New York Giants: Shane Vereen Is X-Factor

Shane Vereen is going to be the New York Giants X-Factor in the 2015 season. The priority of the defense is going to be taking Odell Beckham Jr. out of the game. Then they’ll prioritize Victor Cruz, Larry Donnell and Rueben Randle. With weapons all around quarterback Eli Manning, Vereen is going to be the one defenses cannot stop.

Its not like Vereen is going to surprise defensive coordinators. Everyone understands that he is a reliable option in the passing game. Vereen had 52 receptions in the 2014 season and 47 the year prior with the New England Patriots. Those almost sound like tight end numbers. Larry Donnell only had 11 receptions more than the Giants new running back last season.

Jun 16, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) hands the ball off to runningback Shane Vereen (34) during minicamp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Ryan-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive coordinators are going to be forced to use a bend but don’t break mentality against the Giants offense. There is just so much talent on the Giants offense, they have to avoid the big plays down the field. Which is fine for offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo who doesn’t mind methodically slicing your defense up.

Vereen is the least dangerous target so he will get the least attention from the defense. He is Manning’s safety valve and will stay the closest to the line of scrimmage. The defenses will give up short passes to Vereen, because they almost don’t have a choice. Vereen is a linebacker’s nightmare in the open field and those short pass plays will start to add up.

Imagine it is third down and the Giants have 5 yards to go. The defense is in man coverage on the outside with Odell Beckham Jr. with the safety helping. The defense brackets Cruz who is playing in the slot, giving Donnell and Randle one on one with a safety and a cornerback respectively.

Vereen runs a Texas route up diagonally and back to the center of the field. The linebacker over pursues before Vereen’s break. He is wide open in the middle of the field. It is almost too easy. The point is that on third down the priority isn’t going to be stopping Vereen and the Giants have to take advantage of this.

Next: New York Giants: What Happens If The Offensive Line Is Dominant?

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