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[New York Giants]

NY Giants head-coaching search: How desirable is the job?

The New York Giants want to believe their head-coaching opening is a desirable one that any top candidate in the upcoming hiring cycle will have interest in.

Remember what GM Joe Schoen, who may or may not keep his job, said a few weeks ago? He said that head coach of the Giants “will be an attractive job for many coaches,” and that “The calls we’ve gotten, I think we’re going to be able to fill the job.”

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell doesn’t seem convinced that candidates will be lining up for the job quite the way the Giants envision. In a post ranking the eight jobs he thinks “might” come open at season’s end, Barnwell ranked the Giants’ vacancy No. 5. His list:

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. Cleveland Browns
4. Tennessee Titans
5. Giants
6. Atlanta Falcons
7. Miami Dolphins
8. Las Vegas Raiders

Now, let’s dissect some of Barnwell’s reasons for putting the Giants firmly in the middle of his list.

Barnwell writes:

Coaches were expected to be thrilled at the possibility of working with Jaxson Dart, who got off to a promising start during his rookie season. Dart wasn’t winning many games, but his competitiveness, mobility and big-play ability made him an immediate fan favorite alongside fellow rookie Cam Skattebo, who was lost for the year with a serious ankle injury.

But Dart’s inability to avoid big hits and injuries is quickly becoming concerning. Sunday was the fifth time in 10 starts that he has been forced to leave the game to undergo a concussion evaluation, and he missed losses to the Packers and Lions. Kafka has taken the designed quarterback runs that the Giants leaned on early in Dart’s tenure out of the playbook. Removing scrambles, sneaks and kneel-downs from the equation, Dart had 24 designed runs in his seven starts before his concussion, per NFL Next Gen Stats. That has dropped to three over the two starts he has made since missing time.

Without his role in the quarterback run game, it’s unclear whether Dart is really as promising of a quarterback as he might have seemed.

Valentine’s View:

What, precisely, has Dart done wrong in the two games he has played since returning from his concussion that would make his stock drop in the eyes of potential coaching candidates?

Dart has completed 37 of 60 passes (61.7%) with three touchdowns and an interception in losses to the Patriots and Commanders. Is it Dart’s fault Jalin Hyatt can’t run a proper in-cut? Or that Darius Slayton dropped a touchdown pass he had both hands on? Or that the Giants can’t make a field goal? Or tackle a punt returner?

If anything, in my eyes Dart is showing that he can play quarterback without also having to play running back.

I don’t know what sort of NFL quarterback Dart will turn out to be. I do know that NFL Draft analysts are already saying he would be the No. 1 quarterback in the 2026 class, and thus the No. 1 overall pick. Yes, he had a concussion. Yes, he needs to continue to learn to protect himself for the long-term good of his career.

If you aren’t excited about working with Dart and finding out what the ceiling is with him, then you aren’t the head coach the Giants need or should want in the first place.

Barnwell also has this to say about the elephant in the room — Schoen:

The other issue is general manager Joe Schoen, whom ownership backed as part of the future when it fired Daboll in midseason. Schoen’s top-100 selections have been mixed at best during his time in New York, with major disappointments like Evan Neal and Deonte Banks joining the organization as first-round picks. Schoen oversaw the decisions to move on from Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney in free agency before the 2024 season, one year after the Giants elected to sign Daniel Jones to a four-year contract and use the franchise tag on Barkley.

There have been positives, of course. Nabers and Abdul Carter look like potential building blocks on both sides of the ball, and they’re in the middle of rookie contracts. The offensive line is in better shape than it had been over the past few years, although that’s an extremely low bar. Dart and Skattebo have the potential to be playmakers, though they’ll have to change their playing styles to stay healthy.

More than anything, though, the decision to retain Schoen and hire a new coach creates different timelines within the organization. Schoen and Daboll were hired together from Buffalo at the same time. There were no questions, at least for their first three years together, about whether they were compatible or working together. Schoen and Daboll each took their jobs in North Jersey knowing that the other guy wanted them in the building.

