The Giants open their 2019 season on Sunday after they ended the 2018 season with a loss to Dallas at the Meadowlands. That time frame hasn’t precluded the Giants from being both confident and hopeful they can pick up where they left off offensively.
The Giants lost the season finale, 36-35, ending the season 5-11 and a 4-4 record the second half of the season. Big Blue averaged 27.4 points a game, despite getting shut out against the Tennessee.
The Giants started 1-7 through the first eight games while only averaging under 20 points per game. In a new season, the team hopes for different results.
One of the main changes has been the stability of the offensive line. The move to bring in Kevin Zeitler from Cleveland during the off season has been a large help to help solidify what has been the troubled part of the team for the last five years.
Management felt that as long as Eli Manning had the time to throw the ball, he had plenty of game left to offer the franchise. Even with the drafting of Duke prospect Daniel Jones.
Giants owner John Mara has stated to the press hoping that Eli Manning can prove the doubters wrong. ” I hope Eli has a great year and Daniel never sees the field. That would be an ideal world. You’d like to see that. Again, at the end of the day, it’s going to be a decision by the head coach as to when or if Daniel ends up playing this year. “
“I am, because I’m excited to see a continuation of what was the back half of last season,”Pat Shurmur said. “I’m excited to see that.”
The wide receiving crew will be short Golden Tate, who is serving a four game suspension but will have Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, and Russell Shepard ready to go.
Shepard who was slowed with an injured thumb during training camp, sat out all four preseason games but assured everyone he is ready to go and loves the crew they have this season. ” I have guys that I can go to. We’ve got a lot of guys in the room who can make plays, so that makes you a little bit more comfortable, but I’m ready for the opportunity. I’m ready to help the team out. ”
TE Evan Engram hopes that he can step up and be a major contributor to the offense this season, but by doing so he needs to stay on the field. ” I want to play 16 games. That’s kind of my mindset coming into this year. There’s definitely a responsibility off the field I have to take to make that happen. Obviously, you have injuries that you can’t control, and stuff happens on the football field, but there’s also things you can control to keep your body in proper shape, and stay healthy and stuff like that. That’s kind of my motto this year, 16 games, and I know what it takes to do that, and it’s going to be up to me to get that done. “
With the loss of Odell Beckham JR, Shepard need Engram to step p but still stay within himself. ” I just need Evan to be Evan. If you look at the back five games that he played last season, he played lights out, and that’s what he’s going to bring to the table. He’s a matchup nightmare, and I’ve said that since day one since I’ve seen him. The man looks like a wide receiver, he runs like a wide receiver, with a tight end’s body. Like I said, he’s a matchup nightmare, so just go out and be himself. ”
The Giants open up in Dallas at 4:35 est time today on Fox!!
Follow Randy Zellea on Twitter during the game @randybsp
