Giants: Who To Watch For In Week 2

Olivier Vernon

Vernon may not have picked up any sacks against the Cowboys, but he certainly showed how disruptive he can be off the edge especially against the run. The Saints offensive line is not quite as talented as the one in Dallas so look for Vernon to try and strike big on passing downs. 

Odell Beckham Jr

Last season Beckham had 3 TD's against in his hometown and would surely love nothing more than to repeat that performance. Though the Saints comers will probably pay much closer attention him in this game, the addition of a healthy Victor Cruz and into the mix could open things up for number 13. 

Rashad Jennings

In a turn of recent history, the Giants running game had a pretty substantial showing in week 1. Jennings was able to take advantage of open holes up the middle and gain big when the team needed it most. For this to be a sign that the ground game is poised to make a comeback, Jennings will need to continue running the ball with reverence against New Orleans.

Eli Apple

This is going to be the first big test for the rookie as he goes up against an elite quarterback in Drew Brees. The Saints offense loves to take its fair share of shots down the field, so Apple will need to be prepared to get targeted quite a few times. Though this is only his second game, many will be looking to see how the first around pick holds up.

Victor Cruz

It was a wonderful sight to see Cruz back on the field last Sunday, a moment that was two years in the making. His movements were crisp and decisive, proving to even the most skeptical fan that he's healthy and ready to go. His presence in the offense gives a big boost for Manning as he can now spread the ball around instead of focusing his efforts on one target. With that said, expect Cruz to see more action on the field in his first home game since returning.

This Season Is An Important One For Victor Cruz

Brad Penner USA Today Sports

October 12 2014, That is the last time Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz stepped on the field as a competitive football player. It seems like a lifetime has gone by since that fateful evening in Philadelphia, but he we stand on the precipice of his long awaited return. A lot has happened since then including the rise of Phenom wide out Odell Beckham Jr, the changing of the guard at head coach, and a new offensive system is in place. How this affects Cruz in the long run is yet to be seen, but there is both optimism and skepticism as to the potential end result.

Missing so much time could have a profound effect on Cruz's effectiveness on the field. That's not to say that he'd be completely ineffective because he's worked tirelessly to get back into playing form. However, one will have to be realistic as to how much we should expect to get out of him. The Giants were wise to provide extra help on offense by drafting WR Sterling Shepard to make up for any losses they could suffer if things don’t go as planned with Eli's former number one target. That being said, Cruz should probably expect that his touches will be far more limited this season as younger talent has stepped in. Thankfully, he doesn’t appear to have the same ego problems that plague most top receivers in the NFL and is willing to share (and even give away) the spotlight and allow them to shine or continue to shine (in the case of Beckham). That will play an enormous role in the comradery of the receiving core that will welcome Cruz’s leadership into the picture.

With so much on the line this season, the expectations for Victor Cruz are going to be pretty high. Whether or not he can meet them will be completely up what he accomplishes in between the lines. One things for certain, all of Giants nation will be watching with bated breath for the return of one of its favorite football sons.

2016 Giants Player Expectations

High Expectations:

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Odell Beckham Jr.

Amassing 2,755 yards and 25 touchdowns in his first two seasons, Beckham has much to live up to in 2016. If he wants to earn the honor of most elite receivers in the league it will be imperative for him to set the bar even higher even if it may seem impossible to do so.

Photo: William Periman/ NJ Advance Media

Rashad Jennings

Jennings ended 2015 on a high note by coming on strong late in the season, giving him more than enough leverage to secure the most touches this year. As long as he can outperform his competition and gain big on the ground in games, there is no doubt that will be the case. Otherwise, there might be a quick hook in favor of another back on the depth chart

Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images

Olivier Vernon

After spending big to lure him to New York, there is much excitement around what Vernon could add to the fleeting pass rush of the Giants. He'll have to earn every dime of that $85 Million contract as all eyes will be set squarely upon him each and every game.

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Janoris Jenkins

With the chance to place the secondary amongst the top units in the NFL, Jenkins will need to prove his worth by helping shut down some of the best receivers the Giants opponents will have to offer. After the team suffered one of their worst defensive seasons in their history, there is little chance he will get a pass for mediocre performances.

Low Expectations:

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Larry Donnell

Donnell has had several flashes of greatness in his short career, but his propensity for injury has hurt any opportunity he's had to fully reach that level. It's likely that he will get another chance as a starter, but with new faces behind him which includes two talented rookies (Jerell Adams and Ryan Malleck) another injury plagued season could ultimately be his undoing.

