It goes without saying that 2019 was a disappointing year for the New York Giants and their fan base. A wretched nine-game losing streak, exceptionally poor offensive line play, a bottom-eight NFL defense, and injuries to every star offensive player contributed to a depressing 4-12 record.
But that’s all in the past now and with 2020 on the horizon, it’s too soon to make a prediction about the team’s overall outlook. What is inarguable however, is that the New York Giants offense looks poised for a big-time breakout in the coming season. And the main reason for this potential resurgence is simple.
Talent. And lots of it.
New York Giants Offense Could Be Special Next Season
While they don’t get the hype they deserve, the talent of the New York Giants offense ranks up their with the most complete groups in the NFL. Running back Saquon Barkley, wide receivers Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate, and Darius Slayton, and tight end Evan Engram constitute a truly exceptional complement of weapons. The only thing that held this group back a year ago was that they were rarely on the field at the same time.
Barkley, the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year, sustained a high-ankle sprain in Week Three and was sidelined for three contests. While he was ultimately able to return to the field in Week Seven, it was immediately clear that he wasn’t anywhere near full health. In fact, he struggled for much of the season, and only regained his pre-injury form over the final three weeks, during which he accumulated 393 rushing yards, 146 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns. It’s clear that when he’s healthy, he’s one of the truly elite all-around talents at his position.
Shepard was limited to only ten games due to multiple concussions, which has become an alarming trend for this talented young player. When healthy, he looks like a dynamic producer, but his history of head injuries is cause for alarm. Nevertheless, he is expected to be at full health next season, and will be a huge part of the offense’s success. In ten 2019 contests, Shepard saw nine or more targets on six occasions and will be heavily relied upon once again.
Tate was out of action for a game with a concussion of his own, but the majority of his missed time was due to a four-game suspension that kept him on the sidelines for the first quarter of the season. Still, he cleared 60 receiving yards in six of his 11 appearances, and snared six touchdowns receptions, in the process. A productive 2020 remains the expectation for the gritty veteran.
Meanwhile, Slayton produced a rookie breakout campaign from out of nowhere, snaring 48 passes for 740 yards and eight touchdowns, despite not seeing the field until Week Three. The youngster was the only offensive weapon who managed to avoid injury once he saw the field, and will be relied upon to carry his momentum forward in 2020.
Engram, one of the game’s premier pass-catching tight ends, missed half the season with a mid-foot injury, but still managed to catch 44 passes and produce a pair of 100-yard days in the process. The importance of having him at full health cannot be understated.
A Promising Passer
It’s clear that the New York Giants offense is loaded with play-makers, but we haven’t even discussed their potential breakout quarterback yet. Indeed, as Daniel Jones enters his sophomore campaign, he isn’t receiving enough credit for the success he enjoyed as a rookie. Yes, he went 3-9 as a starter, threw 12 interceptions and lost 11 of 18 fumbles for a total of 23 turnovers. None of that looks good on paper, but that only tells a portion of the story.
Jones also threw for 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns in his abbreviated rookie season, while adding 279 rushing yards and a pair of scores on the ground. The 24 touchdown passes were tied for 13th-most in the NFL with some fellow named Tom Brady, who happened to play in all 16 games. And his ESPN QBR rating of 55.0 was 17th best in the NFL, which placed him ahead of Brady (52.5) and some other fairly respected quarterback named Aaron Rodgers (53.5). Now, I’m not actually sitting here and saying Jones is better than either of those future Hall of Famers, but clearly Jones played better than anyone realized.
Jones was under constant pressure behind his struggling offensive line and was sacked four or more times in half of his starts. And this is an athletic, mobile quarterback we’re talking about. Under constant duress and taking hits left and right, it’s no shock that he missed a pair of games with a high-ankle sprain. The fact that he produced this well as a rookie should be commended.
Obviously, 23 turnovers won’t be acceptable again in year two, and Jones has some work to do to avoid putting the ball on the ground 18 times again, but let’s put it in perspective. This is a young man who produced five 300-yard passing days and three performances with four or more touchdown passes in only 12 starts at age 22. That’s pretty fantastic.
Outlook
There’s no way of knowing what kind of head coach new hire Joe Judge will be. There’s no way to predict how Jason Garrett‘s return to his coordinating roots will go after serving as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys since 2010. Will the offensive line hold up better than they did a year ago? Could the defense return to respectability? These simply aren’t questions that can be answered in February, but what can be stated with certainty is the sheer amount of talent this team possesses on offense is among the best in the league.
With players like Jones, Barkley, Shepard, Tate, Slayton, and Engram on board, this team has the potential to be one of the most exciting in the NFL. There may be some high-scoring contests on the docket in 2020, but if these players can enjoy better injury luck in the coming season, it could be a great time to be a fan of the New York football Giants.
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