The G-Men recorded a franchise-worst 13 losses while allowing the second most yards in the NFL. Former head coach Ben McAdoo benched Eli Manning for Geno Smith, snapping the veteran quarterback’s consecutive starting streak at 210 games.
Evan Engram was one of the few New York Giants to put up impressive numbers. The first-round pick out of Ole Miss surpassed Bob Tucker’s record for most touchdown receptions by a rookie tight end. Engram finished the season with 64 catches for 722 yards and scored six touchdowns.
Multiple analysts expected the Giants to excel on both sides of the ball ahead of the 2017 season. Pro Football Focus gave New York’s secondary their No. 1 ranking. Good Morning Football debated whether Big Blue had the league’s best pass-catching trio.
Injuries, poor coaching, and a lack of effort resulted in a dismal 3-13 record. But there is hope for the upcoming season.
The Giants have a new coaching staff led by head coach Pat Shurmur and defensive coordinator James Bettcher. They are just one season removed from an 11-5 record in 2016. Most of all, general manager Dave Gettleman has addressed some of the team’s biggest weaknesses in his first offseason.
For those reasons, there is hope for success in 2018. The Giants undoubtedly have a talented roster. If they can remain healthy and execute Shurmur and Bettcher’s game plan, this team has the potential to go from worst to first in the NFC East.
They will need their star players and new acquisitions to step up. Here’s a look at five bold stat predictions for the New York Giants. If all five come true, the G-Men will likely find themselves back in the playoffs.