One thing you can count on

There will be some stretching when Pat Shurmur will call through his helmet to Eli Manning, who shares it with his teammates in the group and the following is magical. A brief remark to Odell Beckham Jr. which turns into a track encounter won by OBJ. A screen at Saquon Barkley that picks up the first, and a lot more. It will happen. It's just a question of when. And how often

There is no reason to believe that the 2018 Giants will be an excellent team, and maybe they will not even be very good, but they intend to light them up for a few days and nights, and that will be worth the price. 'admission. Shurmur seems to have a firm hand on a situation that completely disbanded in 2017 under former coach Ben McAdoo, who was not equipped to slow down the free fall, even though it 's not enough. was certainly not his fault. In the NFL, there is little better than Shurmur to shape an offense in order to reach its maximum potential.

There should be plenty of points, for and against, for a team that does not have to rebuild the mold – damn it, they stuck with Manning, 37, for a 15th season – but are in transition, starting a season with a new head coach and new general manager, Dave Gettleman, for the first time in 39 years.

Offense

You call it, the Giants understood it – unless, of course, you did not believe in the completely overhauled offensive line, a group that did not look exactly like the levelers in the pre-season.

If Manning has time to walk the field and do what he does best – look at the field off the field of play – be careful. He has weapons galore, starting with Beckham, the new $ 95 million man. Beckham is the sound of the body (his fractured left ankle is completely healed) and the spirit (he has the security of a six-year contractual commitment), which could translate into outrageous production.

He has a lot of teammates. Sterling Shepard is a No. 2 quality receiver, which improves day by day. Few tight tips can slip into the itineraries with the sweetness of Evan Engram.

We forget someone here? Oh yes, Barkley. Choosing # 2 in the draw is a force with the ball in the hands, and he will have it often. He can not be covered outside the field and passes passes as often as Manning uses Instagram.

The key here is the reliability of the line, anchored by Nate Solder on the left. The Giants rely on Will Hernandez who will not play as a rookie and Ereck Flowers resurrects his awkward career with a right turn.

Davis Webb's astonishing output, leaving rookie Kyle Lauletta and his mate Alex Tanney deep in the quarterback position, is another reason why this franchise must preserve Manning's health.

Quality: B-more

Defense

Be that as it may, it does not seem to be a unity among the top 10, because the workforce is simply not there to overwhelm anyone. The best scenario is that the offensive controls the time of possession and retains the advantage of sufficient authority to allow the defense to release the aggressive plans of coordinator James Bettcher. If not, where can this group dominate?

The line is heavy, led by Damon "Snacks" Harrison, a charge difficult to move in the middle. The linebackers are led by Alec Ogletree, acquired in an exchange with the Rams, a well-established attack machine that did not look good on the cover this summer. The external linebackers are led by Olivier Vernon, who should be a double-digit bag, but starts the season with a sprained ankle.

The back is led by solid safety Landon Collins and cornerback Janoris "Jackrabbit" Jenkins, two players of professional caliber. There are many questions, however. Will the Apple Eli Corner grow and play as the # 10 that it is? Can B.J. Hill cut him off as a rookie on the line? Is rookie Lorenzo Carter an immediate contributor to the race?

Quality: C +

Special teams

If last season was not such a disaster so soon, it is likely that rookie Aldrick Rosas would have been replaced by a veteran placekicker. Back for a second round, he has a powerful leg, but must prove that he can be reliable and accurate mid-term on field goals.

The Broncos separated from Riley Dixon after two seasons of decent hype and he signed with the Giants without real competition in the building. Zak DeOssie is back for a 12th season as a snapper and remains one of the best in the league to get involved in punt coverage.

There is no man back who scares an opponent – unless the Giants choose to use Beckham on kick returns and Barkley on kick returns, which they do not will only be in situations of late despair. Hunter Sharp alternated good games with the bad ones in pre-season.

