After two straight, 6-10 seasons the New York Football Giants had a very strong 2016 campaign. The defense performed better than it had in years, and even though the offense struggled at times, they finished the season with an 11-5 record and a playoff berth.
Three Reasons Why the Giants Will be in Super Bowl 52
Unfortunately, they fell to Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card game, 38-13. Even though the season ended with disappointment, the future is indeed bright for the G-Men, for a few reasons:
1. The signing of Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall is the perfect addition for the Giants because of his play making ability and economical contract. After being released by the New York Jets, Marshall could have choosen to sign somewhere else for more money, but he wanted to be in a team that was set-up to contend. Despite the Giants offensive woes last season, they can improve quickly. Marshall should be able to make a difference on third down and in the red zone, two areas the Giants struggled last season. He will also provide an extreme talent for Eli Manning as well as help to open things up for Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard.
The Giants have improved their receiving core tremendously and that offense should bounce back this season. With this addition, the New York Giants now arguably have the best receiving core in football.
2. Improved blocking
A lot of the offensive issues for the Giants started with the offensive line and the lack of a run game. With the signing of tight end/full back Rhett Ellison and guard/tackle D.J. Fluker, the Giants have added depth and competition to the offensive line and added a great run blocker to the roster. The Giants did not have a fullback on their roster last year due to injury, so they were forced to adapt without one. This is a big reason why the run game was so ineffective. By addressing the need of a good blocking fullback/tight end, the run game should show immediate improvement. The Giants will likely address the offensive line in the draft as well. Adding more competition within the offensive line should help create holes for Paul Perkins to run through as well as protect Eli Manning.
3. Keeping the Defense Together
The Giants defense was nothing short of spectacular in 2016, yes, there were some bumps in the road to start, but the unit continued to improve as the season went on. During the off-season, the Giants have been able to resign all of their 2016 starters, except for defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins, who went to Indianapolis. However the core of the defensive team will be playing together again. Keeping the core of this defensive together for a consecutive year can only make the unit better. The Giants defense should be set up to be one of the, if not the best defense in the league in 2017, helping the Giants make a run to Super Bowl 52.
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