The New York Giants’ offense is on the brink of significant advancement in 2023, but its success is entirely contingent on the performance of the offensive line.
Right tackle Evan Neal, now in his second year, is hoping to rebound after yielding 8.0 sacks and a total of 52 pressures over 862 snaps.
If the offensive line can enhance its protection for quarterback Daniel Jones, this will pave the way for more dynamic plays. The Giants underwent a major reshuffle in their wide receiver squad this off-season, acquiring Jalin Hyatt, Parris Campbell, and Darren Waller. Given Waller’s attributes, he effectively functions as a receiver.
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The New York Giants need more big plays:
In 2022, the Giants achieved a mere 16 big plays, identified as those yielding 25+ yards. This was the lowest tally across the entire league, even trailing the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens, who had minimal receiver resources. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs, leading with 49 big plays, secured another Super Bowl victory.
Last season, Jones managed only 10 completions of 20+ yards downfield, indicating that most of the team’s big plays were attributed to the running game. With the Giants aiming to build a more formidable passing attack, Jones will have to significantly bolster that number.
In fact, there’s a strong case that he may triple his downfield attempts of 20+ yards in 2023, given that he only attempted 26 last year. His 38.5% completion rate on those throws is an impressive statistic that demonstrates his accuracy in that area. He registered two touchdowns and zero interceptions, with a single turnover and a 46.2% adjusted completion rate, taking into account two drops.
For the Giants to progress and enable their offense to enter the red zone more frequently, they need to become more dynamic.
The Buffalo Bills last year heavily relied on dynamic plays and made a considerable postseason push. Striking a balance between dynamic plays and high-probability throws that maintain possession is crucial, and this is something both Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka are striving to achieve.
However, everything hinges on the offensive line since insufficient protection does not allow for the development of deeper routes.
The Giants have significant speed on the flanks, with Darius Slayton, Hyatt, and Campbell in the slot. Waller is also regarded as one of the most agile tight ends, demonstrating unmatched athleticism in his position. Jones will have an abundance of targets for downfield opportunities; it simply depends on the amount of time he is granted in the pocket to execute them.