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OPPOSITION TERRITORY: New York Giants · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

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Hey, everybody, it's Jeff. I wanted to let you know we've recorded
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this podcast episode in Opposition Territory pod on Tuesday, July ninth, twenty twenty
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four. By the time you hear this, some things may have changed here
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or there, but we hope you enjoyed the show. All right, folks,
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welcome to Opposition Territory here at the Philadelphia Sports Table podcast show, the
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longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show in the world. That's right, eleven
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years strong. We had a great discussion coming your way here on Opposition Territory.
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This week, we're gonna be ditting into the New York Giants and what
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this team may be doing in the NFC East this coming season. This Giants
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team's had a lot of moving parts throughout the course of this offseason. What
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are their expectations. We got a great guest, let's get right to it,
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joining us this week for the first time here at the PST podcast show.
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So he writes about New York sports over at Fans Sided. They're looking
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forward to talking to him about this New York Giants team and what we're gonna
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be seeing from them here in the NFC East this coming season. We've got
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the one and only James Nolan. Hewy you doing, James good? How
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are you? Thank you Jeff for having me. I really appreciate you guys
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having me on. And I know Lennon isn't here, but uh yep,
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shout out to him as well. And I'm looking forward to talking some Giants.
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It's gonna be great talking to you about this team. This NFC East
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is gonna be pretty fascinating. I think this year. I mean, even
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the Commanders, who you know are the most relevant team in the NFL,
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I think they're gonna be a fascinating team to watch as well. I think
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this division overall gonna be very interesting. But with regard to the New York
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Giants here, James, like, I want to really dive into the offseason
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first year before we get into what we may see this coming season. Because
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this Giants front office, I mean, they brought in some tight ends during
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free agency, along with a new running back and Devin Singletary. There's some
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offensive line depth that was signed as well. They brought in some secondary help
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to look and then you got Malik Neighbors. He's coming to this offense via
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the draft as well. I'm gonna be very interested to see what he does
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from an offensive perspective and how he can help Daniel Jones, who we're gonna
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get to in just a bit. When you look at this Giants offseason,
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what grade would you give the front office at this point and why? What
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are your thoughts? This is gonna sound maybe a little bit surprising, but
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I'd say a B plus. Okay, I wouldn't go A because I don't
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think they hit the big time free agent in anybody. They did hit that
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big time trade in Brian Burns, and I think that's why I'm leaning towards
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a B plus. I think I'm being a little bit lenient there. But
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with the addition of Brian Burns, I think it's gonna impact their defense in
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a major way. I mean, we're looking at a defense that's already talented.
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I mean, the front four that they got going into this year,
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it's gonna be It's gonna be fun to watch, for sure, and I
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think that's gonna be the bread and butter. And if they do potentially get
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to the postseason, we're gonna get into it a little bit. But uh,
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you know, I think in the division, it's gonna be tough.
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You know, the Eagles, they're right there. They're the best team.
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I think they got the NFC East un lock. So the defense if they
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want to get that wildcard spot, I think it's that defense that's going to
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get the job done. In terms of the offense, you know, like
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you said, they added a couple tight ends specifically in free agency. I
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mean Darren Waller with the surprise retirement, I don't think is necessarily a bad
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thing for the Giants. I mean, I wish him the best in his
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retirement, but at the same time, I mean that gives you some breathing
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room in the Giants end because I think it was kind of a failure with
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him in the first season. So bringing in Theo Johnson, you know,
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over from Indianapolis. Last year he only had eighty two receiving yards, but
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in Buffalo the year prior he had four hundred and twenty three. So only
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twenty nine years old and he's not going to be the number one tight end.
