Why? Because last year we stunk. Not just the 5-11 stunk but a specific kind of stunk. Our OL, as has been mentioned here, was the worst team in the league in allowing first point of contact against our RBs. Football Outsiders ranked us the 29th worst team in run blocking overall and that includes being the best team in the league in open field blocking thanks mostly, I believe, to our WRs and TEs. This was a terrible OL which can be best summarized by saying that Jamon Brown’s eight games made him, at worst, our 3rd best OL!
Are we better this year? Eric’s OL preview include these phrases “On paper, this appears to be the team’s best offensive line in almost a decade”, “Hernandez and Zeitler are arguably one of the best set of starting guards in the NFL.”, “The Giants haven’t been in such good shape here since the days of Rich Seubert and Chris Snee.” and (if Remmers is fully recovered) ”the Giants will have massively upgraded themselves at right tackle with another professional, veteran presence.” Yeah, we’re better. Maybe as improved as any unit in the league.
So why does this matter. Two words….Saquon Barkley. I think two numbers tell his story. 16 and 7. 16 runs longer than 20 yards, 7 longer than 40. That’s tied for third best since the year 2000. The other RBs who were as good or better did it as vets in their career best year. Barkley did it as a rookie behind a terrible OL. These are the kind of runs that turn 2nd and 7 at your own 35 into points in one play. Plays that flip the field and impact the game. Behind this OL I think it reasonable to think Saquon might become the most dangerous offensive player in the league and redefine the phrase “he is a threat to take to the house every time he touches the ball”
One more number, 400. Scoring 400+ points is, I believe, a reasonably significant statistic. Over the last five years teams that have scored 400+ points went to the playoffs just over 80% of the time. Of the eight that didn’t go to the playoffs five allowed more that 400 points on defense and only one of those eight had as few as six wins. Four had seven wins the rest more than that. Or put another way, 38 of 43 teams that scored 400+ points had eight or more wins.
So that’s the formula for success. 400+ points on offense, less than 400 points on defense. We scored 369 and let up 412 last year. Flip those numbers and we have a chance at a pretty good season. Does this OL with this RB give us the combination of a reliable running attack and big plays to get us there. A running game that eats the clock and flips the field, makes the passing game more effective and keeps the defense well rested. I think that’s a reasonable projection. Does this guarantee anything. No. All this could happen and we could win two games or maybe none of it happens. However, I’m sticking with unreasonably optimistic.
We better be able to put up 30 points in the beginning of the year if we want to win some games
We better be able to put up 30 points in the beginning of the year if we want to win some games
2ndary is not that inexperienced .... Bethea, Peppers, Jenkins are all vets ... Beal has 1 full yr of training camp and field room. Baker is young but a 3 yr starter at a big time program ... he is not newb to the big stage.
It was criminal the clown show oline we had blocking for SB last year.
It was criminal the clown show oline we had blocking for SB last year.
More words of wisdom from the grateful one.
I fully expect 11-5. IOW, I'm having a great (read positive) offseason!
I'm really excited about the 2019 season and am thrilled with the team as it has been constructed.
I love the youth and am positive that the plusses will outweigh the minuses.
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None of this "on paper"crap, Zeitler is an all pro level G and a huge improvement.
It was criminal the clown show oline we had blocking for SB last year.
you do realize 60 percent of that clown show have returned. Maybe your peach is spiked with LSD?
Halapio played one full game. He's almost certainly an upgrade to Pully so I think three new starters is a reasonable way to see it.
There's a difference between anticipating misery and having moderate expectations. Going into a season expecting big things only to be let down sucks too.
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None of this "on paper"crap, Zeitler is an all pro level G and a huge improvement.
It was criminal the clown show oline we had blocking for SB last year.
you do realize 60 percent of that clown show have returned. Maybe your peach is spiked with LSD?
60% means three are back. I only count two returning- Solder and Hernandez. Halapio was lost early in game two and was replaced by Pully. The right side of the line is new.
The Giants literally averaged 50 more yards a game on the ground the 2nd half of the year.
With a rookie RB who was getting the absolute vast majority of carries, it can't be said enough how much better the Giants were running the ball. You'd expect the rookie to hit the wall, but the exact opposite happened.
Major factors 1) Jamon Brown is a professional run blocker and Omameh was awful 2) Solder settled in 3) the Giants had the same starting 5 lineman suit up weeks 10-17.
If the Giants are going to be a run first team -- they'll need continuity early from the line. If there's musical lineups and injury I expect it to be a rough year.
Your source of optimism is the same source for my concern. I really hope this is a 400pt offense - We were only 2 pts a game from 400 - but I feel our point stats are misleading.
Look at last year's points per quarter for us vs PIT the lowest 400pt team:
NYG
Q1 73.6
Q2 94.4
Q3 80
Q4 116.8 (9th best)
PIT (9-6-1)
Q1 70.4
Q2 166.4
Q3 100.8
Q4 91.2 (24th best)
Teams need to get out ahead early. Then milk the clock and win. That or just keep shooting it out if your D sux (KC). NYG offense was mostly anemic until we got to 4Q, garbage time.
Of the other top 12 4Q scoring offenses - 5 did not make the playoffs. Almost 50%...
YOU CAN'T CONSISTENTLY WIN PLAYING CATCH UP.
The challenge will be to convert excellent special teams scoring into TDs. That I kinda need to see before I believe it.
4Q PPG - ( New Window )
- Overall defense improves
- A pass rush emerges
- Offensive line allows Barkley to not just be touched by the hand of God, but become God.
- Eli has enough time to be effective.
