The G-Men have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season.
The New York Giants were expected to compete for an NFC East division title after posting their first double-digit (11-5) winning season in six years. That clearly didn’t happen, as Big Blue is one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2017. They have surrendered a franchise-worst 13 losses in a season.
Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch released a statement supporting head coach Ben McAdoo after an embarrassing Week 10 loss in San Francisco. Just three weeks later, Big Blue’s owners decided it was time to cut the cord on the McAdoo-Jerry Reese era in New York.
Suspensions, injuries, and a feud between an All-Pro safety and a 2016 first-round pick has made the G-Men the newest circus attraction in the Big Apple. While the Giants season has been filled with turmoil and disappointments, there have been a few bright spots for Big Blue.
Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year, will likely be the team’s only player up for an award this season. The Giants have not had many players step up in 2017.
But that won’t stop G-Men HQ from naming the team’s MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Defensive Rookie of the Year.
New York Giants Most Valuable Player – SS Landon Collins
There were truly only two candidates for MVP for the G-Men in 2017, and both Collins and defensive tackle Damon Harrison are worthy of being named Big Blue’s Most Valuable Player this season.
Both players likely don’t care about individual awards, especially when their team is 2-13. But that doesn’t mean Collins and Harrison don’t deserve some praise for their play in 2017.
Harrison leads all interior defensive lineman with 37 run stops this season and trails only Collins in total tackles on New York’s roster.
Elite run stuffers pic.twitter.com/2xUhwKX2VO
— PFF (@PFF) December 26, 2017
An argument could be made that Harrison is the MVP over Collins. But the difference between the two players’ impact is the equivalent of splitting hairs.
Collins leads New York’s defense with 104 tackles and has made plays in pass coverage and behind the line-of-scrimmage. New York’s All-Pro safety recorded four tackles for a loss, six passes defended, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.
The Giants lone Pro Bowler was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday after suffering a fractured forearm in the team’s Week 16 loss. The third-year safety is the backbone of New York’s defense and his ability to make plays in both pass coverage and as a run defender makes him Big Blue’s 2017 MVP.
New York Giants Defensive Rookie of the Year – Dalvin Tomlinson
Tomlinson winning Defensive Rookie of the Year for Big Blue is a no-brainer.
The Giants second-round pick out of Alabama has started every game in his rookie season. He has immediately filled the void at defensive tackle after the departure of Johnathan Hankins in free agency. He has proven himself one of the best defensive rookies to come out of the 2017 class.
Through the first 15 weeks of the 2017 season, Tomlinson had recorded the most run stops (21) for a rookie interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus’ Mark Chichester. New York’s 6-foot-3, 317-pound defensive tackle has recorded 46 combined tackles, one sack, and one tackle for a loss.
While his numbers may not jump off the stat sheet, New York’s interior defensive line is arguably the team’s greatest strength this season. The G-Men have struggled against the run in 2017. But New York’s depleted linebacking crops have surely played a factor in the team’s 28th ranked rush defense.
Despite a terrible season, Tomlinson’s play should give Giants fans some hope for 2018 and the future.
New York Giants Rookie of the Year – TE Evan Engram
Unlike Tomlinson, Engram’s numbers look to make him a shoe-in for the team’s Rookie of the Year award. But stats, such as tackles, receptions, yards, and touchdowns, don’t always tell the whole story.
Tomlinson not only has a case to be Defensive Rookie of the Year but the team’s Rookie of the Year in general. Pro Football Focus has Big Blue’s rookie defensive tackle graded almost a full 40 points ahead of Engram and listed New York’s rookie tight end as the 71st player at his position out of 74 graded tight ends.
Despite the poor grades from Pro Football Focus and Engram’s 11 dropped passes on the season, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound tight end should still be considered the team’s Rookie of the Year.
Engram is just one catch shy of tying Sterling Shepard for the third most receptions (65) for a rookie in franchise history. He has already surpassed Bob Tucker for the most touchdown receptions for a rookie tight end (6).
While the 23-year-old playmaker out of Ole Miss was surely not New York’s biggest need this offseason, Engram has stepped up following the injuries of Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall. He leads Big Blue’s offense in catches (64), touchdowns, and has posted a team-high 11 receptions of 20-yards or more.
Engram trails only Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, and Delanie Walker in terms of receiving yards for a tight end in 2017. Some will argue that Engram doesn’t deserve to be the team’s Rookie of the Year due to dropped passes and poor blocking.
But at the same time, that shouldn’t negate his impressive rookie numbers, which have already earned him a place in New York’s history books.