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The Giants are hoping that Daniel Bellinger can take a step forward, but
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it remains to be seen because Daniel Bellinger, to be honest, he's been
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struggling going into the going into training camp. You know, he hasn't had
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a very good spring, so I think Giants fans got to keep an eye
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out on tight end. Johnson could come out to be the starter if Bellinger
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continues to struggle this summer. Absolutely, Jack Stall from the Philadelphia Eagles at
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tight end a great blocking tight end, I will say that. And while
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blocking tight ends usually don't get any fanfare, I do think Giants, if
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they do see him on the field every now and again, are going to
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be extremely happy with the blocking schemes that he's able to pick up, understand
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and effectively get done out on the field. Quite frankly. But as we're
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moving along with a conversation here and really quick, folks follow James on Twitter
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at James one Nolan. He's a great, great follow. Going to be
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getting into some Giants talk in the coming weeks a lot more and over the
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course of these months as well. I mentioned Daniel Jones. Let's get into
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him. I mean, the expectations surrounding him I think are pretty I should
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say this pretty high. Yet around Giants' Nation you kind of hear, okay,
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he's probably not going to much. And then over here on this side,
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you know, what he has to do a lot, and then over
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here you have folks saying, you know what, we know he stinks,
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and then over here we don't know what Brian Dable is able to really get
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out of him Considering this past season. I mean it was out he was
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out for much of last season due to a torn acl He's had neck injury
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problems in the past, Geams, So I'm wondering, what do you really
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think the conventional concern is for Giants fans and even the front offices, they
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look towards what Daniel Jones is really going to be able to give the offense
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and the team this season. What are your thoughts about Jones? Yeah,
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I think from a fan perspective, you got to look at Jones and say,
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you know, you're expecting a big year out of him. You know,
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he made the playoffs just two seasons ago. So as a fan,
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you're looking at this team, you know, with the addition of Elite Neighbors,
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who I even forgot to mention that in the little offseason grade. You
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know, Elik Neighbors. I think is also a big reason I give them
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a B plus because he's going to be a major addition. I mean,
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we see rookie ride receivers all the time making huge impacts right away, so
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I think Neighbors is a guy that can do that. So I think with
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him now, Jones finally got a number one option, and then Jalen Hyatt,
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you know he's not too shabby either, and then even why am I
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forgetting his name? Wandale Robinson. He's been making some waves this summer,
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and he was a pretty interesting guy. At the tail end of his rookie
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season, he was going off, and even at the tail end of the
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second half of last season he had some pretty good games, and even the
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last game against the Eagles, I'm sure you saw him, he did pretty
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well. So he's got a much better receiving room the offensive line. I
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don't think it's the best, but I think it's much better than he's had
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before. So I think with Jones from fanside like, no, you want
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him to make the playoffs, right from the front office. From front office,
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it's you know, you want to see a step forward. You do
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not, You necessarily don't want to see him make the postseason, but you
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want to see Jones take a step forward. You want to see him throw
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for four thousand yards because I think, like Joe Shane even said in the
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first episode of Hard we saw It. He said, you know, we're
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not paying this guy forty million dollars for nothing to hand it off to a
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twelve million dollar running back, which is the exact reason they couldn't bring back
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Saquon Barkley. So I think they kind of handicapped themselves given Jones that four
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year deal for one hundred and sixty million dollars. I think that's the reason
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they couldn't bring back Saquon. I think they if they could, they would
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take that back and maybe give Saquon a contract and draft, you know,
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a rookie quarterback and have him start off with a guy like Saquon Barkley.
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I think that would be a really good setting. But you know, you're
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stuck with Jones at least for one more season. So from a front office
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perspective, I think you're not necessarily hoping for a playoff playoff berth, but
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you're looking at Jones to have a good touchdown to turnover ratio at least twenty
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five touchdowns, less than fifteen turnovers, and somewhere between. I'd say thirty
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eight to four thousand yards because we all know he can he can run the
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ball. When I look at NFL offenses, and I've said this with the
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Philadelphia Eagles for many many years as well, James, it's who is who
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on the offensive side of the ball, and it could be a unit too,
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you know, are you going to be able to put the offense on
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their shoulders? I mean, for many years it was the Philadelphia Eagles offensive
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line, and I think through with with regard to a lot of different teams
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in general throughout the league. Of course, the quarterback, you can put
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the team on their shoulders. You know, guys like Patrick Mahomes, you
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know, guys like you know. There are certain running backs too where you
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can actually put the team on their shoulders. You know, Saquon Barkley to
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an extent, you could do that with him. And I wonder with regard
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to the Giants offense, like who they could actually put the team on their
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back. I don't know if it's Daniel Jones, to be honest with you,
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I don't know. I mean, I don't know if it's Devin Singletary
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either. And I think consistency is going to need to really work in the
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Giants favor for their offense to be at least at least somewhat How can I
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say prolific in a way. You know, I'm not sure that there's that
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one individual or even unit necessarily on the Giants offense that's gonna that's gonna be
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able to put it on their shoulders. I don't know what are your thoughts
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there. Yeah, I think if you're hoping to put it on one guy's
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shoulders, it's gonna be Melik Neighbors, and it's gonna be a lot.
