the Giants to try and use in the coming weeks.

-Tyree Jackson, a former quarterback, saw his first snaps with the Giants and was primarily in there to block.

OFFENSIVE LINE

-Andrew Thomas started at left tackle in consecutive games for the first time since the playoff loss in Philadelphia last January. He pitched a shutout, albeit on 32 out of 57 snaps because of an injured ankle. The positive is that he came back in after the injury and did not look too different than pre-injury. Signs point to him coming back and that means we do not need to watch more of Justin Pugh at left tackle. Thomas also made a couple of key blocks on running plays when they got him moving laterally.

-Pugh essentially split his snaps between left guard and tackle. He allowed 3 pressures and a QB hit and got tossed around in the running game. Pugh and rookie center John Michael Schmitz were displaced by Dallas defenders for most of the game, lacking anchor and balance. Schmitz spends too much time on the ground and the reaction speed looks labored. There are some Evan Neal traits here (no, I am not comparing the level of play to Neal) in that his ability to recover his body control when initially lost is concerning. It will be high up on the list of skills he needs to work on.

-The right side consisted of Ben Bredeson and Tyre Phillips. They both allowed 4 pressures and the latter allowed two sacks, the former allowing one. Bredeson was the bigger disappointment here and it caused issues with DeVito, who already seemed jittery in the pocket early on, as his pressures were right in the face of the undrafted rookie. Phillips at least made a positive impact as a run blocker on some of Barkley’s better runs while Bredeson just did not seem to compete.

EDGE

-Kayvon Thibodeaux played just 40 snaps before leaving the game with a concussion. On those 40 snaps he did not register a single tackle or pressure. In three out of four games against Dallas, Thibodeaux has one pressure. One of the best performances of his career also came in a matchup against DAL in November of 2022 where he had 9 pressures as he abused Tyler Smith as a rookie (now their left guard).

-Azeez Ojulari returned from his ankle injury he suffered Week 5 in Miami. He played just 17 snaps but did show up a few times. He came up with a big 4th-and-1 stop and had 2 pressures. One of the few positives to keep an eye on in the coming weeks will be when he and Thibodeaux play together. We have not seen it much over the past year and a half.

-Boogie Basham saw an uptick in playing time and Jihad Ward continued his presence as the stout edge setter. Both missed a tackle and Ward added a QB hit, Basham added 4 tackles. For guys who are going to be near non-factors against the pass, I think they need better run game prowess than what they offer.

DEFENSIVE LINE

-Dexter Lawrence had one hurry and one QB hit as a pass rusher. This is the first time we have seen two consecutive “quiet” games out of the sure-thing All Pro. I thought his run defense was exceptional on two fronts, however. He created a logjam inside on multiple occasions that resulted in stops (wins for the defense) and made yet another impressive tackle on the move near the sideline. Do not underestimate how special that ability is from the A-Gap.

-I thought D.J. Davidson flashed late in the game where his snaps saw an uptick. He had 2 pressures and 2 tackles. He has shown a knack for getting to the passer via a strong bull rush. A’Shawn Robinson added 2 pressures and 2 tackles. He gets turned too often in the running game and it hurt the Giants in short-yardage situations. The high pad level has something to do with that. I also see a conditioning shortcoming when he is on the field for longer spurts. He had this issue in Los Angeles as well.

-Rakeem Nunez-Roches played 35 snaps for the second straight week. He made 3 tackles but was a non-factor on 17 pass rush attempts.

LINEBACKER

-Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden were solid for most of the afternoon despite DAL averaging over 5 yards per carry. Okereke finished with 11 tackles and a QB hit. McFadden added 6 tackles, 1 TFL, and 1 pressure. Both are seeing the game well, much better than early in the year. I am going to mark them as a positive to this team moving forward which is important. Not having Leonard Williams up front is a problem, however, especially for McFadden. He is getting out-angled by offensive linemen and that is a result of the downgrade up front.

-Isaiah Simmons is a third-down defender and special teamer who remains more athlete than football player. NYG did not give up much for him but I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed by the lack of impact.

