Assessing the Biggest Weakness of Each 2016 NFL Playoff Team
New York Giants: Rushing Offense
You could make a legitimate argument that Eli Manning is the big detriment to the New York Giants' title chances, and numberFire's Matt Blair made that exact case earlier this year. Manning's a major contributor to the offensive issues. His passing offense, though, did edge the team's ground game this year, even if that's not saying terribly much.
The Giants finished the year ranked 28th in Adjusted Rushing NEP per play, putting them one spot behind the inept Jacksonville Jaguars. Whether it was Rashad Jennings or Paul Perkins toting the rock, they really couldn't get much done on the ground.
That said, there is a glimmer of hope here.
Left guard Justin Pugh missed a five-game stretch in the middle of the season, during which Jennings and Perkins combined for -0.06 Rushing NEP per carry and a 30.17% Success Rate. In the three games after Pugh returned at the end of the year, those numbers shifted to -0.05 and 39.56%, respectively. It still wasn't great, but it was a lot better than when Pugh was out, and it could help the Giants at least compensate for one of their inefficiencies.
