After an offseason full of change, we're going to dig into the New York Football Giants upcoming season with a game-by-game analysis.
Week 1: @ Dallas
The Giants begin their pursuit of the Vince Lombardi trophy by visiting the Cowboys at Jerry World. Tony Romo and the best offensive line in the league will be a great test of the Giants newly improved front 4. If the Giants can stuff rookie Ezekiel Elliot often and early and force Romo to hoist the ball up 40+ times with his reconstructed shoulder, I see the Giants taking care of the turnover battle as well as the game. The game will be a shootout that comes down to the final 2 minutes similar to week 1 last year, but look for the newly improved Giants defense to actually close the game out this time around and start out at 1-0.
Week 2: vs New Orleans
Traveling back to New York to host the Saints at MetLife, the Giants can assume another high scoring affair. For all this talk about Drew Brees being too old, all I will ask is who led the league in passing yards last year? Brees. Now coming into 2016 with arguably the most talented receiving corps he's ever had, I am looking at Brees to eclipse 5,000 yards yet again this season barring injury. That being said, even with the addition of James Laurinaitis, I don't see the bottom of the league defense from last year being able to slow down Eli and the high flying Giants offense. This game could easily come down to which quarterback has the ball in his hands last, so counting on the fact that Brees won't be at the comfort of playing in the Superdome, I will hand another win to Eli to put the Giants at 2-0.
Week 3: vs Washington
Sticking in New York for week 3, the Giants host the politically correct "Washington Washingtons." I have the 'skins as one of the most underrated teams of 2016 and in no way feel confident going into this game. As all NFC East games are, it will be a hard hitting, intense affair that will be the Giants first low scoring bout of the 2016 season. Sporting one of the most talented front 7's in terms of getting to the passer, I look for the 'skins to give the Giants front 5 a tough time all day. That being said, I see Spagnuolo toying with the young Kirk Cousins, and in turn, winning the turnover battle. The Giants finish the two game home stand with another win moving them to a solid 3-0 start.
Week 4: @ Minnesota
Traveling out to Minnesota to challenge the Vikings at home on Monday night will be the Giants biggest test of the season. Going against a top 5 defense in terms of points allowed, the Giants will have a tough time getting their lethal passing attack started. On top of this, I expect Adrian Peterson to further improve his Hall Of Fame resume all year which I don't see the Giants influencing. Although the Giants didn't have Odell in last year's 49-17 blowout, I don't see the Giants bridging the gap enough to come away with the W. With their first loss of the season, the Giants slip to 3-1.
Week 5: @ Green Bay
The NFC North haunts the Giants in back to back weeks as they go up against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on a short week having played the Vikings on Monday. As my personal Super Bowl favorites, the Pack set up Aaron Rodgers' for play action by getting the newly in-shape Eddie Lacy rolling downfield early. That, coupled with Rodgers' favorite target Jordy Nelson coming back, the Packers will be a little too much for the Giants, pushing them to 3-2 on the season.
Week 6: vs Baltimore
When the Ravens come to town week 6, I see the demoralized Giants and first year head coach Ben McAdoo struggling to turn it around. Flacco and his deep threats will give the Giants, who lack a true starting caliber free safety, a tough time over the top of the defense. This loss will make it 3 in a row and push the Giants back to .500.
Week 7: @ Los Angeles (London)
Traveling to London to play the newly acquired LA Rams is exactly what the Giants need to turn around their 3 game skid. Quite frankly, aside from their front 7, the Rams just aren't a great football team. They're offense will struggle, and their defense will have a tough time coping with the combo of jet lag and the Giants high flying offense. Traveling from the west coast makes the trip to London that much tougher and makes one wonder how Goodell and the NFL could label this as a "home game" for the Rams. The Giants put on a show across the pond and head into the buy week above .500 at 4-3.
Week 8: Bye Week
Week 9: vs Philadelphia
The Giants use their week 8 buy week to rest up to completely embarrass the team with fans who play as dirty as their team does. The Eagles are in for a long season as the clear worst team in the NFC East, and the Giants will make sure not to go easy on them. Bradford will be completely dominated by the pass rush that will have the off week to get some legs under them as well as take the legs out from under him. Giants confidence grows as they easily improve to 5-3.
Week 10: vs Cincinnati
The Bengals come to town for a Monday night showdown between the rolling Giants and the hard-hitting Bengals. Going up against yet another great defense will be a challenge for Eli and the rest of the offense. Particularly speaking, a matchup the Bengals will look to exploit is Atkins, Dunlap and their talented defensive line against the Giants young offensive line. That being said, I see the Giants secondary feasting on Dalton's propensity to force throws, and once again winning the turnover battle. The Giants get their third straight win and move to 6-3.
Week 11: vs Chicago
Coming off a huge win against the Bengals, the Giants will have to keep their guard up against a Bears team that is getting back to its roots. After a tough 2015 season for their defense, management made sure to address the issue by adding Danny Trevathon and Akiem Hicks to their front 7. Those additions along with their talented corners and the switch to a 3-4 scheme, should give the Bears a good boost on defense. As long as the Giants dig deep and keep the momentum rolling, they should be able to rely on Eli outdueling Cutler and lifting them to 7-3 going into Cleveland week 12.
Week 12: @ Cleveland
The Giants love to find ways to make things hard on themselves but this Browns team is just too dysfunctional to beat such a loaded New York Football Giants team. Giants win. 8-3.
Week 13: @ Pittsburgh
You know how I said the Giants love to make things hard on themselves? Well, that propensity makes it hard to be too high and mighty on an 8-3 start (think 2012 when a 6-2 start ended with a 9-7 season and a missed playoffs). Coincidentally, the Giants 6-2 start in 2012 was derailed by Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers. Big Ben and Antonio Brown vs Eli and Odell: What a shootout we are in store for. Two multi-Super Bowl winning quarterbacks paired with their top 3 NFL wide receivers. Unfortunately, I see Tomlin getting the best of McAdoo and the Steelers doing their best to once again derail the Giants season. 8-4.
Week 14: vs Dallas
Romo and Dez head up to New York playing to ruin the Giants season, if not revive their own. This is a chippy, penalty filled game that features the type of coverage Odell received against Josh Norman and the Panthers in 2015. Odell once again lets his head get in the way of victory, but this time he finally learns a lesson from it. Giants lose. 8-5
Week 15: vs Detroit
This will be the head scratcher where Giants fans around the world put their head in their hands and wonder if it's happening again. And by "it," I mean the collapse that keeps them out of the playoffs. The Giants will lose a shootout to Matthew Stafford and the Megatron-less Detroit Lions. They will fall to 8-6 and the NFC East will once again come down to the final two weeks of the season.
Week 16: @ Philadelphia
Although the Eagles will be long gone from the playoff hunt at this point, you can count on them to make a cold night in Philly even colder. It will be a physical, emotional game that has a playoff atmosphere. The Giants put an end to their 3 game skid and take the season series 2-0 in front of the Philly faithful. The Giants improve to 9-6.
Week 17: @ Washington
The playoffs essentially begin here for both teams. Winner will be crowned the champion of the NFC East, Odell vs Norman, a cold, dark night in the nation's capital. The only thing separating the two teams will be Eli's experience coupled with Odell keeping his head and getting the best of Norman. Giants win. YOU LIKE THAT, KIRK? 10-6.