It is the dawn of a new era for New York Giants football. After years of poor coaching hires and underwhelming play, the Giants hope the hiring of John Harbaugh will change things. This offseason, there has been a lot of hype that Harbaugh is changing the culture in East Rutherford and that the Giants will return to competitive football.
The time has finally come for Harbaugh and the team to prove everyone right. This wasn’t just talk, and things are truly changing. Their Week 1 opponent will be a good test as the Dallas Cowboys come to MetLife Stadium. Here is what to watch for.
How Jaxson Dart Does in This New Offense
One of the biggest reasons there is so much optimism around the Giants this season is second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. The former first-round pick is coming off a strong rookie season, passing for 2,272 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 14 games. He also rushed for 487 yards and nine touchdowns. While concerns lingered about his aggressive play style, he showed flashes of being a franchise quarterback. His dual-threat ability allows the Giants to be much more creative on offense.
However, this year is a big test for Dart. While he played well last year, Daboll tailored the offense to fit his strengths. It was a simplified offense similar to the one he ran at Ole Miss. But with Matt Nagy calling plays, Dart will run a more complex pro offense. If Dart wants to prove he is a franchise quarterback, he needs to play well in this new system. He needs to prove his play last year was the result of his skills, not just play calling catered to him.
Can the Giants Corners Stump the Cowboys
If the Giants want to win this game, they’ll need to stop the Cowboys’ passing attack. Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens are one of the best one-two punches a team can have at receiver. They helped the Cowboys average the second-most passing yards per game last season. The secondary will definitely have its work cut out for it. A unit that had a lot of work done to it this offseason. The front office invested a lot of money and draft picks this offseason to try to improve a group that was average at best.
It appears Deonte Banks and Greg Newsome II will be the ones to guard these two. Both of them are coming off great training camps and force Paulson Adebo down the depth chart. While they looked good in camp, there is no guarantee that it will translate to the regular season. If these two can show the improvement is real and keep Pickens and/or Lamb from going off, it will be a great sign for the Giants. With the secondary being such a question mark, a strong performance will give the team more confidence.
Who Will Be the Giants’ Third Passing Target
While the Giants will run a run-first offense, their passing game shouldn’t be overlooked. With Malik Nabers returning from the ACL injury and the addition of Isaish Likely this offseason, Dart will have plenty of weapons to throw to. These two should rack up a ton of catches and receiving yards. However, the question is: who will Dart look to if these guys are covered? Right now, Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, and Odell Beckham Jr. all have a shot at this role. But none of them have separated themselves yet.
Out of the three, the player who should take that role is Fields. He will most likely be the other starting outside receiver next to Nabers. He is also the type of receiver the Giants have lacked for years. He is 6′ 4″ and plays very physically, and he is very athletic for his build. He is the type of receiver who will win 50/50 battles and create separation from his defender. This type of receiver is every young quarterback’s best friend. It will not be long until Fields is a main contributor to the passing attack.
