This Sunday, the New York Giants open the 2022 NFL regular season on the road against the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans are coming off of a solid 2021 season that saw them lead the AFC at the end of the regular season and head to the playoffs. The Giants are coming into 2022 with an entirely new front office and coaching staff, and a player roster filled with youngsters and new names.
No one is sure what to expect from the Giants in 2022, but there are three things the offense needs to get right if they want to beat the Titans in Week 1.
Protect Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has been sacked 105 times over his career. Luckily for the Giants, the Titans’ sack leader in 2021, Harold Landry, tore his ACL and is out for the season.
Even without Landry, the Titans’ defensive front looks to be strong, so the young Giants offensive line has their work cut out for them.
Protecting Jones is the only thing that’s going to get the Giants down the field. And let’s be real, this team will need to score points this year. Protecting Jones will likely be a key in every game, even if it’s unspoken.
Use more pre-snap motion
Pre-snap motion is an important part of every offense. It can be used to distract the defense, to confuse them, to distort their vision of what the offense is doing.
The Giants got away from that last season, and it’s time to make use of a tried-and-true tactic. It’s also time to utilize running back Saquon Barkley a bit more.
A man of many talents, Barkley is a threat no matter where he is on the field. He can run, he can catch, and he can even throw the ball. More motion from Barkley will throw the defense off and provide greater flexibility for the offense.
Touchdowns, not field goals
Last season, the Giants recorded 24 total touchdowns — eight rushing and 14 receiving. It was the lowest number of touchdowns scored by any team for the entire 2021 season.
Their inability to put the ball in the endzone is ultimately what causes losses. On the road, the first game of the season under a fresh coaching staff is a great time to show the league that the Giants are a new team.
Winning the game is the ultimate goal, as always, but even if the Giants take a loss, if they can score touchdowns then the Titans will have to work for it. And perhaps more importantly, it will help inspire some offensive confidence and give fans a reason to be excited.
