![[Preview 2021] New York Giants: attack on the revealer](https://touchdownactu.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/daniel-jones-golladay-160821.jpg "[Preview 2021] New York Giants: attack on the revealer")
Like every year, Touchdown Actu offers you its traditional pre-season files. You can find them all by clicking on this link.
After two difficult years, the Giants began a new cycle in 2020 with the arrival of new staff led by head coach Joe Judge. A first exercise that saw the New Yorkers in the race for a place in the playoffs until the last week of the regular season.
Promising beginnings on which the franchise wants to build and capitalize to position itself as serious contenders in a division that is still as open. A milestone that cannot be crossed without a more effective attack.
Last season: 6 wins – 10 losses – 2nd in NFC East, no playoffs
Offseason movements
Weakness identified for a long time, the Giants gave pride of place to the attack, and more particularly to the receivers. The really big bang Kenny Golladay will be the figurehead of the Big Apple’s new attack. He will be accompanied by the bet John Ross and the experienced Kyle Rudolph. Not satisfied, manager Dave Gettleman also used his 1st round of drafting on the Kadarius Toney electric battery. A renewed squad to help the G-Men compete in a sustainable way in NFC East. In the attacking backfield, Devontae Booker and Corey Clement will be the liners for Saquon Barkley returning from a major injury and whose state of health will be one of the keys to the season.
Adoree ‘Jackson is the other big signing of the offseason. The duo he will form with James Bradberry is more than promising on paper. At the heart of the defensive line, the franchise has secured the return of Leonard Williams in the long term and has made the post to support him with former first round Danny Shelton, who will be in charge of making Dalvin Tomlinson forget. . The pass rusher rookie Azeez Ojulari should quickly be in the bath on a position without a real leader and which has lost Kyler Fackrell.
Notable arrivals: Kenny Golladay (WR), John Ross (WR), Kyle Rudolph (TE), Mike Glennon (QB), Adoree’ Jackson (CB), Danny Shelton (DT), Ifeadi Odenigbo (OLB), Ryan Anderson (OLB), Reggie Ragland (LB), Devontae Booker (RB), Corey Clement (RB)
Re-Signatures : Leonard Williams (DL), Logan Ryan (DB), Austin Johnson (DL), Devante Downs (LB), C.J Board (WR), Casey Kreiter (LS)
Draft : Kadarius Toney (WR), Azeez Ojulari (Edge), Aaron Robinson (CB), Elerson Smith (LB), Gary Brightwell (RB), Rodarius Willams (CB)
Notable losses: Dalvin Tomlinson (DL), Kyler Fackrell (OLB), Cameron Fleming (OT), David Mayo (LB), Adrian Colbert (DB), Wayne Gallman (RB), Colt McCoy (QB)
Leonard Williams, back in the foreground in the Giants’ defense.
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Le(s) point(s) fort(s)
Led by a Leonard Williams found since his arrival at the Giants, the defensive line has been extremely effective in puncturing the pocket and putting pressure on the quarterback (40 sacks for the defense, 13th in the NFL). The starting trio now made up of Williams, Dexter Lawrence and Danny Shelton show a great complementarity and will also be difficult to move against the race. The spearhead of the defense led by Patrick Graham.
In 2020, the aerial cover of the G-Men already looked great. Led by a James Bradberry Pro Bowler in 2020, and a Logan Ryan successfully repositioned as free safety. The squad was further enriched during the offseason. Excellent during these first two professional seasons, the signing of Adoree ‘Jackson should raise the level one step further. Despite several physical glitches over the past two years, the New York front office has shown itself confident by offering him a beautiful and lucrative contract. He finds Ryan, with whom he evolved for 3 years in Tennessee. Their old automatisms could facilitate and accelerate its integration. The promising Xavier McKinney, hampered by an injury for the start of his rookie season, should gain momentum in 2021. The line has depth with Julian Love or Darnay Holmes.
The weak spots)
To win matches, you have to score more points than your opponent. It’s hard to get there when you only score 25 points twice in the season. Far too limited offensively, the team appears with the sad record of 29th air attack, 31st overall attack and 31st on points scored. A starving production put on the back of a much too limited workforce. With reinforcements in number and in quality, the management has put the small dishes in the big ones to give the means to the staff to change things.
If the Giants have gone to great lengths to strengthen their receiving squad, the offensive line has curiously been totally forgotten. Overdue for many seasons, the pocket has been martyred again in 2020, conceding 50 sacks and finishing in the penultimate place in the league in the field. Without any reinforcement, it is difficult to envisage a transformation of the position. To give Daniel Jones time, the team will have to rely on the progress of his sophomore tackle Andrew Thomas, and the return of Nate Solder, who skipped the 2020 season due to COVID. The staff are also counting on the progress of an extremely young and inexperienced squad. In a division where the team crosses Washington’s defensive line twice a year, that might not be enough.
X factor (s)
After greatly strengthening the squad of targets, all eyes will naturally turn to Daniel Jones. If the quarterback has not shown significant progress in 2020 (11 TDs, 10 int) and even raised questions and concerns, he will have to prove that he can lead this attack and lead the Blues to victory. At the start of his third season, his long-term future in the team could be decided this year. The former Duke pitcher no longer has the excuse of a limited workforce to justify average performance.
To help Jones develop an effective passing game, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will need to develop a running game that can take the pressure off the quarterback. Removed from the field since mid-September 2020, the return of Saquon Barkley will be decisive. If the former offensive rookie of the year 2018 gets his legs (and his hands) back, life should be easier for the whole offense.
The player to watch: Xavier McKinney
Leader of the Alabama defense in 2018 and 2019, the safety saw his professional debut upset by a broken foot before the start of last season. Limited to 5 matches during the last quarter of the season, McKinney nevertheless showed some promises.
In a defensive backfield rich in talent, the second-year player will not have the pressure of the game and will be able to express all his talent. At ease both in cover and close to the advantage line, his versatility allows him to evolve in all positions of the back lines and even contribute as a linebacker. This Swiss army knife profile and its large margin of progress can make it one of the essentials of the New York defense in 2021.
Calendar
Broncos, @Football Team, Falcons, @Saints, @Cowboys, Rams, Panthers, @Chiefs, Raiders, Bye, @Buccaneers, Eagles, @Dolphins, @Chargers, Cowboys, @Eagles, @Bears, Football Team
The audio preview of the Podcast
In summary
Joe Judge put the Giants back on the lead for his first season in the Big Apple. With the recruitment of the offseason, expectations are high, especially in an NFC East where no team emerges.
While defense will still be the backbone of the team, a lot of the franchise’s ambitions hinge on whether or not Daniel Jones is able to show he has the level to be a quarterback franchise. With a tight schedule, things will not be easy, but a barely correct record could be enough to clinch the division.
The prognosis: 9 wins – 8 losses
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