USA Today Predicts 2-14 for the 2020 Giants

We have no receivers who can stay on the field and (that includes on 1st round pick at TE). To win you need impact players at WR. Let’s hope Slayton becomes one.

I have tracked his weekly picks for years. He is consistently the best prognosticator on the USA Today sports staff. This is not good news for us.

too many moving parts, all in context of league worst SOS
How much improved is the D? We won't know, we don't know
How much improved is the OL, no fewer than two of the five members brand new (compared to last year's 5)? And one of the holdovers is Solder.
How soon does Garrett's offense become established, w/ little or no off-season camp?
How many games were we in it until the last five minutes vs best of the NFL?
I am not saying that record will be a resounding endorsement of DJ, but to me it's knee jerk reaction to equate it with DJ is a bust.

In comment 14902322 BillKo said:

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In comment 14902250 FatMan in Charlotte said: Quote: anyone go through and see if his total predicted wins equal the number of losses? hahaha.......I like that.

I used to use it as a litmus test. The Sporting News was notorious in handing out records that ended up having 10 more wins in the column than losses. I guess they didn't realize that each game has an outcome to lead to a final record.

I did this exercise for the USA Today a few years ago as well and they failed.

In comment 14902334 ColHowPepper said:

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too many moving parts, all in context of league worst SOS How much improved is the D? We won't know, we don't know How much improved is the OL, no fewer than two of the five members brand new (compared to last year's 5)? And one of the holdovers is Solder. How soon does Garrett's offense become established, w/ little or no off-season camp? How many games were we in it until the last five minutes vs best of the NFL? I am not saying that record will be a resounding endorsement of DJ, but to me it's knee jerk reaction to equate it with DJ is a bust.

2-14 pretty likely means Jones didn’t have a very good season and didn’t make strides in his second year, particularly in his main issues which are the pocket awareness/fumbling. The caveat is if he is injured. If he is injured that means two injuries in two years. In a league that protects QBs. I would not hesitate to take Lawrence then. If he’s playing and they are that bad, I would not hesitate to get Lawrence, who is the best QB prospect since Luck. It may not necessarily mean Jones is a bust, but it would likely mean there is a pretty low chance he is a franchise QB that will ever lead us to the Super Bowl.

I say this as someone who firmly believes that Jones will be a franchise QB.

I don’t expect 10 wins, or 8, or even 6. But if Jones plays as he did last year, and improves on those issues, the Giants will easily win more than 2 games just on that, not even considering improvement on other units

Our coaches and our draft, I don't see more than two or three wins with our schedule. With Chase Young in the fold in DC with a competent head coach, even Washington is a problem. We have no prayer of beating the Cowboys or Eagles right now, not until we see real progress from a lot of players.

The OL may be fixed but it won't happen for 2-3 years, that's assuming Peart, Thomas and Lemieux pan out and are starting by then. Our WR group is bad, our defense was a joke and they are learning a brand new system with no real off season so far. We're very very much behind all teams who don't have rookie head coaches. This could very well be an improved more competitive team with fewer wins. I don't think it's crazy at all.

In comment 14902333 Rico said:

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I have tracked his weekly picks for years. He is consistently the best prognosticator on the USA Today sports staff. This is not good news for us.

Easy to throw shit against the wall.

In 2018, he had Giants going to be 7-9.

The Seahawks, he says, were to go 4-12.

His 2018 SB was Falcons over Chargers. Dude love them, doesn't he?

In spite of Judge's reassurances and multi-colored training season options, I think the the Giants, with their youth and wholesale coaching changes, will be especially penalized by the lack of usual training camp, teaching etc

I hope that fans will be patient with this asterisk season and look beyond it.

to attain the #1 pick status for several seasons now.

I guess the media thinks this is their year.

In comment 14902384 LBH15 said:

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to attain the #1 pick status for several seasons now. I guess the media thinks this is their year.

Can’t think of a better year to do so. This next draft’s top 10 is going to be incredibly good.

In comment 14902250 FatMan in Charlotte said:

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anyone go through and see if his total predicted wins equal the number of losses?

I did. It adds up.

In comment 14902387 The_Boss said:

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In comment 14902384 LBH15 said: Quote: to attain the #1 pick status for several seasons now. I guess the media thinks this is their year. Can’t think of a better year to do so. This next draft’s top 10 is going to be incredibly good.

Really...any good running backs or defensive tackles as may need to think longer term here?

are 6 - 10 or 2 - 14 for this draft I'd pick 2 - 14.

Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before getting better and as bad as the Giants have been maybe it's not quite rock bottom.

