The ultimate question coming that keeps coming up, is Brian Daboll able to build upon the success of last year. I have that answer for all the New York Giants fans out there. He can be more successful this year than last year. Last year the team overachieved by everyone’s expectations. I think this year’s team can be better than last year. Let’s get to the breakdown of this year’s team.

Let’s start with the most important position on the football field.

Daniel Jones is coming back as the starter. It’s his 2nd season within the Daboll system that saw Josh Allen flourish. I am not comparing Daniel Jones to Josh Allen. Daniel did have his best statistical season of his career last year. He finished the season with 3205 yards, completed 67% of his passes, which was his highest of his career, he had a 15TD to 5 Int ratio. With that ratio being the best of his career. We forget that Daniel Jones even though drafted 6th overall, he has only been in the league for 4 years. He was going to be a project passer coming out of Duke. And now that he has head coach that can bring out the best in his QB, I think Jones improves this season with his passing yards and gets close to 4000 yards.

He also had 7 rushing touchdowns which I think he can get that closer to 10 rushing touchdowns. I have always been a Daniel Jones fan. I have felt he never got a fair outlook since he followed Eli Manning, and was drafted 6th overall, there is always an unprecedent of expectations in New York.

The biggest issue this offseason involved Saquon Barkley’s contract and whether he would play for them at the beginning of the season. Saquon did what he needed to do, and he got a slightly better deal than the franchise tag and got incentives as well. Saquon is a huge portion of the offense. He is an all-around back that makes plays happens. He is an offensive weapon that deserves to be paid for what he brings to the team.

Barkley’s stats from last year were as follows. He had 1312 rushing yards, 338 receiving yards on 57 receptions and he had 10 rushing touchdowns. Saquon was basically the only weapon the Giants had on offense as they rotated through wide receivers. For him to put up those numbers with the defense keying in on him last is only going to improve now that the Giants have other targets such as Darren Waller.

Darren Waller was picked up via trade this offseason. He is going to be the safety valve for Daniel Jones underneath and the guy that opens up the field for Saquon. Waller has not played a full season since 2020. He appeared in nine games last season caught 28 receptions for 388 yards. That was pretty good for a guy that was the 4th option, on a Las Vegas Raiders team with a new head coach. Now do I think Waller can be the TE he was in 2019-2021, I don’t.

He was ranked as a top five tight end during that time. But if he is healthy for the entire season, I think he can have a 1000-yard season and be a star in this offense. I think that is how the Giants view the trade for him as well.

On the outside at wide receiver the Giants have Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, and Parris Campbell. Hodgins stepped up late last season so hopefully he can build on that. Slayton has not been able to stay healthy. He has been a target of Daniel Jones since they came into the league together. They have a pretty good rapport. If Slayton can stay healthy, he has the ability to be a top-15 wide receiver, I think. Slayton has the size and speed of a number one option wide receiver, I hope he is healthy enough to show that this year.

Campbell is in his first year with the Giants. He played with the Colts last. I think with Campbell’s speed he is going to be a great underneath receiver in this offense. He can get open in across the middle and be able to stretch the defense in the slot. The wide receiver group has a lot of talent and speed. The problem is most of them have a lot of injuries. So, if they can stay healthy and be able to achieve their potential, this wide receiver group can be a top 10 group.

New York Giants defense last year allowed 21.8 points per game which was 17th in the league. Their top tackler was Jordan Love their safety. They need their front seven to make stops. How do they do that? Well, you get more depth to your line to take the pressure off your secondary and linebackers. The Giants have A’Shawn Robinson coming back from injury. They have Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Jordan Riley backing up Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams. Let’s not forget that they added Isiah Simmons from Arizona to play linebacker. This entire defense is now going to be under Wink Martindale for a second straight year. If you don’t know Martindale likes to rush the quarterback and I think being year two under him he blitzes about 41-45% of the time this year. I think Williams and Lawrence can combine for 20 sacks this year which is double from last year.

So, what does the New York Giants schedule look like and what will their ending record be? I see them beating Arizona, San Francisco , Seattle, Miami, Washington(twice), Jets, Patriots, Packers, Saints, Rams.

They will split with the Eagles and the Cowboys with additional losses to the Raiders and Bills for a record of 13-4 which wins them the division over the Cowboys.

-Article written by Chad Cain

-stats provided by Stat Muse

-photo provided by © Getty Image / Nic Antaya