Giants Season Recap

By Jeff Knapp

After a hopeful 2023 season, the NY Giants 2023 season is finally over after a lackluster 6-11 record. Coach Daboll has a lot of work ahead of him going into the 2024 season, which includes the sixth pick in the draft and two second-round picks, followed by a third-rounder. How will they use that draft capital?

The two most significant issues they will face until free agency and draft day will be the future of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Will Jones get cut or take a pay reduction, and will Barkley sign a multi-season contract with the team?

Like anything, there are good and bad for each team during each season, and since the bad heavily outweighs the good, let’s take a brief moment to look at the good from the 2023 season.

NY went TommyCutlets crazy for about a month when he came in after both Jones and Taylor went down with injuries and led the Giants to three straight wins over the Commanders, Patriots, and Packers but was benched for Tyrod Taylor against the Eagles in week 16.

Saquon Barkley had a good season for a horrible offensive line by rushing for 962 yards, 6 TDs, and an additional 280 receiving yards for 4 TDs. 

Although Giants Veteran Darius Slayton led the team in receiving yards and TDs, second-year receiver Wan’Dale Robinson showed us he’s back from last year’s rookie injury and led the team in receptions. 

Although his stats don’t jump off the page, there is a lot of promise for the rookie out of Tennessee, Jalin Hyatt, who showed off his speed and quickness and had his best game of the season against the Patriots with five receptions for 109 yards. 

Over on Defense, the Giants hit the jackpot by signing LB Bobby Okereke, who had a monster season for the G-Men. He racked up 149 total tackles, 92 solo, 2.5 sacks and two ints.

Safety Xavier McKinney showed us why he needs to stay long-term by being one of the best defensive players on the Giants when he’s on the field. This year, he had 116 tackles, 78 solo, three ints, and 11 passes defended.

Speaking of the backfield, rookie corner Deonte Banks showed us why he deserved to be taken with our 1st round pick. He ended the season with 64 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended.

Now that we have the pleasant moments out of the way, let’s talk about what didn’t go right for the Giants and at times; I feel like Coach Wally Riggendorf in Necessary Roughness during his “pep talk speech” Most sports movie fans know what I’m talking about, when mentioning what’s gone right.

The Giants had their fair share of shortcomings and, none more evident than the offensive line, and they sure were offensive. They stopped rushing defenders like a screen window stops airflow. The team allowed 84 sacks, the 2nd most in the over 100 years the league’s in around. Rookie Tony Devito was sacked 37 times, including nine times in week 11 against the Commanders (but somehow won). Daniel Jones was sacked ten times against the Seahawks. It’s difficult to gauge a quarterback when he’s on his backside more than when he’s upright and throwing. Because of this, Daniels Jones finished the season on IR, and Tyrod Taylor led all the Giant QBs with a measly 1341 passing yards and 5 TDs.

That same O-Line only allowed Barkley to gain 3.89 yards per carry, and, sadly, all three starting QBs had more rushing yards than the backup running back Matt Breida, who only had 151 rushing yards for 1 TD.

The Defense, despite the top play of Okereke, McKinney, Micha McFadden and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who led the team in sacks with 11.5, including three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, the Giants defense gave up the 5th most TDs, with 48, 6th most total yards per game with 361.7, 14th most passing yards per game (229.3) and 4th most rushing yards per game (132.4) and 7th most points allowed per game (23.9)

Here is the crazy part: they were tied for 1st with a +12 turnover differential. That’s like being at the fullest but eating the least.

As of this writing, Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, offensive line coach Bobby Johnson, outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins, and defensive assistant Kevin Wilkins were fired. Wink Martindale resigned, although he had a great 2022 season. I was hoping he’d right the ship for the 2024 season. Strength and conditioning coach Craig Fitzgerald and running backs coach Jeff Nixon left for other opportunities, which is excellent. They had more Giants getting injured than I’d care to imagine. 

The Giants have some thinking to do with those currently on the team who are headed to free agency with the 24 unrestricted free agents they currently have, including RB Saquon Barkley, safety Xavier McKinney, QB Tyrod Taylor, CB Adoree Jackson, and LB Isaiah Simmons, which I’ll be covering all those in my 2024 off-season choices and predictions.