CORNERBACK

-Deonte Banks is inching toward the league lead in flags. He needs to learn to play with and trust his feet. The movement traits are all there. He knows it and we know it. It is easy to see. But when a player gets this grabby it is a sign he lacks the confidence in his ability to make the right reads. That is where he resides right now and good receivers/quarterbacks know how to take advantage of it with lots of double routes and late breaks. This will be the approach with him until he proves he can be better.

-Cor’Dale Flott and Darnay Holmes both picked off Prescott. Flott left the game early with a shoulder injury, opening the door for a lot of different players to try and slow down the Dallas secondary. Simply put, they were burned badly. CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks combined for 20 catches / 324 yards / 2 TDs.

-Nick McCloud allowed 5 catches on 6 targets, Tre Hawkins allowed a 41-yard touchdown where he struggled to locate the ball, Holmes gave up 128 yards on 8 targets. No matter who the Giants threw out there, it was ugly. And the Dallas first stringers did not even play the entire game.

SAFETY

-With the instability at corner (and Adoree’ Jackson being out to begin with) we saw more multiple safety packages. Xavier McKinney and Jason Pinnock were still the mainstays, combining for 19 tackles. McKinney performed better in coverage and Pinnock missed two tackles.

-Dane Belton and Bobby McCain saw most of their snaps in the second half. McCain allowed a touchdown but also broke up a pass while Belton allowed a 28-yard reception on the one pass he was targeted on. He also added a pressure. McCain has surprisingly seen very little action this year, as I thought he would take on the hybrid Julian Love role. Belton is still the guy I want to see more of down the stretch because I want to have a better grasp of what he is. There is talent here but he does not show the proper feel. That could simply be an experience thing.

SPECIAL TEAMS

-K Randy Bullock: 1/1 (Made 40)
-P Jamie Gillan: 7 punts / 50.0 avg – 45.9 net

3 STUDS

-OT Andrew Thomas, DT Dexter Lawrence, CB Cor’Dale Flott

3 DUDS

-OG Ben Bredeson, CB Darnay Holmes, Nick McCloud

3 THOUGHTS ON DAL

1. Is Dallas as good as some want to believe? I have leaned on point differential when looking at season-long success and evaluation. It is not the only marker, but it does break ties in my head. Dallas is +104 nine games into the season. That is third best in the NFL. But look at these wins they have. 40-point win over NYG, 20 point win over NYJ, 35 point win over NE, 3 point win over LAC, 23 point win over LAR, 32 point win over NYG. Their losses? 12-point loss vs. ARI. 32-point loss vs. SF, 5-point loss vs. PHI. It does not take much analysis to realize they’re head and shoulders above the worst teams in the NFL, but I still have a hard time accepting they are in the same tier with the best the NFL has to offer.

2. DeMarcus Lawrence is playing some of the best football of his career. The 31-year-old is turning into another Cameron Jordan-type player on the back half of his career. Early on he evolved into a double-digit sack guy and league leader in pressures. While his pure pass-rush effectiveness might be a tad less, it is still well above average, and his run defense has turned into an elite trait for an edge defender. This is something all young edge guys should be watching, Thibodeaux included. His power, strength, and techniques have constantly improved, and he is now an every-down threat, one who can line up all over the defensive line.

3. The one area this offense needs to improve the most is in the red zone. This is where they miss Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore and running back Ezekiel Elliot the most. Their offensive line is more than good enough, and their weapons are too. The play calling and execution are not. If they want to win multiple games in January, those hidden points are going to be the deciding factor.

3 CLOSING THOUGHTS

1. Something to keep an eye on I the coming two months of football. How much does Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux need another big defensive line performer to do their jobs at a high level effectively? Lawrence is playing at better defensive tackle than everyone in the NFL now. Nine weeks in, I can say that with confidence. Thibodeaux is up and down, understandably so with what has been going on around him and the skill set he currently possesses. But since the trade of Williams to Seattle, we can make the case they have been a bit quiet in the passing game compared to where they were. I like Jordon Riley and I like D.J. Davidson, but I am not sold they are the kind of player who will line up next to Lawrence rather than behind him. If we see a quiet Lawrence + Williams duo the rest of the way, another inside pass rusher needs to be a priority in the offseason.

