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25 Questions in 25 Days

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25 Questions in 25 Days: Keys to the season

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Giants.com is counting down to the start of 2025 Giants Training Camp with 25 questions in 25 days.

1) What is the key to a successful season?

John Schmeelk: They need quality quarterback play. The Giants have not had a quarterback finish in the top 10 in expected points added (EPA) per drop-back or passer rating since 2011, when Eli Manning ranked eighth and seventh in those two metrics.

The only other time in the last nine years the team's quarterback finished better than 20th was 2022, when the team made the postseason. Prior to that, Manning finished 14th/13th in 2015 (team finished eighth in yards), 13th/15th in 2014 (team finished 10th in yards), and 12th/14th in 2012 (Giants went 9-7 and finished sixth in points).

Those quarterback metrics have a huge impact on the ability for a team to score points. The Giants have finished 30th or 31st in points scored in four of the last five seasons, with the exception being 2022, when they finished 15th. It is a tough way to live if you're trying to win football games.

The Giants added three new players to their quarterback room this year, starting with veterans Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, and then Jaxson Dart. The Giants understood they needed a reset in the room, and they certainly achieved that. Even in his age 36 season last year, Wilson finished 14th in passer rating and had a neutral 0.0 EPA per drop-back, ranking 23rd. In his final year in Denver, Wilson finished eighth in quarterback rating, though his EPA per drop-back was 25th.

The reason there is so much divergence between Wilson's passer rating and EPA per drop-back is because he was sacked so often, which kills drives. That's why it is important to remember that a quarterback does not play in a vacuum. The Giants' offensive line has to help Wilson by protecting him. His receivers also have to get open and make plays downfield to maximize his deep passing game. The quarterback situation is largely driven by what is happening around him.

If Wilson can take fewer sacks and his supporting cast gives him the help he needs, he will provide a higher floor for the Giants. If that happens, the offense should be much better, which will lead to more points and more victories. Even with a potentially great defense, better quarterback play is a requirement for a successful season.

Dan Salomone: When are the Giants at their best? They are at their best when they can harass quarterbacks on defense and then make big, timely plays on offense. The variables are in place on paper. If Malik Nabers and Russell Wilson are reasons for optimism in terms of the second part, then Abdul Carter joining Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux could really solve the equation.

The Giants finished tied for eighth in sacks last season and were on pace for more – and possibly make history in the process – before injuries to Lawrence and Thibodeaux. They doubled and tripled down on the defensive front with drafting Carter third overall and Darius Alexander in the third round. That was after they had already signed veterans Chauncey Golston, Roy Robertson-Harris, and Jeremiah Ledbetter in free agency.

Sacks alone don't lead to wins. That's why defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is emphasizing takeaways (see: turnover chest), where the Giants had the fifth-fewest in the league in 2024. That's where Paulson Adebo and Jevón Holland, newcomers in the secondary, come into play.

If the defense can steal some possessions for the offense, which in turn capitalizes on them, then that is a tried-and-true formula to be in every game.

Matt Citak: Schmeelk covered the quarterback situation, which is obviously one of the biggest keys to a successful season, while Dan touched on the defense, which has the potential to put the 2025 Giants on its back and really carry the team. In my eyes, that leaves one final area as a significant determining factor in how far the team can go this year. Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the biggest key to a successful season for the Giants is an improved performance from the offensive line.

Through the first six weeks of the 2024 campaign, the Giants had the same five players on the field for every offensive snap. From left to right, Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten and Jermaine Eluemunor played every single snap together through the end of Week 6. During that span, the unit played at a solid level. Putting aside the Week 1 loss to the Vikings, the Giants allowed just nine sacks in Weeks 2 through 6. The team went 2-3 during that span, with two of the losses ending in one-score games (the third loss was a one-possession game up until nearly the end of the fourth quarter). It was during the Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals that Thomas suffered his season-ending foot injury. Unfortunately for the line, as we've seen the last two seasons, the unit spiraled once Thomas went down. The Giants finished the season having allowed 48 sacks, which tied the Bengals for the 11th-most in the NFL. When you consider the fact that the Giants were playing from behind almost every week, and thus being put in a lot more passing situations, the sack total doesn't look too bad. Additionally, Van Roten was the only lineman that was able to stay healthy all season, as Runyan (four games), Schmitz (two) and Eluemunor (two) all missed some time, too.

Heading into training camp, the health of Thomas is one of the biggest things to keep an eye on. The former All-Pro left tackle did not participate in spring practices as he continued his rehab from last year's surgery, and we'll see his status once camp begins. But assuming he's back on the field and can be ready for Week 1, then this offensive line has an opportunity to surprise people. One of the biggest changes to the unit up front from 2024 to 2025 is the depth. Clearly that was a priority this offseason, as James Hudson and Stone Forsythe were among the team's first moves in free agency. Additionally, Aaron Stinnie was brought back, Evan Neal was shifted inside to guard, and Marcus Mbow was selected in the fifth round of the draft. The five starters from last year might all be the same, but the guys backing them up have certainly improved.

Improved play from the offensive line would give Russell Wilson a better chance of succeeding. And if Wilson plays well this season, then who knows how far this offense can go. But as we've come to learn in recent years, it all starts with the play up front.

Take a look at rare photos of New York Giants training camps through the years.

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