Keith: Giants could be in for another rough season in NFC East

Jalin Hyatt declared that the Giants are a playoff team heading into the 2024 season, but Keith says the year is going to be tough for Big Blue.

“I know you’re excited to be back in pads and helmets and looking around at the talent and new faces on this team,” Keith said. “But don’t say you’re a playoff team.

“Dexter Lawrence is arguably the best nose tackle/defensive tackle in the league. Aaron Donald retired. And when you put Brian Burns alongside Kayvon Thibodeaux, they can be very dominant…but it is now a defense that is not run by Wink Martindale. Adjustments will have to be made.”

Keith also pointed to the landscape of the NFC East, where he sees the Eagles and Cowboys still being clearly better teams than New York, and the Commanders looking like a team on the rise that can also give the Giants trouble this season.

“The Giants have leaned on being able to beat the Commanders for so many years, and now Dan Quinn is over there with a rookie quarterback…and they’ve added Austin Ekeler, Bobby Wagner, and a bunch of other pieces,” Keith said. “I think they’re going to be more competitive. There’s a culture change going on in Washington.

“We still have to figure out if Brian Daboll is the Coach of the Year that he was two years ago, or if that was the aberration.”