There is a reason the saying, “Fool Me Once, Shame on You; Fool Me Twice, Shame on Me” has stood the test of time.
Giants fans are tired of being fooled. They’ve shown up for every season opener the last five seasons believing their beloved team has been improved. They had faith in Ben McAdoo, Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge. They trusted in Jerry Reese and Dave Gettleman.
And they got burned more than hot dogs at a college summer semester July 4th barbeque.
Now they are hoping they won’t be fooled again (credit, “The Who.”). There is a new leadership team in Big Blue Country. GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll injected a much-needed dose of enthusiasm into this woebegone fan base by attending various New York area sporting events like a celebrity pitching a memoir.
The duo come to the Giants courtesy of that successful New York NFL franchise known as the Buffalo Bills. It was there that Schoen helped built the best roster in the NFL, led by Josh Allen, and Daboll nurtured Allen into the most dynamic young QB in football.
Giants QB Daniel Jones has yet to be confused with Allen and Big Blue fans are foolish enough to think that changes this season. They’ll settle for smart, solid QB play with flashes of the athleticism that compares to Allen.
They’ll be thrilled if rookie first-round picks DE Kayvon Thibodeaux and OT Evan Neal show the potential of being franchise foundational pieces. Thibodeaux is likely to miss the opener with a knee injury.
The Giants have the worst record in football (22-59) over the last five seasons, so no sane fan expects a playoff appearance even if the NFC East doesn’t have a powerhouse team. They just don’t want to get fooled again.
BET BETTER WITH BETBASICS: Thibodeaux, the former No.1 high school recruit in the nation, has garnered more than his share of attention throughout the NFL Draft process and training camp. He’s overshadowed the rookie season turned in by edge rushed Azeez Ojulari, who had eight sacks.
Thibodeaux’s presence should make it easier on the former Georgia star. Ojulari also is expected to miss the opener injury with a calf injury that could prove a nuisance throughout the year. Like a lot of rookies, Ojulari’s play tailored off as the season went on. He posted just 2.5 sacks over the last 10 games.
Ojulari is bigger and stronger than last season, adding 10 pounds of muscle. Look for Ojulari, whose, brother BJ plays at LSU, to emerge as one of the NFC’s elite pass rushers. We’re looking at a 10-sack season.
ACE IN THE HOLE: After playing six games as a rookie in 2020 because of injury S Xavier McDaniel made his case as the next great Alabama defender in the NFL. He posted 93 tackles with 10 passes defensed and five picks.
This season he’ll be calling the defensive signals, an unusual approach considering he lines up about 15 yards off the line of scrimmage. That’s how much faith the Giants have in his smarts and skill.
MUST-WATCH TV: The Giants host the Cowboys in Week 3 in a nationally televised game. The Giants have a blue-collar ethos, the polar opposite of America’s Team’s elitism and arrogance. Daboll could endear himself to the fanbase early with an upset. Can’t wait to see that line because the Giants might be worth a look