If the New York Giants want to fulfill Eli Manning’s promise to make the playoffs, the offense needs improvement for the 2016 season.
Off-season optimism is alive and well for everyone in the Giants community and Eli Manning is no exception. Speaking at a football camp at Kean University, the veteran quarterback proclaimed the Giants would “definitely” make the playoffs this year, following four borderline embarrassing seasons out of the payoffs.
This sentiment is a welcome sign from the oldest, most important player on the team, and the off-season moves the Giants have made certainly point to improved play on the field. But where the defense has garnered the attention and ire of fans and critics alike, the offense, and in particular the quarterback have flown under the radar, giving the impression that the unit is either fine where it is or has already made strides in becoming better.
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Of course, neither of these will be evident until well into the preseason or maybe as late as September; one thing that is evident to anyone who watched the Giants the past season is that the offense vastly under performed when called upon and too often came up with little to no production when the game was on the line. This season, the offense must perform better in two areas specifically and needs to maintain a semblance of consistency to force defenses to respect all facets of the offense.
The Eli and Odell show is entertaining, but the wins have not amounted to the success each of those players have had. This season, the offense’s efficiency and productivity will determine the team’s direction when it comes to the post season.
Offense Looking to Improve
Any offense looking for post season success must be efficient on third down and in the red zone. The Giant’s offense has lacked and sputtered in these two areas, resulting in mediocre results and more often than not, losses. There was an article written on this subject a few days ago on this site, highlighting the team’s struggles in these pertinent areas, and how any improvement can possibly amount to more wins. For all the griping about the defense and its’ deficiencies, the supposed strength of the team was often just as ineffective. In addition to their less than stellar performance on the “money-down” and in the red zone, their lack of any offensive consistency led defenses to home in on one match up and the result was evident in late or critical points in games when the offense could not muster an impact play.
Scoring has not been an issue for Eli Manning and the offense. They have the ability to score points, ranking in the top ten in the league in points per game and points per drive. What kills drives and momentum are inefficiency on third down and settling for field goals inside the opponent’s 20 yard line. NFL games often come down to a crucial third down conversion or even gaining more first downs during the course of the game to establish a continuity and rhythm on offense, features the Giant’s offense has lacked.
Plays need to be made
Compared to habitual winners the New England Patriots, the Giants do not differ drastically in number of first downs, with the Patriots outpacing the Giants 348 to 331. The difference comes in where these first downs are gained and at what point during a game.
According to Pro Football Reference, in situations of 3rd and 10 yards or longer, the Patriots gained 8 more first downs than the Giants, and in situations with 7-9 yards to go, the Patriots converted 12 more first downs last season. These distances are very important in sustaining drives, converting drives into points, and establishing good field position for the defense. While the disparities are relatively small when comparing the numbers, another 12 first downs over the course of the season can be the difference between 6-10 and 9-7.
It’s not all about scoring points, and the Giants have been a prime example of that. Another area they struggled mightily last season, whether due to a poor running game, a predictable passing game, or baffling play calling was in the red zone. Comparing to the Patriots again, the Giants managed only 24 touchdowns in 137 red zone plays, while the Patriots scored 45 touchdowns on 173 plays. This disparity is more pronounced and highlights an area the Giants must improve next season if there is any possibility for a postseason push.
Timely play making is a unique feature of winning teams; the 2007 and 2011 Giants exemplified this by making plays down the stretch runs at the end of the regular season and carrying that momentum in to the playoffs. This has lacked the past few seasons on both sides of the ball and with the additions on defense, that unit can only get better. The offense however has been deceptively good, putting up points and numbers to validate a top 10 offense. But to sustain success and establish a winning team, the offense must score points and perform under pressure if there’s any chance at making Eli a prophesier.