First, I believe we have the best defense in the NFC East now. Injuries are always a factor so you have to hope we get out of camp healthy and start the season healthy. My only concern was the loss of DT Hankins but am hoping the youth will step up and/or a veteran is still brought in before camp.
Second, Eli's window is now very short. I read some rumors where even Reese admitted that Eli's play went a bit south last year and I'm guessing "age" may have a bit more to do with it than our OL play. If Eli is in fact beginning his downward physical spiral, it makes it all the more imperative we make our run this year.
Third, I believe our offense will gel again this year. You have to believe that both OT Flowers and Hart will improve in year 3. They are both 23, I believe, so they were young NFL starters who needed work. I love the signing of Marshall and believe he has at least one more very good year left in his 33 year old body, certainly better than Cruz who was no threat.
Finally, I like this coaching staff. Just something feels right about this group. So many things have to break right to make a run but I think with another solid draft and off-season, we are on our way.
Thoughts? Holes?
I disagree that Eli is losing hi mojo. He doesn't like getting hit and perhaps he wants to retire without life long nagging injuries from playing one of the hardest games on a human body. As soon as he smells the pocket collapsing, he gets rid of the ball before someone spears his legs or hits him so hard he gets a concussion. Personally, I think he will play as long as he still has the desire to play, which could be 3 or 4 more years. But it's all up to him. He's not Peyton and he has nothing left to prove. He's a strong family man with 3 daughters and a beautiful wife and probably more money than he and his daughters can ever spend. It's all about what he wants and it's hard to tell if he still wants it as bad as his brother did once he reached the age that many retire.
I disagree that Eli is losing hi mojo. He doesn't like getting hit and perhaps he wants to retire without life long nagging injuries from playing one of the hardest games on a human body. As soon as he smells the pocket collapsing, he gets rid of the ball before someone spears his legs or hits him so hard he gets a concussion. Personally, I think he will play as long as he still has the desire to play, which could be 3 or 4 more years. But it's all up to him. He's not Peyton and he has nothing left to prove. He's a strong family man with 3 daughters and a beautiful wife and probably more money than he and his daughters can ever spend. It's all about what he wants and it's hard to tell if he still wants it as bad as his brother did once he reached the age that many retire.
I know in this offense, Eli is "trained" to throw the ball very fast. Behind a more consistent OL, he might hold onto it .3 or .4 seconds longer (a guess) which doesn't sound like much but its like another read or deeper throw. I hope Eli's regression has more to do with the OL than his "legs" so we'll see. I hope Eli has a strong year with more weapons.
I realize the Eli is running plays to get rid of the ball fast, but the expression on his face sometimes looks like frustration. Getting rid of the ball in 2 seconds instead of 3 or 4 causes him to rush and sometimes the receivers aren't free. It's worse when He's only got a second and he can tell he's about to get hit. Imagine what he could do if given 4-5 seconds or more to work with.
Last year he seemed really frustrated and I don't think it has anything to do with his ability, but lack of time for a play to unfold like it's drawn up. And I do think that he doesn't want to get hit. Which coincidentally is a lot of the reason he never misses a game. He'll ground the ball or take a fall many times before taking a hard hit.
Hopefully, the addition of Ellison to help Flowers protect his blind side and better competition on the right side will give him that comfort zone to really be the QB he knows he is.
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2011- Washed up = Super Bowl.
Not tracking what you mean? 2017 - washed up?
Yes this season Eli is in pro bowl mode again.
He destroyed our defense like no one else last year.
However, I do see solid signs that this team will be improved from last year. The arrow is really pointing up for NY Giant fans.
However, I do see solid signs that this team will be improved from last year. The arrow is really pointing up for NY Giant fans.
I just think this year's team, on paper, seems more well rounded on offense and therefore we should move the ball better.
Keys include RB Perkins really stepping up and RB Vereen contributing all year as he is a much needed outlet receiver and spot runner in this offense.
i also think the giants win the division and should they get matched with rodgers again this time hopefully the giants are at home which should tip the odds more in the giants favour too
i also think the giants win the division and should they get matched with rodgers again this time hopefully the giants are at home which should tip the odds more in the giants favour too
I think Dallas will have a potent offense but I also believe their defense will go south this year. The Eagles should be better but a notch below us. Washington should falter with their offensive UFA losses and such.
If Apple becomes a bona-fide stud along with Jenkins, DRC, Collins this defense is set along the front four and back "five" (nickel's play so much) and hopefully MLB Goodson is a big improvement making us even stronger.
The Giants aren't going to change the offense to help Flowers out very often, especially on passing downs.
I'm not so sure about that belief being a have-to.
So what's the plan for Pugh's annual 3 game or more hiatus due to bruises, headaches, or sprains?