Now? That’s up in the air. Schoen will obviously hire someone he feels compatible with, but if the Giants decide to move on from Schoen in 2027 or 2028, it would create another mismatched timeline between the coach they hire now and the next general manager. Will that new personnel executive want to hire his own coach? Will the Giants just fire this next coach, as they (deservedly) did with Joe Judge after two seasons, so the next general manager can enter the building with his handpicked guy? Will there be more pressure on the next coach to succeed in a shortened time frame as a result? And if Dart proves to be a disappointment or can’t stay healthy, will this next coach get to go after the next quarterback?

Valentine’s View:

Much of what Barnwell writes here is accurate. If you want to poke holes in Schoen’s work with the Giants, you don’t need a magnifying glass. Mention his 20-44-1 won-loss record, drop the names Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Neal, and Banks, and throw in what ‘Hard Knocks’ looked like a couple of offseasons ago, toss in the word “placekicker”, and that’s a pretty good start.

Other than the won-loss record, though, everything has nuance. I’m not going to go through chapter and verse of each decision but many were thought to be proper at the time they were made. Still, the results are the results.

One thing Barnwell has wrong, though. Schoen is NOT picking the next coach. He is doing the early leg work to find out who may and may not be interested, and probably handling whatever early vetting goes on before candidates are brought in for interviews once the season ends.

Ownership more or less stepped aside and let Schoen hire his coach — Daboll — in 2022. That is not how Giants ownership has usually done things, and I would venture a guess that Daboll might not have been the choice if John Mara had not allowed his new GM to drive the bus on that decision.

Schoen is not getting that sort of say this time around. Ownership will make this decision. Schoen will have to make it work, if he is still employed. Schoen will have influence, if he still has a key card. So, too, will Tim McDonnell, Mara’s nephew and the team’s Director of Player Personnel, and Chris Mara, John’s brother. Steve Tisch will have his say.

Schoen hired “his” coach once. I can’t imagine the Giants stepping aside and letting him do it again.

I do believe in the principle that the head coach and general manager should ideally be on the same timeline. And, yes, I can see a scenario where someone like Mike Tomlin or John Harbaugh, if they were available, would demand to bring a hand-picked general manager.

Bottom line is, though, that I don’t see any reason why the Giants’ vacancy would not be thought of as desirable.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...how-desirable-is-the-job-joe-schoen-john-mara

 

[New York Giants]

NY Giants-Vikings final injury report: Punter Jamie Gillan to return

New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan, who missed last Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders with a left (kicking) knee injury, is set to return Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Gillan has no injury designation on Friday’s final injury report.

Veteran Cameron Johnston signed to the practice squad and punted in Gillan’s place last week. He also held for placekicks in Gillan’s absence.

The Giants likely hope Gillan’s return will not only help their struggling punt coverage team, but be a benefit to rookie placekicker Ben Sauls. Sauls will be making his NFL debut after the Giants cut Younghoe Koo after a pair of missed field goals against the Commanders.

Four Giants have been ruled out:

LB Kayvon Thibodeaux | Shoulder
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches | Ankle
OL Evan Neal | Neck/Hamstring
WR Beaux Collins | Concussion/Neck

Thibodeaux will miss a fifth straight game, and Nunez-Roches a second straight. Neal and Collins are both on IR, but have had their practice windows opened.

The Vikings on Friday placed Christian Darrisaw, one of the NFL’s better left tackles, on injured reserve.

Final injury report​

Giants​

OUT

LB Kayvon Thibodeaux | Shoulder
DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches | Ankle
OL Evan Neal | Neck/Hamstring
WR Beaux Collins| Concussion/Neck

QUESTIONABLE

LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles | Illness (Did not practice)
CB Art Green | Illness/Hamstring (Full practice participation)
CB Rico Payton | Back (Limited practice participation)
OL Joshua Ezeudu | Calf (Full practice participation)

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...l-injury-report-punter-jamie-gillan-to-return

 

[New York Giants]

(8) Oklahoma vs. (9) Alabama: Draft prospects for the NY Giants

Good evening New York Giants fans! Bowl Season is well and truly under way, and we have the first game of the College Football Playoffs under the Friday Night lights.

