Jason Pierre-Paul: Giants Will Go Undefeated This Season
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- You may think it's over-the-top to think that the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots, who loaded up in the offseason, have a chance to go undefeated in the 2017 season. So you almost certainly feel it's even crazier to say the same about the New York Giants.
The extreme likelihood is that the Patriots lose a few games in the regular season and that the Giants do the same. But if the unthinkable were to happen and the Giants delivered a perfect 19-0 season - which would have a good chance of being completed against the Patriots in the Super Bowl - there may never be a bigger kick to the private regions for a fan base in sports history.
Jason Pierre-Paul said out loud in public that he believes the Giants can actually do it.
Speaking to the New York Post's Paul Schwartz at a charity event in Brooklyn on Thursday, Pierre-Paul was asked about the Giants defense and said he sees no holes or weaknesses in the group. He took it a step further and essentially predicted a perfect season.
"I feel with the players we have, as long as we work together we'll be undefeated,'' said Pierre-Paul. "Nobody can defeat you when you're all working together as one.''
JPP does have reason to be excited. The Giants boast one of the league's deepest, most talented defenses. Whether it's him, Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison up front, or safety Landon Collins and cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, they have the kind of defense on paper that should be one of the best in the NFL. They also added Brandon Marshall on offense.
Still, he has nothing to gain from saying the Giants will go "undefeated" other than, of course, going undefeated. It would be a huge leap to suggest this will create some kind of distraction, but it's the kind of comment that can only cause problems. Obviously he's not going to say the Giants will lose games, but he would be better off just saying something along the lines of "We'll just take it one game at a time."
That and the whole thing about how it will be virtually impossible for the Giants to go undefeated. Because it's never been done. Not even the Patriots are going to do it. I don't think.
We can pick up the undefeated talk if the Patriots, Giants, or anyone else hit 10-0 or better, but now is just silly. Pierre-Paul is simply the latest to spew such nonsense.
Matt Dolloff is a writer/producer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, CBS, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @Dolloff985 and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.