You can also throw in the fact that we had hoped Cruz would bounce back but he didn't. We lost Vereen. It just fell apart for the offense last year.
This year, again assuming the best and that the youth will develop and the rookie TE Engream develops more and more as a down the field / middle threat; well, this offense has some potential. I think our offense puts it together this year. Not Top 5 or anything but solid.
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2011- Washed up = Super Bowl.
I think he meant to say 2011 Comical = Superbowl, 2014 Elite = Superbowl, 2017 Washed Up = Superbowl
Not tracking what you mean? 2017 - washed up?
However, I do see solid signs that this team will be improved from last year. The arrow is really pointing up for NY Giant fans.
I agree. I don't feel you can really say a super bowl run based on the sheer talent level of other teams in the playoffs. But I do feel like this is a team that can get into the tournament this year and be one of the teams in the league that will be taken more seriously then others.
I mean look at Aaron Rodgers. He's by far the best QB in the NFC and maybe he league. He wins games by himself which Eli at this point rarely can do. Yet Eli holds the hardware over Rodgers. Once you're in the tournament for the most part it's a crap shoot. That's why I'm only comfortable saying this team definitely looks like it will make the tournament and have a better chance then some of the other teams at advancing. Which is really all one can ask of their favorite team.
I just hope the defense can duplicate or expand on what it did last season. And hope that the offense can at the very least get back to the 2015 level. If both of those Allison gb I will be very optimistic.
Don't even get me started with Flowers. I think I've made my position with Flowers clear on this board over the past 6 months abundantly clear. One attribute that Flowers has is he is a tough SOB - and I'm not referring to the shove he gets on reporters. His high tolerance for pain allowed him to gut it out on a high ankle sprain that would have sent others to the bench. He still sucks at his craft, but you can count on the guy to tough it out.
Pugh on the other hand is nearly as soft as Beatty was. Pugh's second year he misses games with a bruise on his thigh. Third year he misses games with a headache. Fourth year, more games missed to a sprained knee.
Eli wasn't the reason the Giants lost in Green Bay last year.
I have a feeling that QB Drak Prescott will be "figured" out a bit this year now that we have some tape on him. I'm not saying he'll regress so much as he is not going to progress. It is just a hunch.
The Eagles have some potential though, I think.
3-0, healthy and rolliing, would be huge.
Betcha a month of reddit gold.... /r/highstakesbbi
I honestly believe Pugh & Richburg are in the upper quarter of the league talent wise. Flowers has potential if he can just get some technique & consistency issues down. Jerry is quite "average" and maybe Fluker upgrades on the right side though I do hope Hart steps up and wins the job outright.
Because of the additions on offense of WR Marshall, TE Engram, etc., I think our offense will show improvement. We just need to stay healthy. We are only 2 years removed from being 8th in the league in yards. I think we can get back to around there and Marshall should help our redzone offense.
He destroyed our defense like no one else last year.
Rodgers never destroyed a legitimately good defense in the playoffs from 2011 to 2015.
Giants, Niners, Niners, Seahawks, Cardinals.
Gotta elevate to those level of defenses to beat Packers in playoffs.
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Is Arron Rodger has as big a chip on his shoulders.
He destroyed our defense like no one else last year.
Rodgers never destroyed a legitimately good defense in the playoffs from 2011 to 2015.
Giants, Niners, Niners, Seahawks, Cardinals.
Gotta elevate to those level of defenses to beat Packers in playoffs.
A friend of mine was watching footage from the 2011 season and then went right to watching footage from last year and he said the difference in arm strength was very noticeable to him.
I do, however, get the distinct impression that McAdoo is not a big Eli fan. Eli is built for a vertical play-action offense, which is not McAdoo's offense. And it was quite a damning statement he made a couple months ago when he questioned Eli's courage in the pocket.
If the rest of the offense stays relatively healthy, this year will be a big test for Eli, because the pieces are in place for a statistically huge year. Last year that was anything but the case, so he deserves a mulligan from a statistical point of view. As for arm strength and courage in the pocket, I can't claim to have noticed anything other than a QB without enough time to throw to receivers who aren't getting open.
p.s.--As has been said repeatedly, the playoff loss certainly wasn't on Eli. He looked plenty sharp that day.
Whether it comes from payers figuring it out, or new players winning jobs, or a shuffling around of the O linemen, the Giants O line will be better, and that will make a huge difference for the offense. I dont like the blame Eli got from Reese or Mac. Seems kind of blind to how shitty the O line was. It can get to a QB not having trust in his O line, even a vet like Eli. Eli will be good as long as he has a few seconds to deliver the ball.
The Giants will certainly be Super Bowl contenders.
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He did not look old to me last year, just bad at times. Tell me if I am wrong. Did anyone notice weak throws or another sign of age? I noticed frustration!
