The holiday season has arrived and the 2020 New York Giants will begin their final stretch of games to try and take the division title in the next six weeks. Big Blue has a lot to be thankful for this season, as it seems that the franchise is finally turning in the right direction and beginning the start of a new era.
The 2020 New York Giants Have Plenty to Be Thankful For
Joe Judge and Company
Joe Judge, the former special teams’ coordinator for the New England Patriots, has completely turned the franchise around in terms of culture and having players buy into his coaching style. While the record is not great, Judge and his crew really have these players competing every game and they will not go down without a fight.
Judge was heavily scrutinized by the media, saying that he did not have the credentials to coach a team. Well, through 10 weeks, fans and doubters have seen Judge practice what he preached, emphasizing the fundamentals of the game and making sure everyone (coaches and players) puts the team before anything.
“His style of coaching is good for players who want to win,” said Leonard Williams, the Giants sack leader this season. It is no surprise here that the players love Judge and how he coaches this team.
Patrick Graham also deserves major credit for turning heads with this Giants defense. Nobody expected this unit to perform the way it is right now after a disappointing 2019 effort. Graham has this defense playing at a good level right now, and with one more off-season, we should see this group perform over the top.
Being in the NFC East
The NFC East this year is extremely bad. At the time of publication, each team has three wins through 11 weeks. The records have been horrible, making some fans wonder if any teams from the NFC East deserve to be in the playoffs this year.
However, one could make a case that the Giants are the best team in this division. Big Blue is 3-3 in their last six games, and those three losses were by a combined six points. The 1-7 start to the season spelled out another lost season if this were any other year. Luckily, all of the other teams are struggling to put it together.
Mix in the Giants getting back Oshane Ximines and rookies Xavier McKinney and Tae Crowder from injury, and this team is only getting better as the division is currently in shambles. The Giants’ playoff push is real and these next six weeks will show a lot about this team.
James Bradberry, Blake Martinez, and Logan Ryan
These three players have been vital components to the Giants’ defense playing well.
Blake Martinez is tied for third in the NFL with 96 tackles this season. His totals also include six tackles-for-loss, two sacks, one interception, and five quarterback hits. Martinez has turned into the leader this defense desperately needed and is playing lights out. He should only get better as the season goes on.
James Bradberry is arguably the best cornerback in the league this season with the way he has been playing. Bradberry leads the league in passes defended with 14, and also has three interceptions on the year. Bradberry’s most recent game against the Philadelphia Eagles resulted in shutting down his side of the field. Bradberry had two passes defended and only allowed two catches for 15 yards. The Giants no longer have to worry about covering the opposing offense’s best receiver, because Bradberry will be there to save the day.
Logan Ryan was a late off-season addition to the Giants defense, but his impact on the team has not lessened. Ryan has had a knack for forcing turnovers, which explains his two forced fumbles and one interception. He also added in one sack and seven passes defended. Ryan currently leads the NFC in votes at the free safety spot for the Pro Bowl. His play has elevated others on the defense, especially Jabrill Peppers, who is having a career year so far. Ryan is the perfect guy the Giants need going forward, a veteran who provides knowledge to the younger players and can still produce at a high level.
Last Word on the 2020 New York Giants Heading Into Thanksgiving
The Giants will begin their race for the division crown after Thanksgiving. 2020 has been a crazy year and will be even crazier if the Giants can somehow sneak their way into the playoffs. The franchise finally seems to have turned the corner, after many years in a dark hole.
