After early observations and team interviews, it seems certain that head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka are creating an offensive scheme that will feature a good amount of pre-snap motion as well as pre-snap and after-snap reads. In other words, there will be a lot of moving parts and receivers will be expected to make adjustments after the huddle based on how the defense lines up. They may also have to make adjustments after the snap based on if the defense was disguising something.
The wide receiving corps has spoken positively about the freedom the new offense brings but they also admit it is complicated. Fans may find themselves excited to see something more complex after the last several years of watching games and predicting the play call of comparatively mundane schemes but they need to brace for the growing pains.
Brainy Wide Receivers Needed
There have been many questioning if the Giants have the physical talent to emulate some of the things seen in the Bills and Chiefs offenses, Daboll’s and Kafka’s former teams respectfully. But a lot of it starts underneath the helmet. The skill position players not only need to understand what must be done in their pre-snap and post-snap situations but also know the reads and responsibilities of their teammates. Though this allows the receivers to line up anywhere on the field, it is very complicated, and as they say, the more moving parts, the more things can go wrong.
Revisiting the Past to see Into the Future
This pre-snap read concept is not new to the Giants for it was a big part of Kevin Gilbride’s offense that Eli Manning took to two Super Bowl wins. But as exciting as the offense could be at times, it would also be extremely frustrating when it sputtered. It garnered Gilbride the nickname “Kevin Killdrive”, with his assumed failure to make adjustments for the scheme that needed all the bells and whistles to work. In both Super Bowl runs the team featured a bona fide number one receiver as well as upper-tier possession and slot receivers. They had a capable power back, full back, and third-down back. Most importantly, they had something the Giants have not had since, a capable offensive line with an intelligent center and guards that can pull.
If anyone one of these gears went, so did the offense. The most glaring example of this is when the mayor of New York City chose to make an example of Plaxico Buress for a gun possession charge in 2008. Without him, an 11-win team went on to lose three of the last four games and lost in the wild-card round. Throughout that stretch, Manning could not crack 200 yards passing in one of those games. You simply cannot plug in new players or those even from the bench and expect them not just to know but feel the offense and be in their teammate’s head. Chemistry is massively important in such an offense and it took years for Eli to develop the chemistry with his receivers that won those championships.
Emphasis on Team a Must
Smart receivers, plural, are required to make the ball move. Complicated offenses do not fit everyone. Some prefer it simple, others prefer just to be fed the ball. When they can’t grasp it it becomes evident over time, most glaringly through interceptions. This offense is promised to spread the ball around much like Gilbride’s offense where Eli Manning averaged 18 picks a season. Spreading the ball means spreading the responsibility.
Though Eli Manning did not, and would not ever deflect blame, a good many of his interceptions were due to skill position players hesitating and not being where they were supposed to be. Plays where many fans and media mouths disparaged the quarterback but those who paid close attention could tell that someone broke out when they should have broken in, or vice versa. It just seemed that there was a higher chance of an interception when the ball was being thrown to the likes of Ruben Randal or Jeremy Shockey than there was if the pass was going to those he had better chemistry with such as Victor Cruz or Amani Toomer.
Get Ready for a Bumpy Ride
Therefore, because of the complex nature of the offense do not immediately blame Daniel Jones when an interception is thrown and be prepared to see some good, bad, and ugly. At least it will be a different kind of ugly. Hopefully, this new offense is as flexible as the coaches are leading us to believe, and will dial it back if the players can’t handle it. It will not be the first time a coach says they will create a player-driven system but it still ends up being a system with players installed.