New York Giants: Final player assessment down the stretch

The New York Giants battled the elements and the Chicago Bears into overtime, and they came away with a 30-27 win on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

This game had more twists than a Stephen King novel, but most importantly, the New York Giants came away with the win. Clearly, it was gut check time, especially after Big Blue blew a big lead. Somehow head coach Pat Shurmur kept a level head, and it definitely helped to win the overtime coin toss and put the Bears back on their heels.

There were so many story lines, that it’s difficult to pick just a couple, so I am going to focus on some items in each of the three areas of offense, defense and special teams that impact the G-Men moving forward. Mind you, on some of these issues I’m making an observation based on the available sample size. In some cases, that sample size may be large enough to draw conclusions, but in other cases it could be a feel.

Let’s start with the defense.

First, I know that linebacker Alec Ogletree gets a bad rap in some quarters, but the New York Giants don’t win this ball game without him. There seems to be too much focus on what Ogletree doesn’t do well, rather than what he brings to the table. He’s a tackling machine and really one of the only play-makers on defense. Let’s surround him with better talent and then give an evaluation.

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The Giants need a free safety in the worst way. The Curtis Riley experiment should be over, and as much as I like the Sean Chandler story, I don’t think he’s the answer either. The G-Men will either franchise Landon Collins, or work out an extension. The extension is preferable because a potential signing bonus can be pro-rated for the life of the contract. Gun to my head, I would make free safety a priority draft pick (i.e. – third round).

Rookie B.J. Hill showed why he was a third-round selection notching three sacks against the Bears, but the pass rush remains a critical missing element. Maybe that can be solved in free agency, but general manager Dave Gettleman has to want to pay the going rate, especially if the team dumps Olivier Vernon. It’s going to be a tough call whether or not OV stays or goes, and I don’t think it’s been decided yet. These stretch games are important in this regard.

Let’s be offensive

If any game showed the decline of Eli Manning, it was yesterday. Manning made some plays, but the ratio of good plays to bad isn’t favorable. Sure Manning remains a serviceable option at quarterback, but today’s NFL requires that the position be filled by a mobile play-maker.

That he is not.

The New York Giants will have to secure the services of a right tackle. I personally don’t mind when you hit or miss on a free agent like Chad Wheeler. It’s no harm, no foul. Now, if brass had listened to my advice in 2016, Ryan Ramczyk would already be populating the position.

At center, Spencer Pulley hasn’t wowed anyone, but he doesn’t have a big contract like Weston Richburg does. And don’t forget that Jon Halapio should be able to return in 2019. Just remember, every offensive lineman that Big Blue has gotten rid of languishes in the NFL. It says something about player procurement under Jerry Reese and Marc Ross, mainly that they were terrible in evaluating offensive linemen.

I don’t know, does Big Blue invest a second-round pick in a right tackle? Geez, it seems that every draft is always top heavy in offensive players, and this upcoming draft, we may be looking at quarterback – tackle at Nos. 1 and 2.

On special teams, knock me over with a feather with the year that Aldrick Rosas is having. I didn’t see that coming, and he really is a Pro Bowl candidate. Actually both New York place-kickers are, so what the hell is going on?

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Riley Dixon has clearly been an upgrade at punter, and I am laughing out loud that Broncos GM John Elway outsmarted himself in that situation. As far as the return game, I’m not a huge fan of Jawill Davis back there, and using Odell Beckham is playing with fire.

In fact, one of the areas I applaud is how Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur cycled through return specialists until they found the right mix. I much prefer that method than to throw a boatload of cash at Dwayne Harris and hope he can also become your third wideout.

Overall, the defense needs more bodies than the offense does, and it would have been great to see supplemental draft pick Sam Beal get some repetitions this season. Clearly guys like B.W. Webb, Sean Chandler and Curtis Riley were stopgap measures in 2018, and hopefully Grant Haley continues to improve and can be counted upon in 2019 as depth.

The $64,000 question will be, what comes of cornerback Janoris Jenkins and his big contract?

Next. New York Giants giveth and taketh away versus Bears. dark

There are definitely pieces in place, but the New York Giants also need some high ticket items on their 2019 shopping list. Among them are an offensive tackle, quarterback, edge rusher and possibly cornerback. Four more games to find out the DNA of some of these youngsters and see if they fit in 2019.

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