New York Giants Over/Under Wins Odds 2021: Big over play here

With a over/under number set at seven - our Zach Rainey thinks that number is really rather conservative...

It’s safe to say that last season, the NFC East became a joke once Dak Prescott got hurt and was forced to miss the rest of the season.

They New York Giants became the same once Saquon Barkley was injured and to miss the rest of the season.

However, I think the Giants are one of the NFL’s biggest sleepers this season. This will be Daniel Jones’ third season and it’s getting to be make-or-break time for him. To be fair, he’s been without some of his best weapons.

The Giants feel they’ve fixed that problem by adding a legitimate No. 1 receiver to the roster in the form of Kenny Golladay in free agency. Before that, Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard were looked at as some of the team’s best receivers. I know people will say he had Golden Tate, but I thought Tate was washed up. He thrived after the catch, but that electricity never came in New York.

They weren’t done there though, as they went ahead and selected wide receiver Kadarius Toney in the first round while also signing John Ross.

Because of his below-average weapons and lack of a consistent running game, Jones wound up finishing second on the team in rushing behind Wayne Gallman. Gallman is a respectable backup, but let me read you some of the names that the Giants had get carries: Dion Lewis, Devonta Freeman, and Alfred Morris.

With a healthy Barkley, that will keep opposing defenses honest and not just drop back to defend the pass every single time. I’ll also expect more heavy packages or more sets featuring tight ends, as the team signed veteran Kyle Rudolph. Engram will still be the clear-cut starter, but having Rudolph around the red zone will hopefully make Jones’ life a little easier.

I also like what New York has in the front seven. Danny Shelton is a run stopper at nose tackle and beside guys like Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams, could turn into one of the league’s best run defenses.

I have my reserves about Reggie Ragland, but if you’re looking for athletic upside for the LILB position, he’s not a bad choice for the price. Blake Martinez is still a tackling machine, as he finished tied for seventh in the NFL last season with 86 solo tackles.

Jabrill Peppers and Logan Ryan occupying the safety spots with newly-signed Adoree’ Jackson at corner will prove interesting and could provide upside at the position.

While I was a little confused with the pick of Toney, I loved their pick of Azeez Ojulari out of Georgia. He was one of my favorite prospects in the entire draft last season and shouldn’t have a problem getting onto the field for the Giants this season.

As I mentioned above, it’s getting to be make-or-break time for Jones. With a healthy Barkley and the weapons they’ve put around him, if his don’t stats and overall gameplay don’t take a significant jump this season, the Giants are in trouble.

For some reason, I’m buying the Jones hype this year.

I have them winning versus Denver in the opener before falling at Washington in Week 2. I think it’ll take a little bit of time for the new players to get up to speed, and Washington’s defense punishes mistakes.

I have them winning against Atlanta before falling to New Orleans, Dallas and the Los Angeles Rams in consecutive weeks. They’ll beat the Carolina Panthers before falling at Kansas City in their first of two Monday Night Football games. They’ll rebound the next week at home with a win against Las Vegas before heading into the bye.

Their second MNF game comes after the Bye at Tampa Bay. I think the Giants give Tom Brady and Tampa Bay some fits, but Tampa pulls it out.

They hit the road for Weeks 13 and 14 with games against the Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers, respectively. I’m still not sold on Tua and will have to see him take more chances down the field and complete them before I’m going to say the Dolphins are second in the AFC East behind the Buffalo Bills. But they’ll fall to Justin Herbert and the Chargers the next week.

The NFC East tends to get tight around the end of the year, and we saw the Giants still have a chance down the stretch last season to make the playoffs.

I think they’ll beat Dallas at home in Week 15 before rattling off wins against Philly, Chicago and Washington to end the season.

That would put them at 10-8 for the season, three wins over their over/under projection of seven. Take the Giants.