This season has been… we’ll call it less than stellar. To put it mildly. The New York Giants are at the bottom of the league in most categories and no signs of improvement are visible.
There are plenty of places to lay blame, but ultimately, the team has to work as a cohesive unit to have any hope of winning a game. They haven’t been able to do that thus far.
On Sunday, the Giants face the Buffalo Bills in prime time on the road.
The Bills’ season, while going better than the Giants, still hasn’t been what they expected. They’re coming off of a loss in London, and the last time they played after a loss, they beat the Dolphins, 48-20.
The Giants will have their hands full on Sunday, but there are six things they can do to help earn a win.
Protect the quarterback
For the offense, it all starts and stops with the quarterback. Last week, Daniel Jones injured his neck due to a lack of protection. He has been sacked 29 times and because of that, he might not play on Sunday. Whether he ends up cleared and playing or Tyrod Taylor gets the nod, the line has got to step up and protect him. The offense’s ability to function relies solely on the quarterback’s ability to get the ball out. He can’t do that without protection.
Air it out
The Giants haven’t thrown a deep pass since their win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. A large part of that is due to the lack of protection around the quarterback, but it also stems from poor passes and a lack of effort by the receivers to make a catch. Airing it out worked against the Cardinals, so the Giants need to find a way to make it happen again.
Execute plays on both sides of the ball
This isn’t just about completing passes and pressuring the quarterback. Execution matters. The Giants have to make sure they are lined up properly at the start of each play, no holes in any line. They must run accurate routes, complete passes and run efficiently without turning the ball over.
They have to stop the opposing team, which means reading the offense and adjusting the defense accordingly. It means tackling the first time. It means putting forth more effort to ensure plays are positive for the Giants.
If you’re not practicing during the week like you play on Sunday, execution becomes incredibly difficult. Practice like you play, execute on the field.
Force Josh Allen to make a mistake
Josh Allen is one of the top quarterbacks in the league today. But he is not infallible and has thrown five interceptions this season. That’s just one less than Jones has thrown, and Allen’s protection is far better than what the Giants provide Jones. The Giants have to force him to make a mistake on Sunday, and then they have to capitalize on that mistake to put points on the board.
Allen is surrounded by a team that can bounce back from mistakes if the other team doesn’t make use of those mistakes, so it’s not enough to force Allen to do something he’s uncomfortable with. When the Giants get the ball, they have to do something with it.
Communicate throughout the game
One of the biggest reasons a team is unsuccessful in any league is a lack of communication. This starts from the top. Brian Daboll has to communicate with his players the things he expects out of them, how he envisions certain plays to be run, what he sees on the field that helps the team make adjustments, etc.
On the field, the players must do their jobs to execute what Daboll sees, but they also see the field and must communicate additional adjustments. This goes for both sides of the ball. Whichever player is charged with making those adjustments and seeing the field for what it is has to make sure the rest of the field knows what to do.
This also falls under execution. Communication is what gets the players the information they need for the current play. Execution happens when players practice how they play on game day. And if a player doesn’t understand an assignment, a coach or team leader must help them adjust and learn. The team is only as strong as its weakest link.
Next man up
The Giants have a lot of players who are injured, and many of them are impact players on their side of the ball. The NFL doesn’t care if there are injuries, neither do owners and neither do fans. Everyone expects a win regardless of who is on the field, so if the Giants are missing key players this week, it’s next man up. Everyone should know the play calls, everyone should know what is expected of them and everyone should know that the game rests on their shoulders.
Injuries make winning more difficult, but not impossible. And, who knows, maybe someone will surprise us on Sunday and be the missing piece the Giants have been looking for. Injuries are not an excuse. Next man up.
