The New York Giants won a total of 12 games in three seasons, so it’s pretty unlikely for them to make a trip to the promised land in 2020. But if you can recall, the San Francisco 49ers went from 4-12 in 2018 to NFC Champions in 2019. Maybe the 2020 season might turn out better for the Giants.
Either way, it gave even the most bottom-dwelling teams hope that they can win the NFC Championship in any given year. With that said, even the Giants, who have 50/1 odds can pull through and win the NFC.
And they’re not shorthanded in talent on offense. From one of the league’s hottest up-and-coming quarterbacks in Daniel Jones ,to owning an offense who can keep pace with the beasts in the NFC East, to the veteran presence on coach Joe Judge’s staff, the G-men can make somewhat of a run this season.
Here are five factors that make them an interesting bet for the NFC Championship.
1 – Keeping up With the Jones
What should impress you about quarterback Daniel Jones is his ability to produce with a variety of players. In 2019, every one of his top skill position players missed time with injuries, yet he still put up fantastic numbers for a rookie.
He threw for over 3,000 yards in 13 games, tossed 24 touchdown passes, and only threw 12 picks. He comes with red flags, like his 18 fumbles and tendency to hold the ball too long. But that may change as he matures.
He can also run when he needs to, and experts refer to him as a mobile Eli Manning clone. Now that Jones has a year of experience under his belt, look for a leap in Year 2. If his skill position players remain healthy around him, look for an even better outing in 2020.
A major plus for Jones is Jason Garrett’s arrival, a former NFL quarterback and head coach who will help his development. Garrett worked well with the development of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, and you will see the same thing occur in New York.
Look for a big step from Jones in Year 2.
2 – Keeping up With the Beasts in the East
The New York Giants finished 2-4 in the division in 2019, with both wins coming against the Washington Football Team. 2020 won’t get any easier as both division rivals grew stronger. However, so did the Giants.
It starts with Jones, as mentioned above, but it also extends to the fact the team has the most complete back in the division in Saquon Barkley. An ankle injury hampered Barkley in 2019, and he “only” gained 1,003 rushing yards (4.6 yards per carry) and caught 52 passes for 438 yards.
If he is 100% by Week 1, look for the 2018 Rookie of the Year to return to form. It’s a scary thought, considering most running backs would relish in his 2019 statistics.
The Giants also own a receiving trio capable of matching those in Dallas and Philadelphia, allowing for a quarterback duel, if necessary, against their division rivals. Receivers Darius Slayton, Golden Tate, and Sterling Shepard all produced well in 2019. So, you can expect more production in 2020.
While they missed time with injuries, each became reliable targets for Jones. You also can’t count out Evan Engram, who snagged 44 receptions in eight games, a pace for 88 receptions.
While the offense ranked 23rd overall in 2019, injuries and poor offensive line performances played key roles. However, they also ranked just below the middle of the pack between 18th and 19th in every major category. That’s not too bad for a young team with a rookie quarterback in 2019.
Expect the team to take the next step in 2020. If they remain healthy, you can bet this team won’t just have a realistic shot at the playoffs and a potential surprise run at the NFC Championship, but you can also bet they finish well statistically.
3 – Judgment Day
Head coach Joe Judge faces a long learning curve as he moves from position coach to the NFL. But you can’t help but love his chances to succeed right off the bat.
Hiring Jason Garrett as coordinator was a massive step in the right direction. Garrett has 10 years of head coaching experience, so leaning on Garrett throughout the season is perhaps Judge’s biggest value.
He also hired former Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens, who also knows a thing or two about coaching in the NFL. Or in Kitchens’ case, he knows all about what not to do as a rookie head coach.
However, Kitchens is an outstanding position coach. He proved it in his previous stops, especially in Cleveland, where he went from position coach to coordinator to head coach, all within six months.
Hiring defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is another huge step in the right direction. Graham will adopt a system like the one he used to from his time in Green Bay, and the team brought in linebackers Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell to help with the move.
