On Thursday night, the official schedule for the New York Giants came out and the predictions for the season have already started. Last year, the Giants shocked the entire football world when they rebounded from a 4-13 season to go 9-7-1 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Most had expected the Giants to win about 5-6 games in 2022. Instead, the Giants got off to a tremendous start, starting at 6-2 before the bye week and were at 9-6-1 when they clinched the playoff spot in Week 17. Now, it’s a whole new slate of games for the Giants in 2023.
OUR 2023 SCHEDULE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SAXGDpppmq
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 12, 2023
Unlike last year when the Giants started out the season with one Monday night game, a Thanksgiving game and a London game; and eventually being flexed into a Sunday Night Football game in late December, the Giants are given six primetime games (five if you don't count Christmas vs. Philly). The world will see just how good this team can be. Here's four reasons why we think they can go 12-5:
4. Learning to finish and win football games
Ome of the things the Giants learned how to do in 2022 is win. And not just win, finish the tough games. When they were able to knock off the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 and start off 1-0, it gave the Giants the jolt in the arm they needed. Then they were able to hold off the Carolina Panthers as well.
The real jolt and springboard for the Giants season was when they knocked off the Green Bay Packers in London. That was the moment where the entire football world knew that the Giants were back from the NFL basement. In consecutive weeks, the Giants finished off the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars - both playoff teams - to push them to 6-1.
The most important games that tested the Giants mental toughness was the SNF win over the Washington Commanders that propelled them back to the No. 6 seed and then the Giants playoff victory over the Minnesota Vikings.
This confidence to win and learning how to finish teams off came with Brian Daboll. And it will only continue under the NFL’s current Coach of the Year. There's a new culture for the Giants right now. The league needs to understand this.