After the 2019 season concluded, the New York Giants were in desperate need of bolstering at multiple positions. Management knew that they could not proceed forward with the roster’s state, and free agents had to be a priority. Of course, the hiring of new head coach Joe Judge was the top headline, and he has done a good job putting the team in a positive direction, despite starting the year 0-5.
The blame ultimately lands on youth, inexperience, and questionable schematics. Coordinator Jason Garrett has done a poor job activating his offensive weapons, and that is not because of a lack of talent. Golden Tate is best used in space and Evan Engram in the seam, but Garrett has shied away from both of those factors.
Nonetheless, it is not a surprise that the Giants’ free agents have been there saving grace up to this point.
When the Giants elected to sign James Bradberry over Byron Jones, most were confused at the decision. Through five weeks, it seems as if they made a fantastic choice.
The 27-year-old corner has been elite for the Giants, ranking second among all CBs in the league in overall grade. He currently has an 85.7 grade on defense, with an 87.3 coverage grade. He’s not the best in run defense, and his tackling is spotty at times, but overall he has locked down opposing WR1s all season long.
So far, he has allowed a 53.6 completion percentage, giving up 15 catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. To put that into perspective, Janoris Jenkins allowed a 190 yard, three-touchdown performance to Mike Evans last year in week three. That should give you an idea of just how good Bradberry looks what we should expect from him moving forward.
Former Green Bay linebacker Blake Martinez has been stellar for the Giants so far in his Big Blue career. In his fifth season in the NFL, Martinez has taken a massive step forward under Patrick Graham’s defense. He formally played with him in Green Bay, but Graham was just his linebackers coach back then.
Now, Graham has utilized him in unique and creative ways, improving his run defense and tackling efficiency.
Martinez currently has a 90.3 run defense and 81.2 overall grade per PFF. As we knew when the Giants signed him, Martinez was never going to be an elite coverage linebacker, and he has been tasked with mainly stopping the run and mitigating big plays. He has 26 stops, 36 tackles, 2.0 sacks, and 28 pressures on the quarterback through five games.
Interestingly, Martinez completely revamped his diet, realizing a dairy and egg allergy. Taking those two foods out of his routine has improved his athleticism and speed. Never underestimate what a good nutritionist can do for you.
It is disappointing that the best player on offense is kicker Graham Gano. The Giants have been a mess on that side of the ball, as they currently rank 31st in points per game.
Thanks to an easy matchup against an embarrassingly bad Dallas defense, the Giants were able to increase their points per game from 11.8 to 16.2 in one week. As for their yards per game, the Giants rank 28th with 203.4.
Oddly enough, the Baltimore Ravens are actually at 31st with 178.8. Garrett’s scheme has not done his unit any favors — Gano has been a consistent threat from all ranges. He currently holds a 77 overall grade, making 92.9% of his field goals. From 50+ yards, he has hit four of five, with three of them coming against Dallas last week.
As long as the former Panther can continue his impressive kicking, the Giants will remain competitive, given the defense holds up. The Giants have really only been blown out once, against the San Francisco 49ers, when the offense had 1/3 the time of possession as Kyle Shanahan’s team.
A good offense, complemented by an efficient kicker is one of the more sought after factors in the NFL, and the Giants showed a glimpse of what they could do with the ball in their hands in the first quarter against Dallas.
This post was published on 2020-10-16 10:02
