The past few weeks for the New York Giants have told us one thing, they are getting better. Coming off two consecutive victories without turning the ball over, some might say the page has turned for Daniel Jones and his turnover problems.
However, there is still a long way to go before the Giants are considered an above-average team in the NFL, but they are playing far better than their 3-7 record indicates. With a bye week this upcoming weekend, the Giants have an opportunity to rest their bodies and prepare for the second half of the season. They are making a strong push in the NFC East and are just one game out of first place behind the Philadelphia Eagles, whom they just overcame last weekend.
According to one infamous former Giants coach, they are making big strides, and there is reason for excitement.
“I’m fired up about them,†Bill Parcells told Newsday. “They’re getting better. They’re improving. I like their coach. I just know he has established some law and order, and I think that’s a good thing.â€
Judge has catapulted himself into the realm of disciplinarian. He’s one of the toughest coaches in the NFL and in his first year, while many Talking Heads were skeptical of his methods. Former players and coaches all indicated that his style might rub players the wrong way, but through 10 weeks, they are in far better shape than they would’ve been.
Their offense is finally starting to click, the defense has been playing above their weight class, and Judge has the team on his mind, not the individual. In fact, he’s taking that mentality to such great lengths, he elected to fire offensive line coach Mark Colombo after a heated exchange. Judge informed Colombo that he would be bringing in a specialist to help improve the line, which Colombo took poorly.
However, the progression of quarterback Daniel Jones is what everyone has been waiting for. After starting the season making boneheaded plays and turning the ball over at an astronomical rate, Jones has gone two games without turning the ball over.
That is a major success for the Giants and their hopes that DJ can be a franchise quarterback. Staying safe with the ball has been a factor that Jones has evaded, but an improvement in the trenches and an understanding of the scheme has helped him avoid those tendencies.
Parcells has a soft spot for Daniel Jones:
Parcells. “I like [Jones] athletically,†Parcells said. “Big son of a gun runs around there. I like him.â€
When the offense was struggling the first seven weeks, the defense picked up the slack. They currently rank sixth in points allowed per game and are one of the best run-stopping teams in the NFL. This unit, led by Patrick Graham, has been the team’s identity, but the offense is trying to catch up and balance out the scale.
“Defense is improving,†he said. “That’s good coaching. They seem like they know what to do. They’re certainly behaving better and they’re getting more things done and they’re playing with confidence. That’s all good. I like what I’ve been seeing.”