jsull87
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2008
- Messages
- 2,748
- Reaction score
- 110
The off season is going slow and before camp starts i just wanted to get a gauge from this board to see how we are currently feeling regarding the team, our chances this year and where you think we will be strong or not.
Personally with the Hernandez situation, Gronk injury question and replacement of Welker with Amendola. I will admit I think it will only be natural that our passing offense will take a hit. With an article today on Laurent Robinson saying he is ready for football (despite numerous concussions) i would like to see him brought in.
Ballard, Hooman and Fells IMO will be enough to cover the hole at TE for Ahern but it will be completely different without our jack of all trades there and i think the TE question is answered by how well Ballard steps up. he was the Giants #1 TE in 2011.
I think the strength of this team is going to be up front with a strong OL with another season together, a strong running game with another season for Ridley and Vereen especially. Vereen is a big key for me as we saw the end of last year he really can be a matchup nightmare on those wheel routes. Of course TB12 is the lynchpin but IMO it all hangs on how well this OL can do for him as it's only natural to expect a drop off with all of these new receivers.
Defensively, i think we will post our strongest secondary and LB in years. Everyone is coming back and had at least half a season playing with each other which i don't think we could have said previously. DL is the biggest question mark for me. Wilfork is Wilfork, can Jones make the Leap? will Armstead be that answer at DE/DT? will Kelly be that missing link as a penetrating DT? I am hopeful but i guess only time will tell and i think our offense will need their help this year.
Overall i think that unless the defense takes a large step forward that it's going to be a tough first few weeks for this team with understandably offensively trying to gell. Then we hit what looks like a tough stretch away to Falcons, Bengals and Jets and home against the Saints.
Looking at the schedule and being (at least in my mind) realistic i would say it all depends for us how we come out of the blocks. those first 4 games are important to us. I would say looking at the schedule:
@Bills W
Jets W
Bucs W
@Falcons L
@Bengals W
Saints L
@Jets W
Dolphins L
Steelers W
@Panthers W
Broncos L
@Texans W
Browns W
@Miami W
@Ravens L
Bills W
Overall: 11-5
But i can easily see that as 10-6 or even 9-7 with some tough games (on paper). A lot can change throughout the season and we could very easily beat @ Ravens and one of the home games against the Broncos or saints. But you have to admit that Brees and Manning are going to be very tough W's this year. I still think that even with our somewhat rocky off-season we can take the Div with a 11-5 season and could possibly get a 1st round buy with there being no clear fav in the AFC except maybe the Broncos. but as usual i think if we can take care of our division 1st and foremost then the rest should take care of itself.
Anyway that's where i think as a team we are at come Training camp and would like to see if others are feeling similarly apprehensive about how some of our key units will form i.e DL, WR and TE
Personally with the Hernandez situation, Gronk injury question and replacement of Welker with Amendola. I will admit I think it will only be natural that our passing offense will take a hit. With an article today on Laurent Robinson saying he is ready for football (despite numerous concussions) i would like to see him brought in.
Ballard, Hooman and Fells IMO will be enough to cover the hole at TE for Ahern but it will be completely different without our jack of all trades there and i think the TE question is answered by how well Ballard steps up. he was the Giants #1 TE in 2011.
I think the strength of this team is going to be up front with a strong OL with another season together, a strong running game with another season for Ridley and Vereen especially. Vereen is a big key for me as we saw the end of last year he really can be a matchup nightmare on those wheel routes. Of course TB12 is the lynchpin but IMO it all hangs on how well this OL can do for him as it's only natural to expect a drop off with all of these new receivers.
Defensively, i think we will post our strongest secondary and LB in years. Everyone is coming back and had at least half a season playing with each other which i don't think we could have said previously. DL is the biggest question mark for me. Wilfork is Wilfork, can Jones make the Leap? will Armstead be that answer at DE/DT? will Kelly be that missing link as a penetrating DT? I am hopeful but i guess only time will tell and i think our offense will need their help this year.
Overall i think that unless the defense takes a large step forward that it's going to be a tough first few weeks for this team with understandably offensively trying to gell. Then we hit what looks like a tough stretch away to Falcons, Bengals and Jets and home against the Saints.
Looking at the schedule and being (at least in my mind) realistic i would say it all depends for us how we come out of the blocks. those first 4 games are important to us. I would say looking at the schedule:
@Bills W
Jets W
Bucs W
@Falcons L
@Bengals W
Saints L
@Jets W
Dolphins L
Steelers W
@Panthers W
Broncos L
@Texans W
Browns W
@Miami W
@Ravens L
Bills W
Overall: 11-5
But i can easily see that as 10-6 or even 9-7 with some tough games (on paper). A lot can change throughout the season and we could very easily beat @ Ravens and one of the home games against the Broncos or saints. But you have to admit that Brees and Manning are going to be very tough W's this year. I still think that even with our somewhat rocky off-season we can take the Div with a 11-5 season and could possibly get a 1st round buy with there being no clear fav in the AFC except maybe the Broncos. but as usual i think if we can take care of our division 1st and foremost then the rest should take care of itself.
Anyway that's where i think as a team we are at come Training camp and would like to see if others are feeling similarly apprehensive about how some of our key units will form i.e DL, WR and TE