New York Giants Win Superbowl 46, Might Be Better Next Year

The Giants are good, but they might be better next year. Imagine this truth, this year the New York Giants were the league’s worst running team and had a slew of players on the injured reserve. In 2011, the New York Giants had the LEAST productive draft class in the league through the first four rounds. Prince Amukamara was injured in training camp and missed the majority of the season and struggled when he got back, until he played fairly well in the playoffs in limited duty. He should be better next year.

DT Marvin Austin, their second round pick, tore his pectoral muscle and missed the entire season. He’s a very talented player, a player the Giants have said was in their top 15 on their big board. His return should help.

WR/Return man Jerel Jernigan has a big chance to become involved in the passing game next year (especially if Mario Manningham isn’t retained).  OL James Brewer is a very talented lineman who was inactive all season and might get a chance to contribute next year.

In essence they will have eight picks in the first two rounds next year (the four they have next year and the four from the 2011 N.F.L. draft) with the likelihood that all of these players will contribute next year along with some rookies.

They should also be much, much healthier in the secondary with the return of Terrell Thomas (a player everyone thinks will resign with the Giants), and everywhere else , especially on defense. According to Football Outsiders the Giants had the third most defensive injuries in a decade (one of the other teams was the 0-16 Lions), which seems unlikely to happen another year.

There are a few issues the Giants have to correct before next season: their OL pass protects fairly well (not according to Pro Football Focus, but from watching every game they give Eli enough time a lot of the time), but needs to improve in that area and the team does not run block very well. Their Backup Tight End Travis Beckum tore his A.C.L. in the Superbowl and starting Tight End Ballard seems to have injured his meniscus. Tight End could be a big problem heading into next year (look to the draft as a possible fix). The Giants could still get better at Sam and Middle linebacker and they need another safety because Perry Fewell likes to run a lot of 3 safety sets and Deon Grant seems to be at the end of his career.

The team has some tough decisions to make regarding WR Mario Manningham, CB Aaron Ross, T Kareem McKenzie, LB Jon Goff, and CB Terrell Thomas who are all scheduled to become free agents. Of these players WR Mario Manningham may be the hardest to replace and he and Ross seem likely to get substantial pay raises from another team. Kareem McKenzie had a poor year and that position could be upgraded.

The team has even tougher decisions to make with some veteran main-stays particularly RB Brandon Jacobs and DE Osi Umeniyora. Umeniyora at least has some trade value, whileJacobs is a candidate to be released outright.

Why do I believe this team will be stronger? First I would expect more consistency from a defense that really struggled early in the year. Over their impressive final stretch starting with the New York Jets game the Giants defense was stingy on its worst day and dominant on its best. The team must stay hungry though, and a avoid the lapses they have had in the past. I think the second Superbowl for Coughlin gives him an immense amount of respect for anyone who joins the locker room and the Giants won’t have some of the assimilation problems they have had in  the past with new players not gelling into the locker room because of Coughlin’s hard line stance.

On offense Mario Manningham will be hard to replace though Ramses Barden, Jerel Jernigan and perhaps a draft pick will all get a shot. The team will also likely improve at tight end. Jerry Reese will fix the running game, a second year for David Baas in the same offensive system will only help.

Really though the biggest reason is Eli. We’ve seen this song and dance before. Quarterback has a great breakout season and dominates the next year with a vengeance.

The team should be healthier, the coach should have a lot more leeway, and the Giants will upgrade some major weaknesses from the 2011 team and as a whole be better, even if the result is not the same. The schedule next year will again be no walk in the park. The out of division opponents are (home games): New Orleans Saints, Buccaneers, Packers, Browns, Steelers. Their away games will include match-ups like at Atlanta, at Carolina, at San Francisco, at Baltimore, and at Cincinnati. Regardless of the outcome of next season, the New York Giants have won two Superbowls in four seasons, four Superbowls since 1986 (the most in the league), and have a bright future with Eli Manning in his prime and a lot of young talent on both sides of the ball.