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I don't think it's gonna be necessarily this season in his first year. I
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mean, but he is a guy coming out of LSU who put up over
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fifteen hundred receiving yards in his final year. And you know, we see
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guys just around the league, you know, Justin Jefferson. I don't expect
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them to be Justin Jefferson. But it's just a prime example of LSU receivers.
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They're pretty good, especially ones drafted in the first round as lete.
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So I think eventually you're hoping that Neighbors can be that guy. But this
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year, I mean, you're hoping if you're looking to get to the postseason,
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which they I think they very well could make a wild card run with
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the defense that they have, but it's got to be Daniel Jones. It
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has to be Daniel Jones. And if it isn't, if he's not healthy,
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if he doesn't perform, well, then I mean you got lock and
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at that point tank and hope for a draft fit because you need a replacement.
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Well, I mean it begs the question then too. As we're moving
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along with the conversation here, what kind of offense the Giants are gonna be
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running this year? I mean, do you think we're gonna be seeing more
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of that pass game taking shape with Daniel Jones under center, or are they
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gonna rely heavily on Devin Singletary and a run game. What are your thoughts
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here? So with the this is what I was kind of hoping that you
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would ask, is because why they gave Jones that one hundred sixty million dollar
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deal. I think when they had that playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings,
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I think that's the offense that they've always wanted to run with Daniel Jones,
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because I think Brian Daball actually likes the talent of Daniel Jones. But at
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the same time, he hasn't been healthy right, and he hasn't done it
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consistently. I think he knows something's in Daniel Jones. But at the same
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time, you know, push comes to shove, it's this is it.
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Like we've I feel like Giants fans have always said Jones's got a perform or
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this is it, but this is really it. This is really the year
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that Jones has to prove he can be the guy going forward. And he
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does have a little bit of a saving grace with Eliite Neighbors. So I
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think, like like we were alluding to, Jones needs to be the guy.
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And I think the offense they want is the one that he showed against
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the Minnesota Vikens, throwing the ball, you know, coming out of the
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pocket on the boot, you know, trying to get the ball down the
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field. I think that's what they want to do with Jones. I think,
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you know, with Devin Singletary, you know, I mean, he
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is a guy three consecutive seasons eight hundred plus yards. You know, he's
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a dependable running back, he's been healthy, he's got that relationship with Brian
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da Ball, So maybe you can get a little bit of something out of
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him. But you know, it's really got to be Jones this year,
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and I think we're going to see an offense where they really give him the
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keys. He's probably gonna need to extend some plays with his legs as well
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as we've seen in the past for him to have a successful season. So
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let's move to the other side of the ball here with regard to the defense.