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl​

(8) Oklahoma vs. (9) Alabama​

TV: ABC
Time: 8 p.m.

This should be an exciting game and will also be a “must watch” game from a scouting perspective.

While Alabama lost to Georgia in an embarrassing fashion in the SEC Championship, they still have a ton of future NFL players on their roster. Oklahoma, meanwhile, features talented players of their own as well as a well-schemed defense courtesy of Brent Venables.

Speaking of the Draft and scouting, the Giants might want to pay attention to Alabama receiver Germie Bernard. The injury to Malik Nabers has revealed a lack of depth in the Giants’ receiving corps, with Wan’Dale Robinson as the team’s only other natural separator. There have been far too many instances of the Giants’ receivers not getting open, forcing Jaxson Dart to hold the ball or scramble. Either way, it exposes him to risk as he takes it upon himself to make a play when his teammates can’t. Bernard has solid size at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, with strong hands, good ball skills and body control, as well as high football IQ as a route runner. He might not be a high-ceiling WR 1b like the Giants could find at the top of the first round, but he could be a good possession receiver and a dependable number two across from Nabers.

It’s also notable that Robinson is a free agent after the season, and the team could be left with a particularly bare cupboard even with Nabers returning.

Oklahoma’s John Mateer is another fascinating case. He got off to a hot start at the beginning of the season and looked like he built upon a promising 2024 season to become a first round pick. Then he suffered an injury to his throwing hand and his play (understandably) fell off a cliff. Mateer has said that he feels better than at any point following the injury, but we’ll just have to see whether that translates to better play on the field.

The two quarterbacks will be one of the bigger stories of the game. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson could be one of the first two or three quarterbacks off the board in April — assuming he decides to come out.

Players to watch​

(8) Oklahoma

• John Mateer (QB – 10)
• Jaren Kanak (TE – 12)
• Deion Burks (WR – 4)
• Jayden Ott (RB – 0)
• Damonic Williams (iDL – 52)
• Gracen Halton (iDL – 56)
• R. Mason Thomas (DE/EDGE – 32)
• Sammy Omosigho (LB – 7)
• Kendal Daniels (S/LB – 5)
• Peyton Bowen (S – 22)

(9) Alabama

• Ty Simpson (QB – 15)
• Kadyn Proctor (OT – 74)
• Parker Brailsford (OC – 72)
• Jaeden Roberts (OG – 77)
• Josh Cuevas (TE – 80)
• Germie Bernard (WR – 5)
• Tim Keenan III (iDL – 96)
• Deontae Lawson (LB – 0)
• Domani Jackson (CB – 1)
• Keon Sabb (S – 3)
• Bray Hubbard (S – 18)

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...vs-9-alabama-draft-prospects-for-theny-giants

 

[New York Giants]

College Football Playoffs round 1: Draft prospects for the NY Giants

Good morning New York Giants fans! Happy Saturday and welcome back to Bowl Season.

The first round of the College Football Playoffs got started last night with the matchup between (8) Oklahoma and (9) Alabama, and today we have three more playoff games.

Saturday starts off with (7) Texas A&M vs. (10) Miami, followed by (6) Ole Miss vs. (11) Tulane, and the day is capped by (5) Oregon vs. (12) James Madison. Today’s games should feature a number of draft prospects, as well as a pair of teams we haven’t really focused on in Tulane and JMU. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

(7) Texas A&M vs. (10) Miami​

ESPN – noon

We get what should be the best game of the day first thing. While they’d never admit it, I suspect the college schedule makers put the games featuring Tulane and JMU against the NFL’s games at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Giants fans will want to watch the line of scrimmage, and any potential matchup between TAMU edge defender Cashius Howell and Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa is a big, stout lineman at 6-foot-6, 320 pounds who’s a powerful run blocker and a reliable pass protector — at least at the collegiate level. There are some who question whether Mauigoa will be able to stay at tackle in the NFL, and this promises to be a good test.

