The New York Giants started out this season as a team that was considered to once again make the playoffs. They were incredible a year ago under first-year head coach Brian Daboll, who won the NFL Coach of the Year award. During the offseason, they added more weapons to the team. The team traded for Darren Waller and signed players like Parris Campbell and Bobby Okereke. Primed for another run at making the playoffs, the Giants were locked in and had set their goals very high. Those goals got smacked right back down to reality really quick, as they got crushed by the Cowboys at home in Week 1.
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Things have gotten much worse since. They started the season 1-5, not scoring a touchdown for three whole games during that stretch. The team looked lost and were as stunned as everyone else. Backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the Giants recovered last week against the Commanders, pulling out a much-needed win at home against the Commanders.
There were a lot of things the Giants could look at from the Commanders’ game and gain confidence from. Their defense finally showed a pass rush and made clutch plays throughout the game. Their offense was efficient at times and controlled the game. Now, the Giants stay at Metlife Stadium to play the New York Jets.
A team that also had postseason visions before the season, they’ve rebounded from a slow start and have gotten themselves back to .500. The Jets bring a ferocious defense and an offense that is starting to figure things out. For the Giants to win, they’ll need to bring out the fire that’s been building inside them for weeks. They gained some confidence a week ago and if they can dive into these three areas, they can pull out the win and get their season back to where they want.
New York Giants Keys to Getting Back on Track vs the Jets
1. No Turnovers, No Problems
The Jets are a dominant team on defense. On the defensive line, players like Quinnen Williams, Jermaine Johnson, and John Franklin-Myers all pose a threat to get after the quarterback. Williams himself got a lofty extension during the offseason, mostly in part because he’s one of the best interior defenders in the league. In the secondary, All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner helps patrol the back end of the defense. He’s a threat to take away any pass in his direction, which causes opposing quarterbacks to avoid his area.
The Giants have to be able to play clean football on offense Sunday. Tyrod Taylor has done good job in the last couple of games of not forcing the ball into dicey situations. He’s been efficient, which has led to the Giants being able to produce long drives. If the Giants can continue that Sunday, they’ll have a much better chance.
However, they have to be extra careful against this Jets defense, who are fourth in the NFL with 13 takeaways this season. Giving the Jets short-field opportunities will only boost their confidence on the offensive side of the ball as well. So it’s paramount that the Giants play a clean game and don’t make any bad mistakes on offense.
2. The Need For Speed
As mentioned earlier, the Giants added a lot of playmakers this offseason who possess a lot of quickness to their game. Along with Waller and Campbell, the team also drafted wide receiver Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 draft. Out of Tennessee, he’s known for his speed and his down-field playmaking ability. That’s an aspect the Giants have been missing on offense for a while and to have a weapon the likes of Hyatt is a game-changer. Against the Jets, integrating that speed into the offense would be a difference-maker on Sunday.
Offensive coordinator Mike Kafka has done a good job since getting the job last season of getting his playmakers the ball in space. Whether that’s with screens or man-beating routes, he’s found a way to scheme a way to get people open. The Jets have a lot of playmakers of their own on defense, who carry some speed themselves. The Giants can manipulate the defense by creating their own opportunities through their scheme. Once the receivers get the ball in the open field, they can take over with their speed after the catch. It’s something the Giants have to integrate into their offense in order to have a chance on Sunday.
3. The Dominant Duo Have Arrived To Wreck Your Sunday
The last time the Giants came out with two linebackers who could both wreck a game, you have to go way back to Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks in the 80s. Now, these two haven’t reached their heights just yet, but Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden have produced stellar games for Big Blue in recent weeks.
Okereke was the Giants’ best offseason addition on defense. Starting his career in Indianapolis, he was known for his speed and his power. He was an under-the-radar player but the Giants saw him as a big piece of their defense. McFadden was drafted by the Giants in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He rarely played a year ago, but with some injuries, he’s stepped in and flourished. A week ago, according to PFF, McFadden was the highest-graded linebacker in the NFL.
Now this week, the tandem will have a different beast they will have to contend with. When the Jets are at their best, it’s when running back Breece Hall is running the football. This is especially true since quarterback Zach Wilson has stepped into the starting role. The Giants have a chance to neutralize their running game with another strong game from their pair of linebackers. That will force the Jets to have to throw the ball, which is something the Giants will be comfortable with. That allows defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to do what he loves, blitz the quarterback. Which is something the Giants had success with a week ago and if that can carry over to this week, Big Blue will have a big chance of taking down their rival from across the halls.
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