Martinez is one of the most consistent players in the league and is a tackling machine. He’s something the Giants lacked in 2019. Fackrell is a gifted edge rusher. With both players reuniting with Patrick Graham, look for the Giants defense to hit the ground running in 2020 despite the lack of solid practice time.
We’ll likely have to see a learning curve for the first few weeks. But if there was a new head coach dependable enough to hire solid staff members, it would be Joe Judge. Garrett was the best assistant coaching hire in the league here in 2020, hands down.
Both hires move the offense and defense in the right direction, which will help the team in the win column.
4 – Skill City
We touched on this earlier, but the skill position players in the Meadowlands are among the NFL’s hottest players this season, and more than a few of them have Pro Bowl potential.
It starts with Jones. Teaming with Garrett, Jones will minimize his ball security issues in 2020, especially with a healthy Barkley.
And the receivers are the ones you need to get excited about if you are a high-risk bettor who is looking to bet on an underdog like the Giants. It starts with fifth-round draft pick Darius Slayton, who surprised as a rookie with 48 receptions, 740 yards, and 8 touchdown receptions. It doesn’t get much better from a fifth-round pick in their rookie season.
As Jones develops, Slayton will morph into perhaps the team’s best receiver since Odell Beckham left for Cleveland in 2019. Sterling Shepard is one of the best receivers you’ll find lining up in the slot. He logged 57 receptions in 10 games, which averages to 91 receptions had injuries not derailed his season. He can also split out wide if need be, which shows his versatility.
Golden Tate is the old man of the group but is still going strong if he can remain on the field. He played in just 11 games but finished with 49 receptions and 6 touchdowns, which would’ve put him on pace for about 79 receptions and 8 touchdowns for 16 games.
Evan Engram was on pace for an 88-reception season before injuries derailed his season. He also had 467 receiving yards, which would threaten a 1,000-yard season from a tight end had he remained healthy.
This offense doesn’t figure to replicate the Greatest Show on Turf from the 1999 St. Louis Rams, but it has the potential to put up points if the injury bug doesn’t take over in 2020.
5 – Fixing the Trenches
Some say the Giants reached to take franchise left tackle Andrew Thomas. Anyone with common sense will say that a team with a second-year quarterback who was sack-prone in 2019 needs a blue-chip player like Thomas.
Now that tackle Nate Solder opted out of the season (he was a high-risk player), look for Thomas to be the plug and play type of player at left tackle.
If Thomas learns fast, he will provide immediate relief for a line that allowed 43 sacks in 2019. Losing Solder may hurt, but he had an off-year in 2019 and age may have become a factor. The Giants shouldn’t lose much sleep over losing him because of the opt-out clause.
General manager Dave Gettleman invested a lot of money in the line, bringing guard Kevin Zeitler over from Cleveland and drafting rookies Shane Lemieux and Matt Peart.
The downside lies in the fact that three rookies may end up starting in New York. However, with experienced guards Zeitler and Will Hernandez, look for a fast learning curve if this were the case.
In short, Gettleman fixed the offensive line in one draft and Solder sitting out the season is a blessing in disguise.
Conclusion
The Giants made the right hire in Joe Judge, who made the right hires in his assistants, surrounding himself with other solid coaches. Jason Garrett is the crown jewel of the group and will play an enormous role in Daniel Jones’ development.
The skill position crowd is among the best in the league if the injury bug doesn’t bite in 2020. Look for the group to make leaps and bounds in 2020 and win games they otherwise lost in 2019 with offense.
Is it enough to get the team to the NFC Championship? Hey, at 50/1 odds at SportsBetting.ag, a small bet can go a long way here. And as mentioned, the 2019 49ers proved a 4-12 team from the previous season can make a run. It’s realistic.
What are your thoughts on the Giants? Have they done enough to have a realistic shot at winning the NFC Championship?
Michael Stevens
Michael Stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry for well over a decade now and is considered an expert on all things casino and sports betting. Michael has been writing for GamblingSites.org since early 2016. …
