How New York Giants Offense, Defense Compare to Rest of NFC East
Six of the New York Giants' 16 games each season are against divisional foes from the NFC East. The twice-a-season matchups and yearly battles for playoff berths with the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins have forged rabid rivalries ripe for argument.
Comparing talent is one way to stoke the simmering flames of offseason contempt within the division. In the analysis to follow, we'll see how New York's offensive and defensive units stack up against those of the Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins, heading into the 2015 season.
The Giants are in the midst of a transition on defense, as Steve Spagnuolo takes over the coordinator job from Perry Fewell one year after Ben McAdoo supplants Kevin Gilbride as the team's offensive coordinator. They are still in the process of forging an identity on both sides of the ball, but already we can project how the units compare to those of New York's rivals.
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Last year's offensive and defensive statistics and rankings will serve as the basis of this discussion, but key departures and acquisitions will certainly be factored into the analysis.
GIANTS OFFENSE
Going into Year 2 under McAdoo's guidance, the Giants offense has the potential to be dynamic. Quarterback Eli Manning will have at least three big-time receiving targets, if Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle all stay healthy. As for the rushing attack, New York has a complementary committee of running backs in Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams and Shane Vereen.
However, the Giants offense will only go as far as the offensive line can take it in 2015. First-round rookie Ereck Flowers is likely to start at left tackle, while Justin Pugh (right tackle to left guard), Weston Richburg (left guard to center) and Geoff Schwartz (left guard/injured reserve to right guard) all get used to new roles. Free-agency acquisition Marshall Newhouse, a potential liability in the lineup, is slated to start at right tackle.
Vs. Cowboys Offense
| Rushing Yards/Game | 100.2 (23rd) | 147.1 (2nd) |
| Passing Yards/Game | 267.0 (7th) | 236.5 (16th) |
| Overall Yards/Game | 367.2 (10th) | 383.6 (7th) |
| Points/Game | 23.8 (13th) | 29.2 (5th) |
Beckham and Dallas' Dez Bryant are two players in the conversation for the NFL's best wide receiver, so the two eye-popping pass-catchers cancel each other out in this comparison. A pair of reliable, veteran quarterbacks in New York's Eli Manning and Dallas' Tony Romo do the same.
The big difference between the Giants offense and the Cowboys offense is the line. The Giants are rebuilding and reshuffling after losing left tackle Will Beatty (pec) to injury until at least midseason. Conversely, the Cowboys have an air-tight starting five, highlighted by Tyron Smith, perhaps the finest left tackle in all of football.
Edge: Cowboys
Vs. Eagles Offense
| Rushing Yards/Game | 100.2 (23rd) | 124.5 (9th) |
| Passing Yards/Game | 267.0 (7th) | 272.3 (6th) |
| Overall Yards/Game | 367.2 (10th) | 396.8 (5th) |
| Points/Game | 23.8 (13th) | 29.6 (3rd) |
The Giants and Eagles will both be powered by a three-pronged attack at running back in 2015. Jennings, Williams and Vereen will have a combined impact similar to that of Philadelphia's stable of ball-carriers—DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles. The Eagles have a little more name recognition at the position, but it's too soon to point out the better group of backs.
Eagles head coach Chip Kelly has groomed his team into the NFL's model no-huddle offense, and now he's offering former first-overall draft pick Sam Bradford a chance to resurrect his career at quarterback. McAdoo appears to be guiding the Giants in the right direction, but one season as offensive coordinator is not a big enough body of work to give his platoon an advantage over Kelly's just yet.
Edge: Eagles
Vs. Redskins Offense
| Rushing Yards/Game | 100.2 (23rd) | 105.7 (19th) |
| Passing Yards/Game | 267.0 (7th) | 252.9 (11th) |
| Overall Yards/Game | 367.2 (10th) | 358.6 (13th) |
| Points/Game | 23.8 (13th) | 18.8 (26th) |
The Redskins have offensive contributors that the Giants sorely lack. Washington's Alfred Morris, for example, is a tested bell cow at running back, and left tackle Trent Williams is a rock-solid protector on the blind side. Even though the Giants are counting on a committee of running backs and starting a raw tackle in Flowers on the left side, there's reason to believe they can overcome these disadvantages.
