A GIANT Return To Relevancy

How Coach of the Year Brian Daboll led the New York Football Giants to the playoffs after a decade and has them set up for success in the years to come.

Thursday, February 23rd

Source: Google Images

Call it the year the New York Giants finally returned for what we all hope is a sustained resurgence. Following a decade of futility, the Giants have finally re-entered the conversation of a top half of the league team. This comes despite many of the experts predicting the Giants to finish dead last in their division with a maximum projection of 4-5 wins. Led by first year head coach and Coach of the Year Award winner Brian Daboll, the G-Men posted a fantastic season going 9-7-1. Furthermore, the sixth seeded Giants defeated the Minnesota Vikings on the road in Minneapolis in the Wild Card Round in the playoffs, before ultimately succumbing to the eventual NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles in the Divisional Round.

*Giants season by season results from 2012-2022.

Season Record Winning Percentage Playoffs?

​2012	9-7	.563	Missed
2013	7-9	.438	Missed
2014	6-10	.375	Missed
2015	6-10	.375	Missed
2016	11-5	.688	L, Wild Card (@GB)
2017	3-13	.188	Missed
2018	5-11	.313	Missed
2019	4-12	.250	Missed
2020	6-10	.375	Missed
2021	4-13	.235	Missed
2022	9-7-1	.529	L, Divisional (@PHI)

As a Giants fan, it had been seemingly forever since the Giants had won any big games. While I remember Super Bowl XLVI in which the Giants took down Tom Brady and the Patriots for the second time as a huge underdog, I was only 11 at that time. 11 years later, at age 22, the Giants finally won a playoff game again. Over the past few years, us Giants fans had grown all too accustomed to the Giants succumbing in big moments and frankly in general. Besides the team they share Metlife Stadium with in the New York Jets, the Giants were arguably the worst team in the league the past ten years. Coaching experiments that failed included Ben McAdoo, Pat Shurmur, and Joe Judge. Enter Brian Daboll. Since the minute he took over this season, the vibe and energy around Big Blue totally changed. While the roster looked suspect on paper on both sides of the ball entering the year, McAdoo and the Giants coaching staff were able to get the most out of a Giants team that definitely lived up to their potential.

*Statistics from ESPN

From a player personnel standpoint, the Giants entered (and still face) a situation with arguably their top two offensive players trying to figure out what to do with them in Quarterback Daniel Jones and Running Back Saquon Barkley. Heading into next season, it feels essential that both players are franchise tagged and/or resigned. Jones and Barkley stepped up in big moments, with Jones showing his mettle and proving his worth in that road playoff win over the Vikings. Besides that game, other key wins that the Giants had included at home against the Ravens, the London, England game against the Packers, and road wins over the Titans and Jaguars.

*Statistics from ESPN

Looking ahead, the Giants figure to be in very good hands as an organization. Change from General Manager Dave Gettleman was essential, as well as the coaching changes that the Giants have gone through the past few years. It is nice to finally have stability as a Giants fan, and one can realistically hope that the team is able to build off this very successful year in the years to come. In the NFL, it is vital to have a solid quarterback and in “Danny Dimes” the Giants quarterback answer seems to have been positively delivered following his fourth season in the league. The Duke product will look to build off of his best career year. There is a lot to be excited about as a Giant fan going forward, and it truly is a breath of fresh air.