A friend of mine was watching footage from the 2011 season and then went right to watching footage from last year and he said the difference in arm strength was very noticeable to him.
I do, however, get the distinct impression that McAdoo is not a big Eli fan. Eli is built for a vertical play-action offense, which is not McAdoo's offense. And it was quite a damning statement he made a couple months ago when he questioned Eli's courage in the pocket.
If the rest of the offense stays relatively healthy, this year will be a big test for Eli, because the pieces are in place for a statistically huge year. Last year that was anything but the case, so he deserves a mulligan from a statistical point of view. As for arm strength and courage in the pocket, I can't claim to have noticed anything other than a QB without enough time to throw to receivers who aren't getting open.
p.s.--As has been said repeatedly, the playoff loss certainly wasn't on Eli. He looked plenty sharp that day.
I think with improved OL play and added weapons, Eli has a shot to have his best year under McAdoo and really make another SB run. Just stay healthy on offense and we should compete throughout the year.
Seems like a lot to ask this cadre to significantly improve their results with no premium talent added to the mix from last season.
And as others have mentioned we have an incredibly brutal schedule. 10 wins will be a very good result. We could be an improved team that misses out on a playoff spot if we drop a couple close games and don't win our division. The good news on this front is the Cowboys schedule is very difficult as well and they're the team we need to supplant atop the NFC East.
Defense: Safety
It was supposedly the one thing he's been working on, and everyone said it was noticeable how much zip he had.
I really don't see any difference in Manning, besides the fact he's got people in his face more often, and he's throwing more short stuff than before (offense philosophy).
Since 2011, I haven't really seen much of the unsinkable, comeback kid who led us to 2 titles in his first 7 full seasons.
IMO, his confidence was destroyed 2012-2013. Last year showed promise that he may be coming back around, but my dreams of him having a Tittle/Simms-like maturation haven't been realized - yet. I'm still waiting for that season where we see the INT numbers come way down.
Since 2011, I haven't really seen much of the unsinkable, comeback kid who led us to 2 titles in his first 7 full seasons.
IMO, his confidence was destroyed 2012-2013. Last year showed promise that he may be coming back around, but my dreams of him having a Tittle/Simms-like maturation haven't been realized - yet. I'm still waiting for that season where we see the INT numbers come way down.
Since 2011, I haven't really seen much of the unsinkable, comeback kid who led us to 2 titles in his first 7 full seasons.
IMO, his confidence was destroyed 2012-2013. Last year showed promise that he may be coming back around, but my dreams of him having a Tittle/Simms-like maturation haven't been realized - yet. I'm still waiting for that season where we see the INT numbers come way down.
I saw that guy in GB in the playoff game. Too bad the WR corp didn't play to hislevel.
Second, it is not like the rest of the League is just standing still. Two teams we played last year and were better than us (Pittsburgh and Green Bay) have been working to improve their teams. I don't see a drop off in Atlanta and NE is improved. I think the Raiders are a strong team.
I am not saying the Giants won't be competitive, they might be, but I still think they are a notch below the best teams and I am not sure they closed that gap much.
I am optimistic, but that is based on trajectory and outlook. I am tempering my expectations and hoping for the best.
Not many teams can say that. This team is loaded and definitely 1 of the best in the NFL. Just get Eli into the playoffs (and catch the ball)
I like a lot of the Giants proposed additions this year -- want to see them all spend some time together and see what emerges
my argument is the following for an improvement over last year -- if Tomlinson is a wash with Hankins -- and essentially the same Defense is returning -- and the Offense has been improved with the addition of Engram, Ellison, Marshall, Galman and possibly also with Fluker/Bisnowaty - and you also add a healthy Vereen
Then the Giants will have to be reckoned with
Special teams are a big question -- especially at kicker --
but there is reason enough to form a belief that the Giants have improved themselves
Second, it is not like the rest of the League is just standing still. Two teams we played last year and were better than us (Pittsburgh and Green Bay) have been working to improve their teams. I don't see a drop off in Atlanta and NE is improved. I think the Raiders are a strong team.
I am not saying the Giants won't be competitive, they might be, but I still think they are a notch below the best teams and I am not sure they closed that gap much.
I am optimistic, but that is based on trajectory and outlook. I am tempering my expectations and hoping for the best.
I think we had an all-time Giants off-season last year and this year was at least solid. Losing DT Hankins hurts but otherwise I think we did what we could.
But an injury to Eli or OBJ and this team will limp through the season. That is football and you can say the same thing about GreenBay, the Raiders, Dallas (Prescott), etc.
We get healthy and stay healthy through say a solid 3-0 start and I will really begin to believe. A good start is key cause we travel a lot during the year and will likely have a clunker or two away.