Players to watch​

(7) Texas A&M

• Chase Bisontis (OG – 71)
• Ar’maj Reed-Adams (OG – 55)
• Trey Zuhn III (OT – 60)
• K.C. Concepcion (WR – 7)
• Albert Regis (iDL – 17)
• Cashius Howell (EDGE – 9)
• Taurean York (LB – 21)
• Will Lee III (CB – 4)

(10) Miami

• Carson Beck (QB – 11)
• Francis Mauigoa (OT – 61)
• C.J. Daniels (WR – 7)
• Reuben Bane (DE / EDGE – 4)
• Akheem Mesidor (DE / EDGE – 3)I
• Keionte Scott (CB – 0)

(6) Ole Miss vs. (11) Tulane​

TNT / HBO Max / TruTV – 3:30 p.m.

This game marks the start of the post-Lane Kiffin era for Ole Miss. But even so, it would be a definite upset if Tulane manages to in this game.

For Giants’ fans, Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris bears watching. He’s an imposing presence at 6-foot-8, 330 pounds with plus run defense skills as well as some pass rush upside. He’s primarily a B-gap player for Ole Miss, which could fit well with Dexter Lawrence at nose tackle, and he has 4 sacks, 3 hits, 14 QB hurries to his name this year.

Players to watch​

(6) Ole Miss

• Trinidad Chambliss (QB – 6)
• De’Zhaun Stribling (WR – 1)
• Dae’Quan Wright (TE – 8)
• Zxavian Harris (iDL – 51)
• Princewill Umanmielen (EDGE – 1)
• Suntarine Perkins (LB – 4)

(11) Tulane

• Jake Retzlaff (QB – 12)
• John Bock II (OL – 51)
• Ty Thompson (TE – 13)
• Mo Westmoreland (EDGE – 0)

(5) Oregon vs. (12) James Madison​

TNT / HBO Max / TruTV – 7:30 p.m.

Credit to JMU for making it to the dance, but this is another one where the lower-ranked team winning would be a colossal upset.

From the Giants’ persepctive, Oregon QB Dante Moore might be the player to watch in this game — not as a draft target, but as potential trade bait. Moore is a 20-year old red-shirt sophomore with very limited starting experience, so it would likely behoove him to return to school. However, this year’s quarterback class is a weak one outside of Fernando Mendoza, and he would likely be one of the top two (or three, if Alabama’s Ty Simpson comes out) off the board in April. That could create a much-needed opportunity for the Giants to trade down and acquire more picks.

Elsewhere, defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington should definitely interest the Giants and Giants fans. Washington is a big, powerful defensive tackle who excels at clogging interior gaps (usually the B-gap) as well as batting down passes (6 on the season). He doesn’t have much pass rush production (2 sacks, 2 hits), but does have 13 hurries to his credit.

Players to watch​

(5) Oregon

• Dante Moore (QB – 5)
• Isaiah World (OT – 76)
• Emmanuel Pregnon (OG – 75)
• Iapani Laloulu (OC – 72)
• Kenyon Sadiq (TE – 18)
• A’Mauri Washington (iDL – 52)
• Matayo Uiagalelei (EDGE – 10)
• Bryce Boettcher (LB – 28)
• Dillon Thieneman (S – 31)

(12) James Madison

• George Pettaway (RB – 6)
• Jacob Thomas (S – 7)

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...ffs-round-1-draft-prospects-for-the-ny-giants

 

[New York Giants]

NFL Week 16 betting advice: Giants-Vikings picks and props

Welcome to the New York Giants betting angle, Week 16 edition. Each week, I’m giving you my three favorite wagers for that week’s New York Giants game. My one rule: I won’t ever give you wagers that are less than -120. No gimmies here.

