The New York Giants are staring another top-five draft pick in the face after a 1–5 start to the 2021 season. Aside from a surprising victory over the New Orleans Saints, the Giants have been relatively inefficient against teams that most would consider beatable. Ranging from the Atlanta Falcons to the Washington Football Team, Big Blue had their fair share of opportunities to start the season strong but instead imploded under head coach Joe Judge.
The loss of starting left tackle Andrew Thomas to injury will only dampen their probability of winning games. Thomas will sit on injured reserve with an ankle issue for the next three weeks, with the earliest return being week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At that point in the season, the Giants will be well on their way to another missed postseason opportunity and a premium draft pick.
However, the Giants must consider alternatives at general manager, especially with Dave Gettleman further driving the franchise into the ground. Let’s take a look at a few numbers that tell a better story.
Keep this quote in mind as you scroll through these statistics.
“You got to run the ball. You got to stop the run. You got to pressure the passer.”
Three stats that tell a story for New York Giants’ GM Dave Gettleman:
1.) Running the football
Gettleman stated that running the football is one of the most critical factors in winning football games, but his team currently ranks 25th in rushing yards per game. After spending the second overall pick on Saquon Barkley, his inability to stay on the field and remain healthy has taken a toll on his production.
A quality running back isn’t the main factor in a successful running game, but rather the offensive line’s ability to open up gaps to run through. Many teams with lesser talent have succeeded simply by plugging in runners who fit their scheme and strategy. Just take a look at the Buffalo Bills, for example, who currently ranks fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 130.7. They utilize a blend of Devin Singletary and Zack Moss. Both Moss and Singletary were drafted in the third round, which details Gettleman’s lack of understanding of draft value.
The Giants currently have the 26th ranked OL in pass-blocking, per PFF. Losing Thomas will only hurt that ranking even more.
2.) Stopping the run
Gettleman spent a pretty penny retaining interior defender Leonard Williams this off-season, presenting a three-year, $63 million deal. He also invested a first-round pick on Dexter Lawrence, but his outside linebackers have failed to seal the edge in the run game and rush the passer effectively. The Giants currently ranked 29th in rush yards allowed per game, and that is all while being dominated through the air as well, indicating a weak defense on multiple fronts.
Gettleman once again struck out on a main factor he presented as a necessity for being successful in the NFL.
3.) Getting to the quarterback
The cherry on top is the Giants’ inability to rush the passer in the first place, as they currently rank 30th in pass rush win right. Last week against the Los Angeles Rams, all three of their primary OLB‘s, Azeez Ojulari, Oshane Ximines, and Lorenzo Carter, failed to contribute a single pressure or quarterback hurry.
Spending third-round picks on outside linebackers is not a recipe for success, as the Giants should be investing far more on edge defenders if they want to be successful. Most agree that a great defense starts in the trenches, and the Giants have seemingly over-invested in the interior of the defensive line, which has proved to be a poor strategy.