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NFL 2016: Regular season grades for every team

By John Buhler

Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) walks off the field after a NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 44-6. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) walks off the field after a NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 44-6. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (41) celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Landover, MD, USA; New York Giants cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (41) celebrates after intercepting a pass against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Regardless of how they fare in the playoffs, the New York Giants had a fantastic regular season. New York has clinched its first playoff berth since the 2011 season and are one of a handful of teams that can win Super Bowl 51 in Houston.

General manager Jerry Reese took a play out of John Elway’s book of rebuilding a defense via NFL free agency. It worked wonderfully, as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit carried this NFC East team. Head coach Ben McAdoo guided an offense with no running game, a decaying Eli Manning at quarterback, and only Odell Beckham Jr. as a reliable playmaker to a playoff berth.

New York will be the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. Should the Giants get out of the Wild Card round, they’ll be a difficult matchup for the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional round. The only team that Dallas has lost to this season has been the Giants, falling to New York twice.

The Giants have the secret sauce to thwart Dallas a third time this year. Because of that, New York can honestly win the Super Bowl. They do also have a track record of beating the perceived AFC favorite in the New England Patriots. This isn’t the best Giants team of the Manning era, but this team is championship caliber. They are playing with house money at this point.

Grade: A

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