2. At some point we need to start seeing more of Tre Hawkins and Jordon Riley. If/when Gervarrius Owens is up to speed and fully healthy, he needs to be in that group as well. While the Giants offense needs to be the primary focus next offseason, we cannot overlook a defense that has allowed the 4th-most points in the league, 2nd-most yards per attempt in the passing game, and 4th-most yards per rush. I think many are overlooking how bad this defense really is simply because they were solid against the Jets, Commanders, and Bills. And NYG needs a strong grasp on what these guys are.

3. I’ll honest and transparent here. This game review was hard to do. Re-watching that twice from different angles was hard to do. It feels like I am not breaking down professional football right now. But when it comes down to what I am supposed to do for Eric and BBI, I suck it up and do the job the best I can. There is still a lot of football to break down and there are certain players to keep an extra close eye on regarding the future. What disappoints me now is watching how some (not all) members of the media and some (not all) members of the NYG organization cannot seem to maintain integrity and respect for the people that provide the money that allow them to work in football for a living. Made up stories. Trashing a player for spending time with his family. Lame attempts late on a Monday night to act in a condescending manner to fans on X. Yes, all are signs of a losing franchise (an all-time losing team and run of losing teams) but the character of some of these guys can be tough to look past. Break the game down, agree of disagree respectfully, keep the other stuff out. You know who you are, too.

Preview: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys, November 12, 2023

 Posted by
Nov 102023
 

Thank you sir… may I have another?

THE STORYLINE:
Once again, a part of the site that is supposed to be dedicated to analyzing specific games has turned into a running commentary on the season. But at this point, I see no reason to get into X’s and O’s for a team basically playing out the string.

For fans, this is a really bad situation. It’s not like there are only two or three games left to play. There are eight, which is half the schedule. And with little to play for other than pride, and factoring in the remaining opponents and the situation at quarterback, many anticipate the losses to continue to pile up. The Giants could be looking at a disastrous 2-15, 3-14, or 4-13 type season. With each loss, the emotional toll will build. More and more fans will advocate for another complete overhaul simply for cathartic purposes.

And there’s the rub. Each time a general manager or head coach is fired, the rebuilding clock gets set back to zero. I’ve tried to make this point for years but I still don’t think many fans completely accept this principle. If the Giants fire their fourth coach in a row after two seasons, we’re talking about Dan Snyder level of turnover/incompetence. On the other hand, if you don’t have the right general manager and head coach, you’re not going to get better either.

John Mara has hired three general managers (Jerry Reese, David Gettleman, Joe Schoen) and four head coaches (Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, Brian Daboll). It’s not a great batting average. If you start over, there is absolutely no guarantee the next duo is going to be better than Schoen and Daboll. On the flip side, do you trust them to get the quarterback right when they just gave Daniel Jones a 4-year, $160 million contract? In their defense, are two drafts and one legitimate free agent period enough time to rebuild what was a horrific roster? Back and forth…argument and counter-argument.

It boils down to this. The Giants are going to finish the season with a horrible record. They may not win another game. Bill Parcells would have a hard time winning another game with a rookie undrafted quarterback. The Cowboys will complete the sweep on Sunday. The Eagles will embarrass the Giants two more times. If you think that is on Schoen and Daboll, you’ll want them gone. If you think the roster is the issue, you’re more inclined to give them more time. My gut tells me Mara has already made the decision to bring both back. I don’t think Daboll is stupid enough to melt down like Judge and force Mara’s hand.

THE INJURY REPORT:

  • RB Jashaun Corbin (hamstring – questionable)
  • RB Deon Jackson (concussion – out)
  • WR Parris Campbell (hamstring – questionable)
  • LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring – probable)
  • RT Evan Neal (ankle – out)
  • OG Justin Pugh (ankle – probable)
  • OG Mark Glowinski (personal matter – questionable)
  • OLB Azeez Ojulari (ankle – questionable)
  • CB Adoree’ Jackson (concussion – out)
  • S Dane Belton (back – probable)

GIANTS ON OFFENSE:
This is how bad it is:

  • Total yards per game: 268.9 – dead last in the NFL
  • Passing yards per game: 155.0 – dead last in the NFL
  • Points per game: 11.2 – dead last in the NFL (no one else is close)

Coaching? Perhaps. But Brian Daboll has been in this league a long time. I still contend it’s been a combination of countless offensive line issues and lineups, injuries to the most important players, and poor quarterback play. Whatever the reason, you can’t win these numbers. The Giants might not score 200 points this year.

