Atlanta Falcons matchup preview: New York Giants

Nov 23, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) catches a touchdown pass over Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Will Odell Beckham Jr. get even better?

FB: We know how tough the NFC East will be this year. Now the majority of the Giants’ player acquisitions have been made, what are your expectations for New York this season?

CS: Honestly, I don’t know. This is a team that has the talent to win 10 games. You look at Eli Manning coming off a great season, with an elite group of weapons and you say the sky is the limit. Then you look at how the Beatty injury already shuffles the offensive line and reservations creep into your head. Then you wonder how improved can the defense really be, I mean it was ranked 29th last season.

The problem is there is a lot of promise dancing with a lot of concern. I think the promise and the talent wins out. Because the Giants have a lighter schedule, I’ll give them a 10-6 record and a wild card seed (The Cowboys are winning the NFC East, unfortunately). Thats what I’m thinking right now, but I wouldn’t go to Vegas with it just yet.

FB: A lot of the optimism is to do with Odell Beckham’s rise to superstar status in his rookie season. This guy has the potential to be a true great, but we see all too often in sport, not just football, a player perform so well in their debut campaign but just never reach the same level again once the expectations are sky high. Will he replicate his 2014 form?

CS: No, he will do even better. With Victor Cruz coming back and a more experienced Larry Donnell, defenses will have their hands full. At the end of the day Beckham Jr. is the guy defenses won’t be able to stop. He is such a good athlete, he is such a good route runner that I think he will only get better every season.

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