NFC EAST NEW YORK 2014 STRENGTHS: • Young core of receivers, strong linebacker corps Giants Offense ELSA/GETTY IMAGES SPORT It is remarkable how quickly Eli Manning’s performance sagged. In 2012, he completed 59.9 percent of his throws and tossed 26 TD passes, against 15 interceptions. Last year, his success rate dropped to 57.5, and he managed just 18 scoring strikes, against 27 picks. It was a season that confounded many people throughout the NFL and left Giants fans wondering whether the two-time Super Bowl champ had lost his status as one of the league’s top-10 QBs. There were mitigating factors, such as the New York offensive line which was overmatched much of the year. Manning is not the most mobile quarterback around and as the pocket collapsed around him he was unable to feel comfortable. The lack of a ground game was another problem, since the Giants ran for only 1,332 yards all year and managed a mere 3.5 yards/carry. Sure, Manning forced some throws, and that five-interception debacle against Seattle couldn’t all be blamed on a shaky line and lack of rushing attack. Manning made a bunch of bad decisions last year, something that had not been his hallmark, especially in big games. To help him, the Giants have 2014 WEAKNESSES: • New offensive line will have to learn to play together, thin at defensive line GIANTS made former Green Bay assistant Ben McAdoo offensive coordinator, replacing the retired Kevin Gilbride. McAdoo promises a quicker tempo and more short passes. Manning won’t be able to blame any problems on his receiving corps, especially since New York got him Odell Beckham Jr. in the first round of the 2014 draft. He has good speed and size and joins Victor Cruz (73 catches) and Rueben Randle (41, 6 TDs) in a potent trio that should put pressure on enemy secondaries. The offensive line has been re-tooled. New York signed guards Geoff Schwartz and John Jerry, as well as and center J.D. Walton while spending a second-round draft pick on Weston Richburg, who can play either center or guard. The unit should be better than the one that surrendered 39 sacks last year. Starters Will Beatty and Justin Pugh return at the tackles and should be steady there, with freeagent acquisition Charles Brown in reserve. Adding Rashad Jennings and drafting highly productive Boston College running back Andre Williams should boost the ground game somewhat. Neither is a home run hitter, but each should help the attack by taking some pressure off of Manning. Both will be looked to for early help, since David Wilson, who played in only five games last year, retired over the offseason. Offensive Player to Watch Can it be anyone but Manning? Through the first month of the 2013 season, people thought he was just a little off. But as the weeks went on, and he continued to struggle, it became clear Manning was having a disastrous season. As we said earlier, it wasn’t all his fault. But some of the throws he made were way off the mark. The challenge for him now is to rebound, something he hasn’t had to do. He has always had trouble with interceptions—he has led the league three times—but Manning was particularly off target last year and must now reconnect with his receivers, find ways to hold up under pressure and make sure he allows the Giants to be competitive in one of the league’s weaker divisions. Eli Manning
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