As we approach the final quarter mark of the season, the playoff picture is slowly coming together. With the playoffs under a different format this season, you’ll have your four division leaders as usual. Now, there will be three wild card teams this year. Usually, two teams clinch the first-round bye, this year, it will only be one. One of those division leaders in the NFC happens to be the New York Giants. Many didn’t expect them to be much of anything this year. Eli Manning retired, Daniel Jones is still trying to put it together, there’s a rookie head coach in Joe Judge, what can this team do? In the dreadful NFC East, they’re 5-7. Nobody saw this happening.
The offense has come together collectively after the unfortunate injury to Saquon Barkley back in week two. It’s not just one guy doing most of the work. Everyone has stepped it up because it’s never easy replacing a talent of Saquon’s caliber. Before his injury, Daniel was taking much better care of the football and Wayne Gallman stepped it up to be that running back. The offensive line has also held its own upfront in keeping the quarterback protected. They may not be a flashy group, but they do more than enough to move the football up the field with some consistency.
Now to the other side of the ball. The defense has been the lifeline for this team. I noticed it when they gave Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all they could handle! Even yesterday in Seattle, the Giants defense went into Seattle and shut down one of the better offenses in the league. They kept Russell Wilson in the pocket and contained him. Their front four can also get pressure on the quarterback without having to blitz or send additional guys in.
