The New York Giants and Jets are in two very different states at the moment. The Giants could finish at the very top of the league this season, while the Jets could potentially finish dead last down at the bottom. Given a few recent events as well, these two squads have had their fates altered dramatically.
For the Giants, the NFC recently became much more wide open with the news of Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game suspension. With Elliott out, not only do their conference and Super Bowl hopes become a little brighter, the division has become an almost certainty. It doesn’t end there, though; the Philadelphia Eagles also traded their leading wide receiver Jordan Matthews to the Bills. Philly received a cornerback in return and is now ailing on offense.
Meanwhile, the New York Jets have had a very rough offseason and training camp to say the least. After losing both Brandon Marshall and Geno Smith to the Giants in free agency, they also lost their best wide receiver Quincy Enunwa to a season-ending neck injury in camp. With just over three weeks to go until the start of the 2017-18 NFL season, odds at TopBet sportsbook indicate that the NYG are well on their way, while the NYJ are now ranked worst in the AFC.
The football Giants geared up this past offseason following their embarrassing loss to the Green Bay Packers in their 2016 wild card playoff matchup. The Packers exposed the G-men on both sides of the ball and cruised to an easy 38-13 win. This Giants effort came just days after photos surfaced of the team’s “Party Boat” as well.
They needed discipline and another leader in the room. Enter veteran receiver Brandon Marshall and everything changes. The team is now looking poised and composed through camp and into the preseason with one goal in mind – a lengthy playoff run.
Given the recent suspensions and transactions from within the NFC East as well, their goal may become a reality based on their divisional opponent’s lack of strength.
Things are quite a bit different in the AFC East mind you. In arguably the toughest division in the conference, the Jets are ranked way down at the bottom of the barrel. Outside of the obvious Super Bowl favorite New England, the division is more a less decided according to most.
Even with an injured Ryan Tannehill and newly appointed Jay Cutler at QB, the Miami Dolphins still remain the second-tier favorite, while the Buffalo Bills should still finish third despite losing Sammy Watkins in a preseason swap with the Rams.
Buffalo has more than made up for his lost hands on offense by bringing in Jordan Matthews from the Eagles and veteran Anquan Boldin via free agency.
Behind Bryce Petty and without Quincy Enunwa, the Jets find themselves in a very tough position heading into 2017. So much so, that many are also calling for Todd Bowles to be the first head coach fired this season.