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New York Giants
Last Season: 6-10
Third place, NFC East
Preseason power ranking: 17
Quarterback Eli Manning, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and an improved defense that won’t be great but should be greatly improved from last year’s 32nd-ranked unit. The offense, as long as Manning and Beckham are on the field, will be productive. The Giants were eighth in total offense last year despite a shaky offensive line, unproductive running game and few dangerous weapons outside of Beckham. Their offense will be more explosive this season with Beckham, rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard, maybe something from veteran Victor Cruz and tight end Will Tye in his second year. Offense will carry the Giants to the playoffs, especially when the improved defense gets to opposing quarterbacks and finishes in the middle of the pack.
The defense and offensive line still aren’t good enough. The defense is still without a full-time middle linebacker or difference-making three-down linebacker. It’s a problem. And while Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, Johnathan Hankins and Jason Pierre-Paul make for a dominant defensive line, the Giants don’t have much behind them. It’s impossible to make it through an NFL season without injuries, and the offensive and defensive lines are two areas where the Giants lack depth. They didn’t do anything to upgrade the right side of the line and plan to start Marshall Newhouse at tackle and John Jerry at guard. Their contingency plan is the unproven Bobby Hart, a seventh-round pick who has experienced an uneven summer. The lack of depth and offseason upgrades will come back to haunt them.
Giants’ percentage chance to win each game
Sept. 11 @ Dallas: 47.2
Sept. 18 vs. New Orleans: 61.5
Sept. 25 vs. Washington: 60.3
Oct. 3 @ Minnesota: 37.4
Oct. 9 @ Green Bay: 22.9
Oct. 16 vs. Baltimore: 46.7
Oct. 23 @ Los Angeles: 53.6
Nov. 6 vs. Philadelphia: 73.5
Nov. 14 vs. Cincinnati: 44.4
Nov. 20 vs. Chicago: 62.8
Nov. 27 @ Cleveland: 57.9
Dec. 4 @ Pittsburgh: 26.4
Dec. 11 vs. Dallas: 58.1
Dec. 18 vs. Detroit: 64.8
Dec. 22 @ Philadelphia: 46.5
Jan. 1 @ Washington: 43.7
Jordan Raanan’s game-by-game predictions
Manning hasn’t missed a game since taking over for Kurt Warner as the Giants’ starter in 2004. The past two seasons have been two of his best statistically. Plenty of questions surround the group around him, but the Giants know exactly what they have in Manning. -- Dan Graziano
Olivier Vernon. He only has one double-digit sack season, but appears primed for a breakout year. Vernon’s pressure and hits numbers last season say it can easily happen. He was third in quarterbacks hits behind only J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald. Vernon is on the verge of becoming a difference-making player. The Giants need that. They don’t currently have one on the defensive side of their roster.
Wide receiver Sterling Shepard. Sure he’s just a rookie, but he hasn’t looked like one in the spring and summer. Shepard immediately caught the eye of Manning and earned his trust. As the No. 2 option behind Beckham, there should be opportunities to thrive. He’ll start and receive plenty of work. There are 90 targets available after the Giants allowed Rueben Randle to walk uncontested this offseason.
This should be a better, improved Giants team. They can’t possibly get worse defensively, and after spending $200-plus million this offseason on reinforcements, they have some reliable talent on that side of the ball. With the NFC East lacking a dominant, well-rounded team, the Giants should be able to compete for the division, especially if they can stay relatively healthy and new coach Ben McAdoo keeps their respect.