Of course I'd love to see them surprise people and make the playoffs and then anything can happen, but IMO that's unlikely.

So if you think the Giants are a 6 - 10 team (for example), 2 - 14 really isn't a different football team, it's just getting different breaks and losing the TB game from last year instead of winning it - (for example - and a few more like that).

and you know more about football than i do... but i do know its really fucking hard to go 2-14. Everyone was sure last year's Dolphins, or the Jets a few seasons ago when they dumped most of their vets and prepared to start Bryce Petty that season,... even they both ended up going 5-11.

In comment 14902335 FatMan in Charlotte said:

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In comment 14902322 BillKo said: Quote: In comment 14902250 FatMan in Charlotte said: Quote: anyone go through and see if his total predicted wins equal the number of losses? hahaha.......I like that. I used to use it as a litmus test. The Sporting News was notorious in handing out records that ended up having 10 more wins in the column than losses. I guess they didn't realize that each game has an outcome to lead to a final record. I did this exercise for the USA Today a few years ago as well and they failed.

Ha, a simple way to see whether the writer is utterly full of shit.

In comment 14902396 pjcas18 said:

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are 6 - 10 or 2 - 14 for this draft I'd pick 2 - 14. Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before getting better and as bad as the Giants have been maybe it's not quite rock bottom. Of course I'd love to see them surprise people and make the playoffs and then anything can happen, but IMO that's unlikely. So if you think the Giants are a 6 - 10 team (for example), 2 - 14 really isn't a different football team, it's just getting different breaks and losing the TB game from last year instead of winning it - (for example - and a few more like that).

I was going to make a similar point. Give me 2 wins over 4 wins. With 6 wins, it's possible they're building towards something, you never know. (But likely not.)

Daniel Jones is still putting the ball on the carpet at an unacceptable rate.

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New York Giants (2-14): Rookie coach Joe Judge must not only prove he's the rare apple that settles near the Bill Belichick tree, he has to navigate a schedule that offers three road games in the first five weeks along with home dates against Pittsburgh and San Francisco. Yikes. Looks like a potentially rough transition for a club relying on inexperienced players at so many key positions.

It sounds like he doesn't have a high opinion of Judge.

He had no idea how we were going to do and he needed 12 more losses than wins when he got to us.

a RB at #2 could go 2-14 3 years later...

Who cares what USA thinks about Giants chances this year.

Ths is what my outlook for this team also. Impossible to expect a new FIRST time HC and entire coaching staff. All working with an entirely different organization, but I do like some of them worked to together.

But factor a short to no off season training camp, newly signed and drafted players and and expect all that to come together for this season is not being realistic

and the under on 6. Joe Judge isn't winning without good players even if he's a HOF coach. The Giants have very few good players.

Building a NFL team can be easier and faster than when the guys below coached if you have smart people picking players. The Giants have not had smart people picking for many years. Most of those people are still picking the players.

Jimmy Johnson was 1-15 his first year. His first winning season was year 3.

Bill Walsh was 2-14 his first year. His first winning season was year 3.

Bill Parcells was 3-12-1 his first year. His first winning season was year 2.

Bill Belichick was 6-10 his first year. His first winning season was year 4.

IMO it's unlikely the Giants have a winning season before Judge's 3rd year.

But if we do, that's not a good sign. That would be a 3 year streak of winning less and less; 5 wins in 2018, 4 wins in 2019, and then 2 in 2020. I completely get it's a brand new coach and younger players, but with this team struggling for years already, it's going to be tough to see the team keeping DG and maybe some of the other high-ranking people in the organization. This franchise can't afford a 2 win season at this point. They've lost too much over the past 8-9 years already.

When you have a new coaching staff and system, not being able to practice together hurts.

However, I do believe our defense will be better and by mid-season be "middle of the pack" or not worse.

The Giants aren't good, but you have to have a bottom-of-the-barrel roster plus horrid coaching to end up at 2-14. Hell, you could say we had both of those things last year, and we almost stumbled into 6 wins. Plus, I think folks are underestimating how much overall team talent has evened out across the league.

The current conditions aren't great for a new staff, but I think we'll put on a better showing than many anticipate. Say 5-6 wins.

And have the first pick in the draft, you go ahead and take Lawrence. You don’t pass up generational QB talent, when you have a chance at one. I love DJ, but Lawrence might be the best draft prospect EVER. And that’s not hyperbole.

in terms of record this year. But, I also think a regression to 2 wins also seems unlikely. I feel we improved enough on paper in terms of talent and I am sincerely expecting (and hoping) that a more professional and HC and staff dedicated to actual coaching and teaching will make enough of a difference to prevent a slide like this.

and Mara's chair might end up at the 50 yard line

what difference does it make how many games we win.

