Three Stats the Giants Offense Needs to Improve for 2024

Here are three statistical areas the New York Giants offense, ranked 31st overall last season, need to improve in 2024.

Jan 21, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) in the huddle against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

With offseason programs over, the New York Giants will be looking forward to their brief summer vacation before camp begins. The Giants' offense is looking to 2024 for much-needed improvement.

New acquisitions such as running back Devin Singletary and highly rated rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers are plenty to look forward to. But if the Giants are to succeed this season, they will need to improve in three key offensive statistics:

First Downs Per Game
It would look easier on paper, but the Giants require more first downs. Three-and-outs too frequently happened to the Giants, and they averaged only 15.7 first downs per game, ranking only ahead of the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. The Giants' third down success rate was 30.2 percent, ranking only ahead of the Patriots and Jets.

An area to improve is first-down passing.

The Giants only successfully executed 17.81 percent of first-down passing attempts of six to 10 yards to the marker. As a reference point, one of the top offenses in the league, the San Fransisco 49ers, executed 37.62 percent of first-down passing attempts of six to 10 yards to the marker.

The 49ers gained more than five yards per first down pass, compared to the Giants' 2.80.

Where it is involved is second down, producing a better chance for conversion or third down distance. The greater the first downs, the more the defense has time to rest on the sidelines, keeping opposing impact players on offense from the field and scoring.

Include a healthy Jones and the draft pick signing of first-round wide receiver Malik Nabers, which may add to this number.

Protecting the Quarterback
Giants quarterbacks were sacked an NFL-lowly 85 times for 465 yards a year ago.

There could be any one of a multitude of reasons why this is the case, including, but not limited to, poor blocking by the offense line and pocket awareness on the part of the quarterback. Regardless, giving up sacks results in three-and-outs and kills momentum on what could be high-scoring drives.

In Jones' make-or-break year, he will need a clean pocket to stand the best chance of success. Post-snap read and decision-making are all on his shoulders.

The offensive line must be sound, as left tackle Andrew Thomas, right tackle Evan Neal, and center John Michael Schmitz all fought injuries last year. The signing of new offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo, who has been nothing short of stellar in teaching his new pupils during this offseason, and a proper veteran left guard in Jermaine Eluemunor are poised to reduce sack totals.

Throwing Deep
The Giants attempted deep last year only 78 times and were 12th in the league when attempting deep left, 23rd in the league when attempting deep middle, and 24th when attempting deep right.

Among the three locations of the balls, the Giants averaged 11.9 yards when they made a connection. The catch? They only connected on roughly 41 percent of the throws to the left and right and 25 percent on throwing in the deep middle.

Jones attempted 11 deep throws (20-plus yards) in his six starts and completed only two, earning a Pro Football Focus passing grade of 80.7 on deep throws. Jones was 10 for 23 with 359 yards and two touchdowns on those deep throws in 2022. He earned an elite 91.8 PFF passer grade on deep throws, and his NFL passer rating was 119.4.

In this NFL, stretching the field vertically is the name of the game, and the Giants struggle with this aspect of the game.

Adding Nabers, the highest-rated draft prospect by NFL.com's Next Gen Stats, will fortify the Giants' deep-throw ability.

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