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21 Questions in 21 Days

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21 Questions: Main NFL storyline to follow

21-QUESTIONS-METLIFE-STADIUM

With the calendar flipped to July, Giants.com asks 21 important questions heading into the team's 2021 training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

For 21 days, a member of the Giants.com crew will answer one question about the roster, coaching staff, schedule, and much more.

No. 11: What is the main storyline around the NFL in 2021?

Dan Salomone: Fans, fans, fans. They're back. The boos from Eagles supporters will never have sounded so sweet to the Giants after the coronavirus pandemic upended 2020. In late May, it was announced MetLife Stadium could operate at full capacity, meaning the home crowd will see the team for the first time in the Joe Judge era.

"I can't wait to walk in a stadium and hear it at a deafening level," Judge said shortly after the decision was made. "That's something I'm really looking forward to and feeling the energy of the fans. It's something we've missed, and I've expressed before how much we value and thrive on as a team, going out playing in front of your home crowd and the animosity playing on the road against a visiting crowd."

Re-live the most memorable moments and images from the first year of the Joe Judge era.

John Schmeelk: It's either the Dallas Cowboys or the Washington Football Team. Washington has what could be a Top 5 defense, but they have a journeyman at quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick and young players at their skill positions. When in doubt, go with the team with the best quarterback and that's Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys ranked 14th in the NFL in yards per game last year (371.8) without Dak Prescott for 11 games, their starting left (Tyron Smith) and right tackle (La'el Collins) missing a combined 30 games, All-Pro guard Zack Martin missing six games, and starting tight end Blake Jarwin missing 15 games. With Ceedee Lamb entering his second season and joining forces with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup outside, the Cowboys' offense should be a Top 5 unit this year.

On defense, Dallas allowed the fifth-most points in the NFL (29.6 points). In eight of their 16 games last season, Dallas allowed 33 or more points. They drafted exclusively on the defensive side of the ball and hired a new defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn. Despite the poor defense and injuries on offense last season, Dallas still finished tied with the Giants at six wins.

If Dallas can keep Dak Prescott on the field, keep their offensive tackles healthy and approach mediocrity on defense, they should be able to win somewhere around 10 games. If that's the case, they will be the Giants' biggest competition in the NFC East.