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And I do wonder if new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen and it is going
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to be running somewhat of a different type of defense than what Wig Martindale did
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when he was there. And I have a feeling there's going to be some
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differences with regard to the to the defense for sure. I wonder how blitzing
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concepts may change and how the defense overall will look like in general. What
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are your thoughts with regard to Shane coming in and what we may see from
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him in terms of the NFC East teams, you know what, what are
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we going to be able to expect from him? Yeah, So I'm really
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excited for Shane Bowen because he's a guy who really wanted Brian Burns. He
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you know, he wanted another guy to help Dexter Lawrence. He's the main
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focal point of this defense. We all know it. So whatever you can
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do to get Dexter Lawrence pressure off him, I think that's going to expand
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the Giants defense. So you're hoping that can even help the secondary guys like
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Deontay Banks if he takes a step forward. I think this Giants defense can
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really be scary. Yeah. I think it's the reason that I have them
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as a potential wild card playoff team in the NFC this year. So I
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think with Bowen, he's really going to be dependent on Brian Burns, Zizo
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Lajari he's got to stay healthy, and then Kevon Thibodeau of course, but
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mainly Dexter Lawrence. I think, you know, he's gonna be tending dependent
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on those four guys to get to the quarterback. And then not to mention
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Bobby Okaka. I mean, he he's been a dependable linebacker his whole entire
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career. He had a very good season last year, so I'm also looking
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at him on this defense. But I think this is a defense that's going
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to get to the quarterback, and especially in the red zone. You know,
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he's a guy who's always had a good red zone as a defensive coordinator.
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So I think the Giants defense might take a big step forward under Bowen.
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And they're already very talented last year, but I think they needed a
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little bit more consistency with the coaching. You know, I don't think Wink
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Martindale is necessarily some the defensive coordinator that's gonna get you over the hump in
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these days. So I think Bowen is definitely the guy that could suit this
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Giants defense very well. To our listeners out there, the Giants defense,
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it could be a sneaky storyline this season, folks. Keep it in mind
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as we're moving forward here with training camp. I think the Giants defense can
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be that sneaky storyline of course this season. So so we're moving along here,
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James have a two part question for you talking about the strengths and weaknesses
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of this Giants team heading into this twenty twenty four twenty twenty five season.
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So let's start off with the biggest strength. What is the biggest strength of
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this Giants team heading into this season? And why I would say the pass
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rush. You know, we just alluded to it. I mean when you
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got Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence coming at the quarterback that's big time. And
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then not to mention Keevon Thibodeau. I think I'm gonna be watching him a
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lot. You know, I'm gonna have a big eye on him because I
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expect him to kind of become the leader the Because Dexter Lawrence he's definitely the
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best player, but the Giants defense, they need a young, fierce leader
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to get the energy out and I think Thibodeau can be that guy. That's
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the expectation that he's going to t that step this year. Correct. Yeah,
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yeah, you know he's had a lot of big games, but he's
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also had a lot of bad games. Is that some stinkers? Yes?
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Yes, If he can if he can be consistently good, I think we
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can see a very very good Giants defense. So I would say the pass
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rush is definitely the biggest strength going into this season. All right, In
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terms of the opposite side of the coin, there the biggest weakness of this
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team heading into the season where teams, you know, early on may try
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to exploit this Giants team. What do you think that biggest weakness is at
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this point? Oh, I would have to say the run game. I
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mean they're losing a one of the top five running backs. I'd saying football
15:37
in Saquon Barkley, and it might be a hot take, but you know,
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he is that talented. He was the focal point. He was what
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carried them to the postseason two years ago. Yep, he was the focal
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point when he was healthy last year. And you know, nothing against Devin
15:52
Singletary, but he can't do what Saquon Barkley does in the pass game.
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He can't do what Saquon Barkley does in the rushing game. I mean,
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Barkley can explode out of nowhere. He can. He can have a bad
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game maybe you know, two yard rush, two yard rush, h lose
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yards, lose yards, but then he'll take off for a fifty yard touchdown.
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So I think the run game is definitely the biggest weakness, and I
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think we're it's gonna hurt. It's gonna hurt, and we're gonna see,
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uh why the Giants might have made that mistake in giving Daniel Jones the money
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instead of Saquon Barkley a few seasons ago. Again, folks, we're talking
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to James Nolan from fan Sided writes a lot about New York sports over there
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and uh uh, you should catch him on Twitter. Follow him for sure
16:33
at James one Nolan great great follow And as we conclude our conversation here,
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James, I like to do this exercise with our opposition territory guests every now
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and again, where I give you a category, uh and if you can
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give me a player that comes to mind and a brief reason as to why
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that player matches the category, that'd be fantastic. So when you're looking at
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this upcoming Giant season, who do you think is gonna be the comeback kid?