The Giants had high hopes for a win at home last week, but ran their losing streak to eight games when they fell 29-21 to a Commanders team that came in riding their own eight-game losing streak. Big Blue stays at home this Sunday to face another losing team with nothing to play for – the 6-8 Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have disappointed after their 14-3 campaign a year ago, but they’ve won two straight behind a resurgent J.J. McCarthy. This is their third consecutive game against an NFC East opponent and they’re looking for the sweep. Much like the Giants, one of the Vikings’ priorities this season has been to try to figure out if their long-term answer at quarterback is on their current roster.

The line on FanDuel is MIN -2.5, with a game total of 43.5. Temperatures in the 40s accompanied by light to moderate winds are expected in East Rutherford on Sunday afternoon, so December weather shouldn’t be an issue.

My picks were 2-1 last week. Both of my props hit, but my spread bet on the G-Men missed. The line and total are stay-aways for me this week. I’m done trying to predict if on any given week these Giants will cover a number, and especially with their special teams regularly costing them points. For a team that’s 2-12, they’re maddening to handicap against the spread (7-7 ATS).

Here are this week’s picks. All lines and odds are from FanDuel and are as of Friday, Dec. 19.

1. Justin Jefferson Anytime TD (+125). I’ll start this week’s action with a bet with longer odds. Why not? It’s Week 16 – let’s take some risk to win some holiday shopping money! Jefferson has been invisible the last three weeks. He hasn’t topped 25 yards or scored in any of those contests – it’s the worst three-game stretch of his brilliant young career. He also only has two TD catches on the entire season. So why on earth am I taking this prop? Why am I taking something that’s this far into plus-money when I’m trying to have a winning record with my picks? And why should you consider listening to me? Good questions, all. My reasoning: I believe the slump ends Sunday, against a vulnerable Giants’ secondary that has proven all year that it can’t cover a wideout like Jefferson. Jefferson had one TD called back last week, and another slipped through his hands when McCarthy threw him a Randy Johnson fastball when he didn’t need to. I think Minnesota will make a concerted effort to end the JJ-JJ slump this week, and Jefferson will spike the football at least once. It’s contrarian, but hey, sometimes you have to zag.

• Aaron Jones, Sr. OVER 53.5 rushing yards (-114). The Giants can’t stop the run, and I expect a heavy dose of ground and pound from the Vikings as they try to avoid putting the game on McCarthy’s mistake-prone right arm. Jones has only bested this total three times this season, but that’s misleading as he’s been in and out of the lineup with various injuries. The main concern with this total is his backfield split with Jordan Mason. The Giants are giving up around six yards per carry over their last six games, so I don’t think Jones will need a lot of attempts to get to this total. For the season, Big Blue is allowing 153.6 rushing yards per game. Only the Bengals give up more than that, and only by a few yards. There should be enough easy yards there for both backs. Take the over.

• Tyrone Tracy, Jr. OVER 69.5 rushing and receiving yards (-114). Another RB over? Sure, why not. I don’t think the market is properly pricing Tracy, so let’s take advantage. Since Cam Skattebo’s season-ending injury, Tracy has gone over this total in four of six games (and remember, he got injured in one game), and his average scrimmage yards per game is almost 15 yards higher than this total. Yes, Brian Flores coordinates a really good defense, and while I think he’ll do things to confuse Jaxson Dart, that shouldn’t eat into Tracy’s effectiveness or workload. The Vikings are down a couple of key defenders, which will help. Tracy’s snap share with Devin Singletary has ping-ponged the last bunch of weeks, but against the Commanders last week, Tracy played a season-high 76% of the snaps, and tallied 97 scrimmage yards on 18 touches. He should get some looks in the passing game, just like last week. I like this prop to go over.

Those are the picks for Week 16. Good luck with your wagers, and Happy Holidays!

Do you play fantasy football? Check out my Week 16 Fantasy Playoff Preview, right here at Big Blue View.

Source: https://www.bigblueview.com/new-yor...betting-advice-giants-vikings-picks-and-props