Keys for Big Blue against the Jaguars

Nearly eight months since the arrival of head coach Pat Shurmur, the Giants are eager to turn the page from the franchise’s worst season in history.

New York opens against an AFC opponent for the first time since 2006 when the Jaguars come to MetLife Stadium on Sunday. It also marks the return of Tom Coughlin, who won two Super Bowls as the Giants’ head coach and is now Jacksonville’s executive vice president of football operations.

It is the beginning of a grueling schedule in which New York will face seven teams that made the playoffs last year. The Giants also won’t have consecutive home games.

Here are the keys to the Giants’ Week 1 matchup. field after nearly a year, and Saquon Barkley played only one series in the preseason.

But what the summer did offer was a glimpse into how Shurmur’s scheme will differ drastically from his predecessor.

The Giants failed to score 30 points in any game during the last two seasons of Ben McAdoo’s tenure. New York relied heavily on 11 personnel (three receivers, one tight end, one running back) packages with little creativity in play designs, player alignments and protections.

Early returns indicate significant changes to the Giants’ offense this season.

Throughout the offseason program and preseason games, New York showed a greater emphasis on playaction passing and vertical routes. Quick horizontal routes dominated the Giants’ passing game last year, as Eli Manning tied for the league lead in average time from snap to throw (2.4 seconds), according to Pro Football Focus.

Of course, injuries and poor offensive play likely impacted that. Barkley, a generational talent, is expected to invigorate the Giants’ running game and help open up intermediate and deep passing plays in 2018.

The key matchup to watch will be the battle of superstars between Beckham and All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey. defensive end Calais Campbell, a major mismatch.

Left tackle Nate Solder (free-agent signing), left guard Will Hernandez (draft pick) and center Jon Halapio (former backup) are also new starters, so it may still be a while before the unit strikes chemistry.

Look for Shurmur to emphasize screens and extra blockers in pass protection this week. draft pick will be a player to watch throughout the season.

New defensive coordinator James Bettcher was known for his exotic blitz schemes in Arizona, so it will be interesting to see how the Giants disguise pressure and attack Jacksonville’s rebuilt offensive line.