Can the New York Giants Offense Help End a 3-Year Playoff Drought?

The New York Giants offense has the potential to be the best in the NFL this season. But will it be good enough to help end a three-year playoff drought?

Attempting to definitively answer such a question before a single snap has been taken this season would be foolish. However, a thorough examination of the context surrounding this proposition gives us an understanding of whether Giants fans should be expecting a trip to the playoffs or if this notion is merely a pipe dream.

We begin our assay with the latest player to grace the cover of Madden: Odell Beckham Jr.

After not playing in the preseason and being out for the first four games of the regular season, rookie Beckham turned heads, amassing 12 touchdowns to tie for the fourth most in the NFL, per ESPN.com. He also made the catch of the year:

What's even more impressive is that the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year was playing with not one but two tears in his hamstring, per CBS New York.

Beckham isn't the only receiver the Giants are hoping makes a full recovery: Victor Cruz continues to rehab a torn patellar tendon, which cut his season short after playing in just six games.

According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, the former second-team All-Pro recently provided an encouraging update on where he is at in his recovery process when he attended the United Way of New York City 22nd annual Gridiron Gala:

"

Today we ran some routes and stuff like that, some intermediate stuff, some cutting, planting left and right and it felt good.

I think the more I run routes, the more I continue to do it, the more confidence I build in my knee. I'm just excited to continue that and it feels very, very good right now.

"

If Cruz is healthy and producing at the level we've grown accustomed to, the G-Men will have one of the game's best slot receivers and an elite outside threat, a combination that is sure to cause nightmares for opposing defenses.

Rob Carr/Getty Images

As if that wasn't enough, New York added a new dynamic to its offense by signing pass-catching running back Shane Vereen. The former New England Patriot played a key role in Super Bowl XLIX, finishing the game with 11 catches for 64 yards and helping his former franchise hoist its fourth Lombardi Trophy, per NFL.com.

Now, he will catch swing passes and wheel routes from Eli Manning. His presence alone will make life easier for Cruz, tight end Larry Donnell and new stablemate Rashad Jennings.

Meanwhile, an improved offensive line, which now features first-round pick Ereck Flowers, will not only help New York's passing game but also will help elevate a rushing attack that ranked 30th in yards per attempt last season, per ESPN.com.

Alex Goodlett/Getty Images

However, the Giants defense may force their offense to win a lot of shootouts.

New York yielded an average of 375.8 yards per game last season, which ranked 29th in the NFL, per ESPN.com. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, Big Blue surrendered 6.0 yards per play, which tied for the second in the league. Scroll down to scoring defense and you will see their ineptitude on this side of the ball resulted in allowing opponents to score an average of 25 points per game.

If you continue perusing Pro-Football-Reference.com's statistical database, you will see the root of the Giants' problem is their run defense. They ranked dead last in rushing yards per attempt, giving up nearly five yards a carry.

Hopefully, second-round draft pick Landon Collins, an in-the-box safety from the Alabama Crimson Tide, will help improve a run defense that must contend with DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, Alfred Morris and the elite offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys, which figures to help the talented but oft-injured Darren McFadden.

Of course, when considering New York's playoff prospects, you also must look externally and examine the state of the NFC East, a division in flux.

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

Despite the Washington Redskins picking up the fifth-year option on Robert Griffin III's contract, injuries and inconsistent play may still mean he's down to his last strike. The Philadelphia Eagles also face uncertainty at the game's most important position, relying on Sam Bradford to stay healthy after tearing his ACL twice in two years.

Meanwhile, Murray's departure from Dallas may put too much pressure on an aging Tony Romo as well as the team's defense. Murray helped the Cowboys control the clock and extend possessions, as evidenced by their average drive time of 2:56, which ranked third in the NFL, per Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Now, the Dallas offensive line will attempt to prop up McFadden in an effort to balance out an offense that figures to heavily rely on its aerial attack. How well the Cowboys can control the clock without Murray will determine how many cracks opponents are getting at a run defense that ranked in the bottom 10 last season, per ESPN.com. This is critical toward the team's ability to win games and defend its division crown.

Lastly, in determining the Giants' playoff potential, it is important to consider their schedule. According to Jason B. Hirschhorn of SB Nation, Big Blue has the 20th toughest schedule this season, tying their NFC East nemesis, Washington.

1	Pittsburgh Steelers	147-107-2	0.579
2	Cincinnati Bengals	144-112	0.563
3	San Francisco 49ers	143-112-1	0.561
4	Seattle Seahawks	142-112-2	0.559
5	Arizona Cardinals	142-113-1	0.557
6	St. Louis Rams	141-114-1	0.553
7 (tie)	Oakland Raiders	139-116-1	0.545
7 (tie)	Kansas City Chiefs	139-116-1	0.545
9	Cleveland Browns	138-116-2	0.543
10	Denver Broncos	138-117-1	0.541
11	Baltimore Ravens	137-117-2	0.539
12	Minnesota Vikings	138-118	0.539
13	Chicago Bears	136-120	0.531
14	Green Bay Packers	135-120-1	0.529
15	Detroit Lions	135-121	0.527
16	San Diego Chargers	132-123-1	0.518
17	Miami Dolphins	126-130	0.492
18	New York Jets	125-131	0.488
19	Buffalo Bills	124-131-1	0.486
20 (tie)	Washington	122-133-1	0.478
20 (tie)	New York Giants	122-133-1	0.478

As evidenced by this ranking, the Giants' schedule isn't overly difficult. Their greatest challenge has more to do with circumstance than opponent.

After a Sunday night showdown with the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 11, New York must fly back across the country for a divisional matchup the next week on Monday Night Football against the Eagles. They then host the Cowboys (another NFC East rival) before back-to-back road games against the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Finally, the team heads home to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots on Nov. 15.

Still, if the Giants take care of business against their division and manage to go at least .500 on the road, they should be able to put an end to their three-year playoff drought. If their offense is good enough to propel them into the postseason, the question becomes whether their defense can help capture the franchise's third Lombardi Trophy in nine years.