The New York Giants are the midst of another terrible season. Despite this, there’s still a handful of reasons to watch the final six games.
For the third straight season, the New York Giants‘ playoff hopes are all but over before December. At 2-8, Big Blue would need one of the biggest miracles in NFL history to make the postseason.
Though the Giants are already hard to watch, there are still reasons why fans should tune into the last six games.
Daniel Jones' Development
Perhaps the most important part of the 2019 Giants season has been allowing rookie quarterback Daniel Jones to develop. Through eight games as starting quarterback, Jones has put forth a lot of good … and bad.
The good is he has thrown for 1,984 yards and 15 touchdowns, and has shown mobility, rushing for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Not to mention, he proved he can lead a comeback. In his first NFL start, he led the Giants back from 18 down to beat the Buccaneers.
As for the bad, Jones has been a turnover machine, throwing eight interceptions and fumbling unforgiving 13 times. Nine of those fumbles were lost.
In the final six games of the season, it will be important for Jones to show he can hold onto the ball while still showing off the arm strength and mobility that has made Giants fans excited about his future.
Jones will have opportunities to play against an elite defense against the Chicago Bears. He’ll face more forgiving defenses against the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins. Additionally, he’ll have his first two cracks at leading the Giants to a win over the Eagles for the first time since 2016. Thus, these six games will go a long way in his future development as Giants franchise quarterback.
Finding a Diamond in the Rough
With the Giants out of playoff contention, there’s a good chance several young players will have an opportunity to showcase their talents as they fight for roster spots in 2020.
Thus, there may be some players flying under the radar who could step up and prove to be future assets.
Darius Slayton has done that already as the fifth-round pick that missed the first two games of the season injured has become Jones’ favorite target.
Over the final six games, there are a few players to keep an eye on. Nick Gates, who played well in his first career start at right tackle against the Jets, and defensive lineman RJ McIntosh, who has battled injuries since being drafted by New York in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, are two young players with upside.
These six games can be used as scouting for the coaches as they decide which players they’d like to move forward with heading into next season.
The Unknown
Will head coach Pat Shurmur and/or Dave Gettleman get fired before season’s end? Will Eli Manning play another snap for the Giants? Can Saquon Barkley create some magical moments?
No one will know without watching.
Some of the best moments of the year were created after the Giants’ 2-7 start last season, including an upset victory over the playoff-bound Bears, a 40-16 blowout of the rival Redskins, and a three-touchdown performance from Barkley to beat the Buccaneers.
There are plenty of storylines to look out for that should keep fans glued to the screen during the last six games of the season.