Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Giants Wire
The New York Giants are a confounding team so far in 2022. A year after finishing 4-13, the team has already surpassed its 2021 win total by starting this season 5-1.
Yet they’ve managed to do that with the NFL’s 25th ranked offense and 14th ranked defense. In three of five wins this season, the Giants trailed by at least a touchdown in the fourth quarter before rallying to win.
Fortunately, Dan Benton from Giants Wire stopped by to answer a few questions and help explain the team’s unexpected success to start the 2022 season:
Question 1
Jaguars Wire: The Giants are 5-1, a pretty dominant record for a team that has never really looked dominant this year. How are they winning so often?
Giants Wire: There are quite a few factors that have gone into the Giants’ early success. First and foremost is the coaching. In all three phases of the game the Giants are prepared, know their individual roles and assignments, and are being put in the best possible positions to succeed. Brian Daboll is going to be a successful coach for a long time. There’s also the health of Saquon Barkley, the development of Andrew Thomas, the resurgence of Daniel Jones and the dominance of Dexter Lawrence. Plus, the team is just gritty. They play hard for all 60 minutes and very rarely make mistakes.
Question 2
Jaguars Wire: Jacksonville has been able to take away the run, at times. Where’s the confidence level in Daniel Jones beating the Jaguars with his arm if they load up to stop Saquon Barkley?
Giants Wire: It’s way up there. Jones is among the league leaders in on-target throws this season, he’s essentially eliminated his turnover issues and we’ve already seen him find success when Barkley is bottled up or not on the field. He’s rifling balls this season and can still very much beat opponents with his legs. Plus, Mike Kafka’s offense is very crafty and they’ll find defensive weaknesses before the game is over. In this case, I expect to see Jones and tight end Daniel Bellinger to connect early and often — and that’s with or without Saquon being bottled up.
Question 3
Jaguars Wire: What’s the most significant difference that you’ve noticed between Brian Daboll and Joe Judge?
Giants Wire: Boy, that is a loaded question if there ever was one. If I can to pin down one specific, I’d say it’s Daboll’s ability to be genuine and connect with his players on a human level. That’s an area the militaristic Judge just fell behind the field and it’s ultimately what cost him his job. We began calling him the “snake oil salesman” because once the honeymoon phase was over, it became evident he was as fake as it gets. That’s the antithesis of what you get in Dabes.
Question 4
Jaguars Wire: What are the early impressions of rookies Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal?
Giants Wire: Evan Neal had a rough start to the season but is slowly beginning to round into shape. There’s still quite a bit of development that needs to take place, but you can see his dominant flashes at times. I think last week’s game is the best example of what he’s capable of, but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done. As far as Thibodeaux, the stat sheet may not say it, but he’s impacting every play. His football IQ is off the charts and his ability to play all-around mistake-free football is a rarity for a rookie. And any questions or concerns about his work ethic have been completely eliminated. He works incredibly hard, is attentive in meetings and he’s already gained the complete respect and trust of his teammates. The sky really is the limit for that kid.
Question 5
Jaguars Wire: Who wins and what’s the score?
Giants Wire: Both the Giants and Jags have played close games this season and there’s no reason to believe that is going to change now. I think the Jaguars are much better than their 2-4 record based on what I’ve seen and with the Giants still banged up and thin at several positions, I can’t envision them running away with it. Still, I think that mistake-free football, good coaching and full 60-minute grind will pay off one more time. Giants 24, Jaguars 23.
