It’s risky making calls after just one week. But there are a few worrying signs for prominent teams, players and coaches early in the season
Fun fact: the Giants returned 10 of their 11 offensive starters from last year, despite finishing 29th in EPA per play last season. The only change came at quarterback, with the Giants signing Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, and trading up in the first round of the draft for Jaxson Dart.
It was an odd strain of organisational arrogance: Ignore that we won three games! Our roster is great! Our coaching is great! Daniel Jones was the problem!
Week 1 suggests otherwise. Jones is now with the Colts, and carved up the Dolphins’ defense, showing a level of confidence in his scheme and supporting cast that vanished in New York. Meanwhile, the sluggish Giants scored just six points against the Commanders, the fewest by any team in the opening week. Wilson looked like the same player he was in Pittsburgh: capable of throwing beautiful deep balls but offering little else. His athleticism has eroded to the point where he can no longer reliably break the pocket and create plays out of structure. Against the Commanders, he completed just two of 12 passes when pressured and was sacked twice. And when playing in structure, he was indecisive and late to deliver throws.
