There’s always optimism when a team brings in a new coach and addresses one if its most crucial needs with a top draft pick. And that’s exactly the case with the New York Giants. But can Pat Shurmur clean up the mess left by former coach Ben McAdoo, and is Eli Manning still an elite quarterback at his advanced age? The G-Men are coming off a franchise record 13 losses last season and winning eight games might be too much to ask in 2018.
New York Giants Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
New York Giants Over 7 Wins -156
New York Giants Under 7 Wins +128
2018 New York Giants Offense Preview
Only the winless Cleveland Browns scored fewer points than the Giants last season and their awful ground game was a big reason why. Not being able to run the ball consistently put the onus on Manning, and working behind a questionable line left the veteran signal-caller on an island most of the time. At least management recognized the problems and took the proper steps to rectify them. The Giants were one of nine teams to amass less than 100 yards per game on the ground last year, and all nine were vacationing in January.
Saquon Barkley was the best back available and the Giants got him with the second overall pick in April. Barkley amassed over 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons at Penn State and scored 18 touchdowns the last two seasons while earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year both times. The Giants would welcome that kind of production. Getting Odell Beckham Jr. back from his ankle surgery is a huge boost to Manning and the passing game.
The key to the offense is Manning, who struggled behind an offense line that was garbage the last two seasons. Free agents Nate Solder and Patrick Omameh form a new left side and second-round pick Will Hernandez could start at right guard. There could be four new starters up front and that’s good news for Manning and Barkley.
2018 New York Giants Defense Preview
The group fell hard last season, and there were a number of reasons for the decline. The Giants spent big in free agency to upgrade that side of the football prior to the 2016 season and it paid off. New York allowed the second-fewest points and ranked 10th in yards allowed. But three cornerbacks were suspended and the overall play was abysmal in 2017. In steps James Bettcher as the new coordinator with his aggressive schemes.
Many of the players from last year’s 31st ranked unit are still around and the club is essentially starting over. Shurmur and Bettcher will give the team an attitude adjustment, and new faces like Kareem Martin and Alec Ogletree will infuse some athleticism and leadership. The Giants struggled getting after the quarterback last season with just 27 sacks, third-fewest in the NFL. A more aggressive plan with plenty of blitzing could change the direction in 2018.
2018 New York Giants Schedule Analysis
The schedule is a beast and it’s one thing that makes the under a strong play on the win total. The Giants get the NFC South, which is the toughest division in the NFL, and also have the AFC South, which isn’t too shabby either. The opening stretch of games will tell us a lot about where this team is headed. The Giants open at home against Jacksonville then hit the road for games against Dallas and Houston. The Jags were less than a quarter away from reaching the Super Bowl last season and the Boys and Texans are both improved.
Even their matchups with last place teams figure to be intense. The Giants travel to San Francisco for a Week 10 Monday night game and are home to the Bears in Week 13. The second half of the season appears a little lighter and if the Giants are healthy and in the mix, a run at eight or nine wins is possible.
The Final Verdict
The Giants definitely made some upgrades to the roster, and the offense should be better with Shurmur running the show. He helped the Vikings reach the NFC Championship last season with a top-10 offense led by Case Keenum. So it’s quite possible he can work the same magic in the Big Apple. And don’t forget that this team won 11 games just two seasons ago, so the Giants are probably somewhere between the 3-win club from last year and the 11-win team from 2016.
There is plenty to fix with this group, however. The offense is going to be better as long as Manning still has some of what made him elite. Barkley helps the run game and OBJ is the bread and butter. Can the defense return from a horrid 2017? It’s a lot to ask, and too much to ask that this team gets seven wins.
NFL Odds: New York Giants Under 7 Wins
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