Giants Continue to Search for Team Identity

After three weeks, the New York Giants still don't know who they are as a team.

Author:
Quinn Slaven
Publish date:
Sep 29, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

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Approaching Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season, the New York Giants continue to search for a positive identity on both sides of the ball to hang their hats on.

That search has not been easy amidst a 1-2 record and mounting injuries. Last year, a new coaching regime exceeded expectations and earned the franchise’s first playoff win since 2011. Both coordinators (Mike Kafka, offense, and Wink Martindale, defense) returned for the 2023 campaign with several new players to plug into their schemes, a process that has not exactly gone smoothly for numerous reasons.

“I try to say every year is a new year, regardless of if you have a lot of the same players on the team, regardless of if you have a lot of the same coaches that are coming back,” defensive lineman Leonard Williams said.

Many teams, including the Giants, group games into quarters to track progress. Williams did not mince words when describing how this week’s game against the Seattle Seahawks would characterize the season's first quarter.

“We would obviously like to go into the next quarter at least even," he said, referring to a desired 2-2 record. "If we start the season 1-3, that’s not ideal.”

September 21, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) passes the football against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium.

Speaking for the offense, Quarterback Daniel Jones sees the unit in a similar state.

“We haven't executed as well as we've needed to at times," he said. "We’ve got to be more consistent and find ways to sustain drives and score more points."

Jones’ unit has struggled early in games, scoring only six first-half points all season. The team’s lone win required a steep 31-point second half to finish the job.

Again, injuries haven't helped, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Star running back Saquon Barkley suffered an ankle toward the end of the Cardinals game, his status for Monday night's game against the Seahawks in question.

The offensive line, a huge question mark coming in, also has had to deal with the absence of left tackle Andrew Thomas due to a hamstring issue, while left guard Ben Bredeson missed last week's game with a concussion.

Playing with a new lineup each week throws an additional wrinkle into the equation for a unit and team searching for its identity. Regardless of who plays, Jones wants to find consistency where it matters most.

“I think we’ve got to finish with points, finish in the end zone, execute down the field, and score a touchdown. It’s just about sustaining that execution,” he said.

Despite the circumstances involved in finding a team identity, Williams says it's up to the team captains, of which he and Jones are two, to help navigate the ship through rocky waters.

“I think it’s on us to shape the team's identity and the way we go about things around here,” Williams said.