New York Giants: 3 question heading into second half of the season for Big Blue

The New York Giants are gearing up to face off against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 12 of the 2020 regular season, and the implications of this game mean more to the NFC East than any other.

At 3-7, the Giants are just .5 games out of first place in the division, with Washington and Dallas having the same win percentage, .300. The Philadelphia Eagles sit at .350 with an additional tie, but the Giants are 3-4 in the division and are looking to make a statement with first-year head coach Joe Judge.

The Giants are currently on their BYE, giving the players a chance to rest and prepare to take on the Bengals, who just lost star quarterback Joe Burrow to a torn ACL and MCL. The Giants are favored for the first time away this season, but this could be another trap game, similar to the San Francisco 49ers who overcame the Giants with back up quarterback Nick Mullens.

If the Giants wish to continue improving and trending upward, they must answer several questions during the second half of the campaign.

Three questions the New York Giants must answer during the second half of season:

1.) Can Daniel Jones continue protecting the football?

One of the big questions is Daniel Jones’ turnover problems. He has thrown nine interceptions and fumbled the ball seven times this year, but that is vastly improved compared to his 2019 statistics. Last season over 12 games, Jones threw 12 interceptions and fumbled 18 times. That means Jones will have reduced his fumbles by more than half this year, indicating a stark improvement.

Jones hasn’t turned the ball over a single time over the past two games, which were both victories over the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles. While the second-year quarterback is trending upward, consistency is needed to justify his development. The Giants are depending on him to lead their offense and keep the ball safe, which he has done well against two gaudy defenses.

2.) Can the secondary hold up against better passing teams?

The Giants’ saving grace this season has been their defense, which currently ranks 12th and points allowed per game and sixth in rushing yards allowed per game.

However, their secondary hasn’t been very good, aside from star corner James Bradberry. Their secondary has allowed the 24th most yards per game at 257.7.

Ultimately, the CB2 position has been a major liability, as Isaac Yiadom has been tasked with holding it down. While Isaac had his best game of the season against Philadelphia in week 10, he has been awful in coverage for the most part.

Hopefully, his development will prove to be essential, given he’s experienced 100% of the reps the last three games. The New York Giants are expected to gain back Ryan Lewis, though, who could eat into his snaps. This is the one position the Giants are extremely thin at and need continuity.

3.) Will the offensive line continue to progress?

The Giants’ offensive line has taken major strides the past few weeks, notably at left tackle and guard. Andrew Thomas is done a fantastic job solving some of his deficiencies, especially when it comes to being beat inside and punching too quickly. He has done a far better job mirroring pass rushers and utilizing his strength in the run game, which he was known for at Georgia.

The Giants were also forced to utilize Shane Lemieux at left guard over Will Hernandez, who tested positive for COVID-19. Lemieux started a majority of the week 10 victory over Philadelphia and has shown prowess in the run game.

Daniel Jones’ protection in the passing game has also improved, despite him seeing an increase in release time the past two weeks. It seems as if the scheme is adapting to Jones’ strengths, and the offensive line is playing better because of it.

However, the Giants fired OL coach Marc Colombo this past week, which could shake things up a bit. They’re a big question heading into the second half of the year and a unit that needs to experience more positive momentum.