Success in the NFL or any sports league for that matter, is rarely linear. But when it comes to the New York Giants and their upcoming 2024 season, there is likely one criterion that team ownership will use in deciding if the franchise is on the right track or if it’s time for another major change.
Make the playoffs.
That’s the opinion of NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, who stopped by the Locked On Giants podcast on the program’s June 17 show to discuss all things Giants.
“ I mean, at some point, John Mara likes to vocalize these things. I don’t know that he has this year, but it’s the playoffs, right?” Garafolo said.
Garafolo noted that to just miss the playoffs probably won’t do for a Giants team that’s in a division where there are questions as to whether the Cowboys and Eagles, who have taken turns winning the division over the past several years, have done enough to keep the gap between themselves and the Giants wide enough.
He also pointed out that Washington, against whom the Giants have had success of late, can’t be counted out, given how they’ve re-set their franchise.
Given all that, if the Giants want to show they’re back on track, they need to be in the postseason discussion when the dust settles.
“I’m not saying the Giants are gonna win a division, but they certainly should be in the mix, and as we get into December, you shouldn’t be saying, ‘Well It’s a two-team race that doesn’t involve the Giants,’” Garafolo said.
Count Garafolo among those who were surprised by how the Giants looked so strong in Year 1 of the Joe Schoen/Brian Daboll regime only to do a 180-degree turn in Year 2.
Whereas in the past, the Giants’ ownership has been quick to make a change–Daboll is the first head coach in the post-Tom Coughlin era to get a third season to get the team back on track–Garafolo believes ownership needs to be patient.
“They wanna stick with this regime; they don’t want it to be a three-and-done type situation,” Garfafolo said. “They’ve had some two-and-done situations, so they wanna be able to have a coaching staff around and the regime around for quite some time.”
Garafolo believes the Giants have enough to make it happen.
“Assuming everybody stays healthy, I don’t look at this Giants team and say, ‘Well, they’re in the conversation to be one of the worst teams in the league.’ It doesn’t make any sense to put that forward at this point,” he said.
“I know a lot of people are down on them after last year and losing Saquon (Barkley) feels like that’s gonna be a huge drop-off.
“Look, Devin Singletary has played games in the playoffs for the last four years, I believe, right? Like, so he’s a guy that you can win with and make the postseason with. So there’s enough on this roster as you go through it to say this team should be in contention.”