I think not enough of those things go right. The lack of pass rush and an aging Eli will cost us a few games that we could've won, ending in a 7-9 season. The rebuild continues in 2020, this time with a new QB.
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You might be 100% wrong but it does not matter. As someone who has suffered and watched those he loved suffer, I can tell you that living a happy life is the most important thing you can do. Wasting time anticipating potential misery is one of the largest obstacles to a happy life. It is a crime against happiness. Everything is a function of time. Time is the ultimate currency, spend it positively, you do not know how much you have.
There's a difference between anticipating misery and having moderate expectations. Going into a season expecting big things only to be let down sucks too.
Preparing their self to not join the season is far worse than being let down.
I am not making any predictions until I see this team play on the field during pre-season.
I haven't been to a game in a few seasons due to kids/family and not being willing to make it a priority given the level of suckage.
But lately I have a hankering for an early season MetLife tailgate in warm, sunny weather. The smells and sounds of that parking lot on a gameday mid-morning are some of the most nostalgia-inducing memories I've banked in my 36 years.
That's the way it should be!!
- it was late~
Peppers can do what LC did and more, Golden should be able to take OV roll and I believe Carter will be better then a one handed JPP. Add in all the young potientiel around them.
All we need is a legit ILB and Free Safety then this defense will be Elite
That's a big if, though. Our secondary is going to be essentially completely new, and very young. Our D-line should be solid, but our LB corps looks to be unremarkable at best.
This could easily be another year in which we lose a lot of games with scores like 31 to 34, or 35 to 38.
I agree about the offensive line improving and you could see the change in philosophy in Shurmur's offense after the Bye Week. He realized his best offensive weapon was Barkley and once he took the air out of the ball and made the Brown change on the OL, the offense looked WAY more functional.
The defense will be the key to how many W's this team can put up. If the secondary grows up fast, it will provide the pass rush with more time to get to the QB. If OX can and Carter progress quickly and Golden rebounds, this defense can be very serviceable. Things look more optimistic if that is the case.
I am predicting a competitive 8-8 season.
One good thing about coach milquetoast is he adapts and uses "trick" plays, unlike conservative Coughlin and assclown Mcadoo 11 personnel with a decimated WR corp.
The SB decoy screen to Engram screen is a great tricky play.
Just watch pre-season. Dont look at the play designs and whether we are scoring points. (If I see the word Vanilla I am going to start taking hostages) Watch whether our guys are getting beaten physically at the point of attack or whether we are dominating on the line. Both sides of the ball.
THAT will be an indicator as to how this season is going to go.
It's not unreasonable to say the season depends on him.
Agree - last year's stats are last year's stats. My only point was that we are not just 2pts a game from the playoffs. We need to get leads and hold them. Hopefully this line will get us there with this QB. But i just need to see some evidence.
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Bakers Beal Jenkins and hanskins will be out 3rf and longs then it will be ether 2 of our 3 DL in the middle with Godeln and carter at the edge. Its really a question mark of what Carter Ximines and Golden can do
but Shurmur needs to do better.
One good thing about coach milquetoast is he adapts and uses "trick" plays, unlike conservative Coughlin and assclown Mcadoo 11 personnel with a decimated WR corp.
The SB decoy screen to Engram screen is a great tricky play.
Bakers Beal Jenkins and hanskins will be out 3rf and longs then it will be ether 2 of our 3 DL in the middle with Godeln and carter at the edge. Its really a question mark of what Carter Ximines and Golden can do
but Shurmur needs to do better.
One good thing about coach milquetoast is he adapts and uses "trick" plays, unlike conservative Coughlin and assclown Mcadoo 11 personnel with a decimated WR corp.
The SB decoy screen to Engram screen is a great tricky play.
Bakers Beal Jenkins and hanskins will be out 3rf and longs then it will be ether 2 of our 3 DL in the middle with Godeln and carter at the edge. Its really a question mark of what Carter Ximines and Golden can do
but Shurmur needs to do better.
One good thing about coach milquetoast is he adapts and uses "trick" plays, unlike conservative Coughlin and assclown Mcadoo 11 personnel with a decimated WR corp.
The SB decoy screen to Engram screen is a great tricky play.
My bad, laerning the temple to quote
This is too wise for this board. And much bigger than football.
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You might be 100% wrong but it does not matter. As someone who has suffered and watched those he loved suffer, I can tell you that living a happy life is the most important thing you can do. Wasting time anticipating potential misery is one of the largest obstacles to a happy life. It is a crime against happiness. Everything is a function of time. Time is the ultimate currency, spend it positively, you do not know how much you have.
This is too wise for this board. And much bigger than football.
35-40 years ago I was a subscriber to The New Yorker and one issue contained a beautiful epic poem by a writer I had never heard of before, about Time. It was funny as all get out, as it described the misadventures of the poem's protagonist as he followed a miscast seer over mountains, through dale, woods, and freezing cold lakes, and eventually led to some race horse winning the Irish Sweepstakes against all odds. Or perhaps losing, I don't recall exactly.
If I can push myself to find it again, I'll let you know the author's name and where to find it. I think you'd dig it. It has a very nice line or six about the precious nature of Time. IIRC, the whole poem builds to that stanza.
There will be many shootouts this season.
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You might be 100% wrong but it does not matter. As someone who has suffered and watched those he loved suffer, I can tell you that living a happy life is the most important thing you can do. Wasting time anticipating potential misery is one of the largest obstacles to a happy life. It is a crime against happiness. Everything is a function of time. Time is the ultimate currency, spend it positively, you do not know how much you have.
This is too wise for this board. And much bigger than football.