The New York Giants have had a lot of things going for them this offseason, but that hasn’t helped them in the eyes of many of their critics who believe the team will be near the bottom of the league in 2020. Predictions from around the league haven’t been optimistic ever since the end of last season, and while things such as the hiring of Joe Judge and the team’s draft class have brought some hope to the fanbase, or at the least, less apathy, the same feelings haven’t spread around the league as a whole just yet.
Make no mistake about it, if the Giants win many games in 2020 it will be as an underdog rather than the preseason dark horse. However, following the Draft, the narrative isn’t one hundred percent negative at least.
According to Bleacher Report’s predictions following the release of the 2020 schedule, the Giants are set to have a 6-10 record. Not a winning record, but not at the bottom of the league either… And an improvement over where the Giants were in 2019, though perhaps only a nominal one.
The Giants’ schedule could help Judge get off to a fast start. Among the NFL’s eight divisions, only the AFC North has an easier draw this year than the NFC East, and New York’s opponents were a combined nine games under .500 last season.
However, a Giants team trying to upgrade its offense and piece together a pass rush will face some stiff tests. Beyond their four games against the Cowboys and Eagles, the Giants will play host to the 49ers in Week 3 and travel to face the 14-win Ravens in Week 16.
Of course, in reality, the Giants are something of an unknown this season. Unlike teams that haven’t changed much since 2019, the Giants are adding a new head coach, revamping the offensive line once again, have made big changes in the secondary since last year, and have new offensive and defensive coordinators. It’s not even known yet how the Giants will line up on defense, or offense for that matter.
With this in mind, it’s safe to say that a chance at least exists for the team to defy expectations – or for things to backfire and for them to underperform. 6-10 isn’t a pretty prediction, but there may be some merit to it. After all, it is somewhere in the middle between the worst predictions and the most optimistic.