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Who who comes to mind for you? If I'm going comeback kid,
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I'm gonna have to go Daniel Jones. All right. I do have this
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belief in him where it's like it feels like every other season we see Jones
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take a step forward and it just so happens to be that last year he
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had a stinker and the season before he actually played pretty well. So I
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think Jones is gonna be the comeback kid. I do see this team getting
17:23
to the postseason, and that only happens if Jones stays healthy. All right,
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very good. Next category, the player who needs to bounce back?
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Who is that player for you? And why I would say Darius Slayton.
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You know Darius Slayton. I think he's he used to be the number one
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wide receiver on this team. Yeah, you know, just a few seasons
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ago he was that guy. Now I'd say he might even be the number
17:47
four because Wandale Robinson, Jalen Hyatt, and you know we got Myleague Neighbors.
17:52
Now those are three young guys who are gonna wanna get that ball,
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ye, and I think the League Neighbors also opens it up a lot more
17:59
for Robinson and four high it. So I think Darius Slayton is a guy
18:03
that needs to bounce back. All right, very good. A couple more
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categories for you. I have a feeling I know who you're gonna say for
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this next one. But the rising star of this upcoming Giant season? Who
18:14
is that? And why? We think in Keevon Thibodeau. I was thinking
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Elik Neighbors actually, so I would say Melik Neighbors. But I haven't seen
18:23
anything just yet, but I would go Kveon Thibodeau. You know, he
18:27
was a top five draft pick the Giants. You know, we just alluded
18:30
to it. The Giants have been expecting him to take that step forward since
18:33
they drafted him, because yeah, you know, coming into the league as
18:37
an edge rusher, you're expected to produce right away, and we've seen him
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produce major ways. But he's also, like you said, he's had those
18:44
stinkers. So he's got to limit those stinkers. And he's got to get
18:48
to the quarterback consistently, because I think even if he's not getting sacks because
18:52
Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns as he's Olajar, if he stays healthy, they're
18:56
going to be getting the quarterback a lot too. So I think the sacks
18:59
are gonna be kind of spread out this year. But Thibodeau, I think
19:02
he needs to be that rising star. I think he is that rising star.
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I think he's gonna take a major step forward. I think he's got
19:07
a good mindset. He's gonna be a little bit more mature this season.
19:11
So I think Thibodeau is that rising star for the Giants. All right,
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very good. In the final category, the dark horse MVP, it might
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not be somebody obvious, but the dark horse MVP, whether it's on offense
19:22
or defense this coming season for the Giants, who is that dark horse MVP.
19:26
I'm gonna have to go Dexter Lawrence. I'm gonna have to go with
19:30
Dexter Lawrence. I think, you know, if you can get the double
19:33
coverages off him with the addition of Brian Burns and if Olajar if as he's
19:37
Olajar, He's always been a guy. When he's been on the field,
19:40
he's been a menace. He's been an absolute menace. So if he stays
19:42
healthy and you have those four guys consistently on the field, I think it
19:47
opens up the game a lot more for Dexter Lawrence to get to the quarterback.
19:49
So I think we're gonna see Dexter Lawrence be that dark horse MVP.
19:53
I know it's very hard to win, you know, not as a quarterback,
19:56
but at the same time as a defensive lineman. We're really seeing defensive
20:00
linemen the value of them. I mean, that's why they get paid the
20:03
second most, right after the quarterback nowadays. So I think Dexter Lawrence could
20:07
be a dark horse MVP depending on how many sacks he gets and how effective
20:11
he is in this past rush. He's James Nolan. Folks, again,
20:15
check out everything that they have gone on over at Fans Sided at James one
20:19
Nolan on the Twitter slash ex James buddy, it was great talking to you
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for the first time. I'd love to have you back on down the road
20:26
if you are able and willing, my friend, Yeah, I would definitely
20:30
be willing to come on. You gotta come on my show. I definitely
20:33
want to have you on. That's going to do it for us here on
20:36
Opposition Territory this week. Please share our podcast with your friends and family members
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