That's because the biggest difference between the Giants offense and the Redskins offense is at quarterback. Manning—with the aid of McAdoo's new offensive scheme and a young superstar in Beckham—has rediscovered the magic of his younger years. Washington's Robert Griffin III, on the other hand, has lost almost every ounce of his rookie electricity after weathering a benching last year.
Edge: Giants
GIANTS DEFENSE
On defense, the Giants are going back to a tried and tested formula under Steve Spagnuolo, who built strong units during his first stint with the team (2007-08). The tools are there for the Giants to recreate the dominant pass rush that delivered them to Super Bowl XLII. To make it happen, Spagnuolo must maximize the impact of defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul, Damontre Moore and third-round rookie Owa Odighizuwa, as well as linebacker Devon Kennard.
In the back end, the Giants need their starting cornerbacks, Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, to stay healthy. Otherwise, second-round rookie Landon Collins and whichever inexperienced safety starts beside him will be left to their own devices in a defensive backfield full of replacement parts. The loss of team captain Antrel Rolle in free agency is a daunting obstacle to overcome.
Vs. Cowboys Defense
| Rushing Yards/Game | 135.1 (30th) | 103.1 (8th) |
| Passing Yards/Game | 240.6 (18th) | 251.9 (26th) |
| Overall Yards/Game | 375.8 (29th) | 355.1 (19th) |
| Points/Game | 25.0 (t-22nd) | 22.0 (15th) |
Of the three other defenses in the division, Dallas' is most like New York's. The Giants and Cowboys both run a 4-3 scheme, which requires an active field general at middle linebacker to be effective. While the Giants are crossing their fingers for a healthy Jon Beason to man the position, the Cowboys have bumped oft-injured linebacker Sean Lee to the weak side and moved forward with Rolando McClain in the middle.
Dallas' defensive front lacks teeth, though. This deficiency was hidden last season by a Cowboys offense that dominated time of possession with its ground game. If the loss of running back DeMarco Murray keeps them from controlling the pace of the game in 2015, the Cowboys could be wishing for difference-makers on the D-line like New York's Pierre-Paul and Johnathan Hankins.
Edge: Giants
Vs. Eagles Defense
| Rushing Yards/Game | 135.1 (30th) | 110.7 (15th) |
| Passing Yards/Game | 240.6 (18th) | 264.9 (31st) |
| Overall Yards/Game | 375.8 (29th) | 375.6 (28th) |
| Points/Game | 25.0 (t-22nd) | 25.0 (t-22nd) |
The Eagles field a fast, attacking 3-4 defense, which mirrors the mentality of their trend-setting offense in a way. Philadelphia's front seven is far more frightening than New York's bunch, particularly at linebacker. Pro Bowler Connor Barwin was the best pass-rusher in the division with 14.5 sacks last year, and the Mychal Kendricks-Kiko Alonso tandem has the potential to be an imposing interior force.
The Giants may still hold an advantage in the secondary thanks to solid starting cornerbacks in Amukamara and Rodgers-Cromartie, plus a lot of young blood at safety. The Eagles, however, have taken steps to close the gap by signing former Seattle Seahawk Byron Maxwell and selecting second-round rookie Eric Rowe at cornerback. Philadelphia is positioning itself as the team to beat in the NFC East with its improved defense.
Edge: Eagles
Vs. Redskins Defense
| Rushing Yards/Game | 135.1 (30th) | 107.6 (12th) |
| Passing Yards/Game | 240.6 (18th) | 249.4 (24th) |
| Overall Yards/Game | 375.8 (29th) | 357.0 (20th) |
| Points/Game | 25.0 (t-22nd) | 27.4 (t-29th) |
The Redskins are counting on a trio of free-agency retreads to anchor the front of their 3-4 defense. Longtime Cowboy Jason Hatcher joined the team last year, but Terrence Knighton and Stephen Paea were not signed until this offseason. Even though the Giants are starting fresh under Spagnuolo in 2015, they still have more chemistry up front than the Redskins.
With Brian Orakpo now a Tennessee Titan, additional responsibility lies with Ryan Kerrigan to generate a pass rush for the Redskins from his outside linebacker position. Behind him, Washington is counting on a pair of former 49ers—cornerback Chris Culliver and safety Dashon Goldson—to hold the secondary together. The Redskins could use a young spark plug, like New York's Landon Collins, to create some buzz about their defense.
Edge: Giants
Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report
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