It’s been a tough decade for the New York Giants, who are third all-time in wins. They’ve cycled through general managers and head coaches with uncharacteristic frequency and the results speak for themselves.
But the arrival of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll have bred optimism. Many anticipate the Giants finally take a step forward in 2022 and at the very least, show competency.
Even Vegas sportsbooks expect better things for Big Blue. Most have given them an over/under of 7.5 wins, which would be the team’s most since 2016 and the second-most since 2013.
But not everyone is a believer. Nate Davis of USA TODAY (subscriber only) not only predicts another losing season for the Giants, but he believes it will be on par with the previous five seasons. And in the process, Davis also believes the Giants could fall behind the New York Jets.
New York Giants (5-12): They’ve won 22 games since 2017, tied with the crosstown Jets for the league’s fewest over that stretch, and probably have even more concerns heading into this season. If first-year coach Brian Daboll can’t unlock the talents of QB Daniel Jones, who’s now in a walk year after his fifth-year option was declined, good bet the G-Men fall behind their Gotham rivals.
Can we say Debbie Downer?
It’s fair to be skeptical of the Giants given their recent history, but we aren’t quite sure how Davis concluded that the team has even more concerns heading into 2022. It’s actually quite the opposite — they finally have a specific direction while their roster has been cleaned up.
There are areas of obvious concern left over from the previous regime and the unfortunate salary cap situation, but many others have been shored up. So long as the Giants can stay health — a point of emphasis for Schoen — they’ll do better than five wins.
