Red Means Go: How the Giants Are Revamping Their Red Zone Offense
The New York Football Giants have struggled in the red zone in the last few years. However, in this year's training camp with a brand new team, the team has been working hard to rebuild and score touchdowns. It has become a top priority after last season completely tanked, and the Giants rarely scored in each game. In their first training camp week, no matter who passed the ball, they made ends meet with each offensive lineman. The Giants are doing everything they can to fix this before the season starts this year.
The Giants have been rotating all four quarterbacks in and out during reps, so everyone can work with the offensive line, no matter who gets put in. Head coach Brian Daboll has already announced that veteran Russell Wilson will be the starting quarterback for the Giants this season. He brings much experience and poise to the team, and everything they have practiced so far looks clean in New York. Veteran quarterback Jameis Winston knows how to get the tight plays in when needed, Tommy DeVito understands Daboll's system, and Jaxson Dart is being evaluated for his dual-threat upside in the red zone. All of them have had reps while they have been on the field. The battles for who will start will also continue as red zone practice goes on. Daboll has made it a point to have each rep be quick, so the team better understands what is supposed to happen in the red zone.
The Giants have been making it a point to have red zone-only periods in practice. They have done seven-on-seven inside the ten-yard line and completed 11-on-11 goal line work. They have even thrown in situations with third-and-goal and two-point conversions, final-moment scenarios. It’s been every day for New York trying to get things fixed. It was the top area that the Giants struggled in last season, especially when they came close to trying to get something onto the board.
It’s not only the offensive line practicing the red zone work; it’s also the defensive line. The defensive line also needed work to make the stops last season; they couldn’t figure out how to make it happen. They are being taught to hold off the opposing offensive line. They have plans of disguised blitzes that will work for the season, they are using a safety rotation, and they are using tight-man coverage. The goal is to get the defensive line in the opposing team's red zone to stop mobile quarterbacks or anyone who tries to get a touchdown or two against them.
At this point in the season, the Giants are not just practicing red zone plays but making it a part of their identity in their training camps. From the quarterbacks down to both the offensive and defensive play, everything is focused on how they finish each of the drives. This is very much needed, especially after last season, when they got into the red zone and things became disastrous. After a frustrating 2024 season inside the 20, the Giants are determined to turn the red zone into one of their biggest strengths this coming season. Big Blue will hopefully be coming through in nearly every game after having practices like this.