I just want to see improvement in the young players obtained from the beginning of the season to the end.

If I see them getting better then I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel

In comment 14902550 ghost718 said:

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and Mara's chair might end up at the 50 yard line

In comment 14902568 ChicagoMarty said:

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what difference does it make how many games we win. I just want to see improvement in the young players obtained from the beginning of the season to the end. If I see them getting better then I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel

At 2-14, I would find it very hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

And the offense averages 28 points per game.

You guys still taking Lawrence.

With the Baker arrest, Davis is updating his prediction to 4 wins.

and held up the gambling party at gunpoint?

Good call!!!

.

easily within this groups grasp. Bad team, new coaching staff is always a tough sell, then add all this “virtual team” stuff with decreased time face to face and less on field time just worsens things. And it’s not the same for all teams it’s worse for bad teams with new coaching staff who are strangers. 0 wins is not impossible either.

Fans will have to spend time watching games for growth and improvement, not for w and l’s.

Probably better than Miami and Cincy. I’d lump them in with the Jets, Lions and Panthers.

In comment 14902881 jeff57 said:

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Probably better than Miami and Cincy. I’d lump them in with the Jets, Lions and Panthers.

It’s pretty close among the NYG, Redskins, and Jags. You can probably include Carolina. I think Miami is a much better team, however.

In comment 14903003 The_Boss said:

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In comment 14902881 jeff57 said: Quote: Probably better than Miami and Cincy. I’d lump them in with the Jets, Lions and Panthers. It’s pretty close among the NYG, Redskins, and Jags. You can probably include Carolina. I think Miami is a much better team, however.

Cincinnati in that NYG-DC-Car-Jax neighborhood too.

clearly they are a better team Now. I'm very optimistic, but not to the degree of this level of pessimism in opposition......TWO Wins?????

CLICK!!!!!

we don't have to worry about underachieving...

I think predicting ANY NFL team for 2 wins is harsh...even a team with a roster as bad as Miami's was last year.

The Giants have alot more talent than Miami had last year. This is a 4 win team that upgraded the weakness of the offense at Tackle, and upgraded at LB, S, and CB1 with Martinez, McKinney, and Bradberry. Not to mention, young guys like Jones, Slayton, Lawrence will continue to develop and guys like Saquon, Engram, Shepard, Connelly, and Peppers will hopefully be healthy.

I think somewhere around 6 or 7 wins is a more realistic evaluation of this current team.

USA Today comes out with a seemingly unrealistic prediction for the New York Football Giants and then out of nowhere, on the very same day, DeAndre Baker commits armed robbery.

What did USA Today know and when did they know it?

In comment 14903003 The_Boss said:

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In comment 14902881 jeff57 said: Quote: Probably better than Miami and Cincy. I’d lump them in with the Jets, Lions and Panthers. It’s pretty close among the NYG, Redskins, and Jags. You can probably include Carolina. I think Miami is a much better team, however.

I don't think Miami is ready to compete yet. A rookie QB behin that OL doesnt inspire confidence. I'd say they are a year behind the Giants in that process.

In comment 14903212 HMunster said:

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USA Today comes out with a seemingly unrealistic prediction for the New York Football Giants and then out of nowhere, on the very same day, DeAndre Baker commits armed robbery. What did USA Today know and when did they know it?

Haha!

But they play the Browns, Bengals, Cardinals, and the Redskins twice. I don’t expect them to make the playoffs by any my stretch of the imagination. But, like I said, give me the over on 2 games.

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Only winning 2 is pretty difficult to do. But watch for maybe 1 win in the first eight games.

and ensuring the needle is point upwards.

The roster needs another offseason of talent infusion.

In comment 14902366 Joey in VA said:

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Our coaches and our draft, I don't see more than two or three wins with our schedule. With Chase Young in the fold in DC with a competent head coach, even Washington is a problem. We have no prayer of beating the Cowboys or Eagles right now, not until we see real progress from a lot of players. The OL may be fixed but it won't happen for 2-3 years, that's assuming Peart, Thomas and Lemieux pan out and are starting by then. Our WR group is bad, our defense was a joke and they are learning a brand new system with no real off season so far. We're very very much behind all teams who don't have rookie head coaches. This could very well be an improved more competitive team with fewer wins. I don't think it's crazy at all.

agree with all of this