Big Blue View
New York Giants headlines for Saturday
Good morning, New York Giants fans!
Russell Wilson might not be the quarterback he once was, but there were signs in Pittsburgh that he can still shine as an NFL starter. That alone beats the heck out of what the Giants got out of their QBs while ranking in the bottom three in terms of team passer rating and yards-per-attempt average in 2024.
This all bodes well for Malik Nabers, who is still just 21 years old and managed to catch 109 passes for more than 1,200 yards in a seven-touchdown rookie season. What’s scary is how productive he was despite showing plenty of room to grow and despite lacking support both at quarterback and in the receiving corps. Add Wilson and a full offseason of refinement, and there’s a good chance Nabers joins the All-Pro picture in 2025.
The Giants’ 2025 opponents went 166-123 in 2024, good for a .574 winning percentage, the highest in the NFL. Looking at their NFC East foes, the Eagles have the fourth-toughest schedule in terms of winning percentage (.561); the Cowboys are tied for fifth (.557); and the Commanders are eighth (.550). The San Francisco 49ers, meanwhile, have the “easiest” road in the NFL at .415.
According to NFL Research, four of the past five teams with the “easiest” strength of schedule missed the postseason (2024 Saints and Falcons were tied, 2023 Falcons, 2022 Commanders). Conversely, two of the past four teams with the “hardest” schedule made the postseason (2023 Eagles, 2021 Steelers).
The Giants have vastly improved their roster’s biggest areas of weaknesses, specifically the pass rush, which while not horrible last year, was also not necessarily one that was feared; the defensive line, which struggled to stop the run, the offensive line depth (in case of injury), the quarterback room, and the defensive secondary.
While it’s understandable that there is some skepticism that this was all done on paper and that we won’t know just how much the Giants have improved until they take the field, it’s hard right now not to feel optimistic about the potential of this roster.
New York Giants: DT Darius Alexander. While all eyes will be on quarterback Jaxson Dart and edge rusher Abdul Carter, the biggest rookie surprise may come from third-round defensive tackle Darius Alexander. Assuming he returns to full health, Alexander will likely play a significant role for...
