New York Giants’ future is bright with Odell Beckham Jr.

The New York Giants’ future is bright with Odell Beckham Jr. headlining a star wide receiver squad. Will Eli Manning and coach Coughlin survive to lead them? Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

TODD:

Odell Beckham’s catch saved the New York Giants’ season.

No, it didn’t save it from missing the playoffs. It certainly didn’t save it from finishing with a disastrous record, especially since New York lost the very game the catch took place in.

However, ODB Jr.’s catch saved the Giants’ season from being worthless on two levels.

First, the catch itself (the greatest catch Cris Collinsworth has ever seen and who am I to disagree?) was Play-of-the-Year-ish, meaning NY will be mentioned at least in that regard for the rest of the season and in coming years.

But more importantly, Beckham’s catch signified that this team has a future star on its hands…or in its three fingers. And despite what everyone says about needing a balanced football team and building through the trenches, there is nothing better than having a star to root for.

Certainly Beckham may not pan out into anything significant even with the tools he has displayed. Right now, that isn’t the point. RIght now, at 3-8, all that matters is the future can be bright! And then the extrapolating begins.

Once Victor Cruz comes back and Larry Donnell learns his craft, teamed with ODB and Rashad Jennings, this Giants offense is going to be Potent with a capital P. The offensive line is getting its reps this season and should see better health in 2015, when a full rotation can be settled on.

And on defense, the defensive backs will all be back in 2015, hopefully at full health. That was the unit this squad was supposed to lean on this year. It should instead happen next year. Then all this team needs is one pass rusher to put it over the top. Assuming Jason Pierre Paul returns, one more pass rusher will pull everything else into place on the defensive side.

Really what I’m getting at is Beckham’s catch was historic in execution but also in the fact that it pretty much guaranteed the Giants are going to win next year’s Super Bowl.

And I’m only half-kidding.

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DAN:

You’re talking crazy about the New York Giants and I love it. The Giants came out of ‘nowhere’ twice to win Super Bowls behind Eli Manning, so its easy to see them grabbing a third title in a similar fashion. But temper that excitement. Although the Giants do have a lot to be excited about, it was only one spectacular catch on another lost afternoon in 2014.

I enjoy watching Eli Manning at his best, picking his way across the field and always just hanging in there enough to succeed. So Odell Beckham Jr. and his crazy catch were outstanding. Another classic Eli Manning moment, this time from a future star receiver instead of a one and done Super Bowl hero.

The Beckham catch saved the New York Giants’ season from obscurity, but not from the bevy of negative headlines coming once the final whistle blows on the final week of the season. However, I do believe the catch, which will surely win an ESPY award, saved Tom Coughlin’s job. He’ll get one more year with Eli Manning to follow your ‘plan’ and win a third title. As he should, and as Eli Manning should. Both men earned another year to prove themselves.

Injuries derailed the Giants’ defense in 2014 and has real potential to be a strength of the team next season, as you noted. But to really capitalize on Odell Beckham Jr. and his wide receiving mates, the New York Giants must find stability in the running game.

Like half the quarterbacks in this league, Eli Manning does not consistently pick up his team when the running game stalls. Stability at the running back position, and a running attack Manning can rely on, are key to your Super Bowl hyperbole.

The New York Giants and Odell Beckham Jr. have a bright future, a future mired in slugfests with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. Its starting to feel like the good old days of the NFC East once again.