I don’t buy the argument that Schoen and Daboll were smart for the way Daniel Jones’ contract situation was handled. No, Schoen and Daboll would have been smart to slap a 1-year franchise tag on Jones. They gambled that Jones was more likely to keep playing like he did down the stretch in 2022. They lost that huge gamble. It was the worst move of an offseason that otherwise looked pretty strong (good draft, decent free agent period, re-signing players like Andrew Thomas and Dexter Lawrence and passing on guys like Leonard Williams, Adoree’ Jackson, and Xavier McKinney). But because it was the quarterback position and because it involved $160 million, it was a big miss. Regardless of who the GM or HC are, the Giants are stuck with Jones for one more year, either as a lame duck starter or expensive clipboard holder. It will be an uncomfortable situation for all parties.

The final kick in the nads for Jones will be if Tommy DeVito shows any signs of life in the final eight games. No, I’m not talking about him being an answer at quarterback, but simply if the offense begins to generate more than 11 points per game. Jones finished 2023 with two touchdowns. If DeVito throws one more TD, he ties Jones in that department (he’s already tied him with rushing TDs with one). Through nine games, the three New York Giants quarterbacks have thrown five touchdown passes. FIVE. It makes one long for the days of Dave Brown.

Regardless, everyone is coming to the realization that the Daniel Jones era is about over. Two neck injuries and an ACL tear for a quarterback who does his best work on the run is simply the exclamation point. Hopefully, common sense prevails over warm, fuzzy feelings by Mara for Jones.

2023 was also a disaster for Evan Neal, who never seemed to get into a groove due to alternating poor play and injury issues. He’s out again now with an injury that may sideline him much of the remainder of the season. When Neal did show some small signs of improvement, he got hurt. Like Jones, the Giants simply cannot afford to assume Neal will be part of the solution in 2023. They have to have bring in a legitimate insurance policy, either in free agency or the draft. The disappointment is so great that the offensive line coach may have to be fairly or unfairly scapegoated.

As for the game, the dead last Giants offense will be facing the NFL’s third-ranked defense. Oh boy.

GIANTS ON DEFENSE:
Status report:

  • Total yards allowed per game: 338.3 – 21st in the NFL
  • Passing yards allowed per game: 211.2 – 11th in the NFL
  • Rushing yards allowed per game: 127.1 – 25th in the NFL
  • Points allowed per game: 24.1 – 24th in the NFL

The defense started off slow, improved markedly in weeks 6-8, and then regressed last week. It hasn’t been helped by an anemic offense and shoddy special teams play. The kick to the groin was going 1-2 during a three-week span where the defense gave up a total of 34 points (11 points per game), effectively ending the season. Then they saw one of their most respected defensive leaders and effective two-way players traded away.

Moving forward, the defense simply has to accept the situation for what it is, do its job to the best of its ability, and not complain. You deal with the chips dealt to you. And the players will be judged and evaluated on the effort and performance they give. The last eight games are not just about 2023, but 2024. Xavier McKinney may have already dug his own grave.

Losing Williams hurt the pass rush. It makes it easier for teams to deal with Dexter Lawrence and Kavyon Thibodeaux. The Giants may get Azeez Olulari back, but he has to prove he can stay on the field and be an effective two-way player.

As for Dallas, again, this looks like trouble. The Cowboys are 10th in the NFL in yards per game and third in scoring. They are averaging 27.5 points per contest and will be facing a team that scores less than half that mark. Yikes.

GIANTS ON SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Giants are so bad on offense that they didn’t even get to test one of their two new kickers last week. Here comes the Cowboys, whose blocked field goal in Week 1 was the catalyst for New York’s downward spiral.

THE FINAL WORD:
As a lifelong New York Giants fan, I can never root against the team. When they lose, I’m in a bad mood. When they win, I’m happy. But I cannot move past the notion that the higher their first pick is in the draft, the more likely the team will be able to select their preferred solution at quarterback. I appreciate the counter-argument and agree with it… that the only way to build a winning culture is to win. But New York is in quarterback hell right now. Until they fix that, they aren’t a serious football team. The Giants have painted me into a position where if they win, I’m not sure it is a good thing. And that’s a bad place to be.

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