5 Things the NY Giants need to do to make the playoffs in 2021

Dec 27, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) breaks the huddle in the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) breaks the huddle in the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
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New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)

No. 1) Daniel Jones needs to be better, plain and simple

Many quarterbacks go through the sophomore slump, and that very much included Daniel Jones last season. 11 touchdowns to 10 interceptions along with plenty of fumbles are not going to win the NY Giants a lot of football games.

These issues can and should be attributed to offensive line issues, the aforementioned drops in this offense along with the injury of Saquon Barkley, but improvement needs to be there in 2021.

Jones should be given a pass for 2020, all the chips were stacked against him and he folded, but that is to be expected for his second year playing professional football while also having to play with a brand new coach.

In 2021, Jones will have Barkley back, an improved offense, and a second-year under Joe Judge, the chips are beginning to get stacked in his favor to perform much better this upcoming season, and now it is up to him to perform.

The decision-making needs to improve, the fumbles need to go down and he needs to become more comfortable in the offense. This is all easier said than done obviously and it will take good coaching and good talent around him, but if Jones wants to prove himself as a franchise quarterback that next step needs to be taken.

Jones must become the Baker Mayfield of 2021 and overcome that sophomore slump, with a better defense and potentially a star playmaker coming through the draft, the team is slowly being built to become quarterback friendly for the signal-caller from Duke.

So yes, this all means do not trade for Deshaun Watson, the price that the NY Giants would have to give up for Watson would leave the team with the same issues that need to be fixed and little improvement would be made in terms of winning.

While it is hard to win without a star quarterback, championships can be won with a great defense, a great running game, and an offense that makes little mistakes. The defense is becoming great, Barkley is returning and Jones can develop to cut his mistakes down to a minimum.

No that does not mean the NY Giants are going to win it all in 2021, while a miracle is always possible it is quite improbable. But taking steps in the right direction will put this team in a much better position to build a championship contender in the next few years.

The New York Football Giants have the pieces in place to go out and win this division, it is up to them to clean issues up and build a real winner, and that starts in this offseason so upcoming decisions will affect their chances greatly going forward.

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