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Andre Williams

It's been an underwhelming start to the career of Williams as he's averaged just 3.2 yards per carry in two seasons. Unfortunately for the third year pro, there are now more than enough running backs on the roster to compensate for any shortcomings he may have. Perhaps the Giants could find a better way to utilize his freakish build (fullback comes to mind), but for now we can only hope that he surprises everyone and exceeds even his own expectations in 2016.

Photo: Amanda Marzullo NJ Advance Media

Bobby Hart

To be fair, Hart has gotten a bit of a bad rap since no one really knows who he is or how he plays. That being said, there is much he could gain from going under the radar, but he'll have to earn it every step of the way. If he can play his way into the starting lineup, it would be the considered the first major triumph on his football resume, the rest is up in the air.

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Victor Cruz

If he's as at 100 percent there's a great chance he'll produce at a high level for the offense. However, he has spent the better part of two seasons sidelined with knee and calf injuries which could prove problematic if he's isn't careful from here on out. Now that Beckham has become the new star receiver, Cruz must settle into a secondary (or perhaps tertiary) role which actually could do wonders for his overall game. The time out of the spotlight has damaged his larger than life superstardom he built over three seasons, but it might just be the formula that gets back into the swing of things. Most fans don't expect him to burst back onto the scene if at all so should that happen this year the Giants will all the better for it.

No Expectations:

Photo: Gary Hershorn Reuters

Keenan Robinson

While there is a high upside to Robinson given his rather impressive 109 tackle 2014 season. The only issue is that his body hasn't been able to stay fit enough to be a consistent presence on the field. Seeing that the Giants have had their issues with injured linebackers in the past (Jon Beason, Devon Kennard, J.T. Thomas) there isn't much to hope for from Robinson. How things go will be entirely dependent on whether or not he continues this unfortunate trend.

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Bobby Rainey

Rainey does have a lot of skill that could prove extremely effective if used correctly. Nonetheless, the chances he sees time at running back are is a bit slimmer than one may think. Unless the situation becomes dire (which could happen given the Giants recent track record) don't expect to see Rainey taking many snaps from the backfield (at least as a runner) outside of the preseason.

Photo:Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire

Jason Pierre-Paul

There's a lot that can be said about Pierre-Paul's 2015. From the tumultuous situation involving his hand and fireworks, to his mid-season return to action there was no shortage of storylines that escaped the two-time pro bowl defensive end. Now that his hand is repaired and a new glove has been made to help him tackle, what can we expect out of him this season? No doubt the organization has left it up to chance. The talent is still there; all anyone can do right is hope for the best.

New York Giants: Analyzing the first six weeks

After six weeks the Giants have been pretty fair, but there is still a lot of work to do
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It's been a season of ups and downs so far as the Giants find themselves in the middle of what is shaping up to be a tightly contested division. Despite their troubles, the team has managed a 3-3 record keeping hope that one good stretch could make all the difference. With 11 games left to play, there is still a lot of room for improvement and a good chance to make headway in the NFC East

Pros

The offense has looked much better than last season, averaging 392 yards per game. Though it has had its moments of tribulation, the outlook for the year seems pretty good. Once Victor Cruz is healthy and ready to go, there is no doubt the dynamic of the offense will shift dramatically in the team favor.

Eli Manning has been under a lot of scrutiny over  the course of his career because of his propensity for turnovers. His 11 touchdowns and 4 interceptions through six weeks suggests he has gotten those problems under control (though he still has his moments). In fact, his 66% completion percentage and 94 passer rating has him on pace to put up the most efficient numbers of his career. Hopefully Eli can continue to show this growth as the season continues because as he does, so will the Giants.

Outside of the last two games the Giants run defense has held its own holding opponents to 93.5 yds per game (6th best in the NFL). After two years of watching opponents run up and down the heart of the line, this was an area of focus that has paid some dividends.

Cons

The Giants have just eight team sacks this season, placing them near the bottom of the league in a category they once dominated. The defensive line has failed to get any pressure on the quarterback, leaving the  rest of the defense vulnerable. Unless something drastic happens, this will continue to be the achilles heel that keeps hurting them.

Compounding matters, the Giants are the defense in the league against the pass, yielding nearly 300 yards per game (3rd worst). Despite forcing 11 turnovers, it doesn't appear the team has been able to generate a deterrent for opposing quarterbacks.

In what seems to be a recurring theme, injuries have hampered the teams ability to find any type of consistency. Too many key layers have gone down each week, forcing the team to scramble and find replacements. Is it the Giants just getting flat out unlucky? or should the strength and conditioning staff be held responsible? Nevertheless, football has and always will be a violent and physical game, so injuries are bound to occur, but if you're a Giants fan this has to be getting at bit monotonous.