Quality: C

framing

Shurmur readily acknowledges that he is much more prepared the second time as an NFL head coach after a two-year stay in Cleveland. It exudes an easy but firm aura and has a way of explaining things simply but without condescension. As a crime developer, he is widely respected in league circles, and his concepts should be user-friendly for Manning. Shurmur will call the games and, judging by his history as a coordinator, he will work the racing game and give his riders many opportunities to catch passes – hence the selection of Barkley in the project. The Giants have been impressed by the "grown-up" nature that Shurmur exudes, and he is certainly the man responsible.

Bettcher runs the defense and brings an aggressive approach in a 3-4 package that can be difficult to handle for opponents. He will have to be creative to find ways to put pressure on the quarterback.

Mike Shula, the offensive coordinator, will not call the games and will work primarily with the quarterbacks. He will be a calm voice on match day, helping Shurmur.

Quality: B +

Two minutes exercise

Most important offensive player: Two years in a row, Ereck Flowers, the left tackler who managed to win. Flowers is now the starting tackler, but we will not be doing three consecutive years for the big one. Instead, what about a guy named Odell Beckham Jr.? The best player does not have to be the most important player, but in this case it's an adjustment. We saw what happened last season when Beckham was not on the field. At best, it just can not be contained in a cornerback. It will be fascinating to see how money affects it, on the ground and elsewhere. If he stays healthy, this offense will go well. Otherwise, pay attention.

Most important defensive player: Eli Apple was ranked Star on the Rise in 2017. We wish to be able to take this one back. He works as the most important defensive player on this team. Janoris Jenkins is a top-ranked cornerback, but after him, these are slim choices – unless Apple plays the form that the Giants offered him when they made him the No. 10 in the 2016 draft. has a good body for a corner and is strong and fast. Does he head straight after posting all kinds of immaturity in 2017? This team needs Apple to be a reliable and quality starter.

Recruit to watch: It must be Saqon Barkley's action. How can you take it off your eyes? The rookie seems to have been shaped by football creators and carry his 233 pounds with athletic grace. His lower body is huge and powerful. The anxiety of this summer was a disproportionate left thigh. It will be interesting to see if he can immediately adapt to the NFL game and take those gains of 3 and 4 yards rather than changing course and losing yards. As a passer, he's in a league of his own. Enjoy the ride.

Star rising: Evan Engram was invited to do far too much last season as a rookie. As Eli Manning's targets fell, one by one, Engram appeared to be the last man standing and carrying a heavy burden, to a spokesperson, a blocker and a spokesman for the team. As a result, he dropped too many passes and collapsed while he was leading the team in receptions with 64 and touchdowns with six. It should blossom during the second year. At the end of the race, he has incredible speed and an innate ability to open. It is usually too fast for linebackers and important enough to ensure the safety of its customers. Did anyone say a matchup nightmare?

The biggest coaching decision: Pat Shurmur, as the interlocutor and designer of the offense, will have to determine to what extent he wishes to have a balanced attack. Does he present Barkley and the racing game or Beckham in Manning's passing game? Beckham, Barkley, Engram and Sterling Shepard are all worthy of a leadership position. Unless, of course, there is a lot of gain.

Do not be surprised if: Barkley finishes second in the team at receptions. He could actually be a better receiver than he is a runner. Barkley will line up in the backfield, in the slot and on the outside, will be set in motion, will run screens, wheel routes and, sometimes, will come out in configurations generally limited to wide receivers. When under pressure, Manning likes to remove the ball. Meanwhile, it will be Mr. Barkley, who could challenge Tiki Barber's record single season franchise record for a total of 72 receptions in 2001.

Of course, scold fans: After a season of three wins, the start of this team is slow and this new training regime will not have much patience, even if the first schedules are discouraging. There would be trouble if Sam Darnold (a player the Giants let pass to take Barkley) plays well for the Jets and Manning wobbles, if the suspect goes through Olivier Vernon and not much and if the Giants loyalists hear the game Extraordinary player Bob Papa often says, "Manning takes the photo of the rifle, Ereck Flowers eats his block, Manning, under pressure, has to get rid of it quickly, incomplete, and the Giants team on the ground arrives. "