In his second season with the New York Giants, and the Giants' second season in the system of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, running back Rashad Jennings, expects much more from the Giants' offense in 2015.
"You look around the locker room, we've got great players," Jennings said. "Everybody's coming back healthy, flying around, going into Year 2 of the same system. That makes a tremendous difference. McAdoo explained it to us. Last year, we installed a system. This year, we get to run our offense.
"There's a difference. Different attitude, different command in the huddle, different understanding of what's going on. It's not about lining up in the right place now. It's about making plays. That's what we expect. We've got explosive players. Great offensive linemen, we got the capability at every single position to make sure we're in this playoff push."
Jennings said there is "no question" he think the Giants can win a championship.
"It's knowing what's going to happen before it happens," he said. "Instead of playing checkers, we're playing chess.
Jennings' optimism is welcomed. And he wasn't alone. Just about any player asked about the offense in Year 2 under McAdoo expressed similar confidence. Is it, however, warranted?
It's April, so the answer has to be we don't yet know. What will the Giants get from Victor Cruz? Can Geoff Schwartz stay healthy? Can Weston Richburg handle center? Who is the fifth offensive lineman? Will Larry Donnell continue to get better? Rueben Randle? Will someone emerge as a true No. 1 back, helping the Giants improve their running game? Can Eli Manning have yet another healthy season?
Jennings himself played only 11 games last season, limited by knee and ankle injuries. He acknowledged that injuries are part of the equation.
"This is a physical game. There's a reason why there's doctors on the sideline. Some things you can't control. I'm doing everything that I can," he said. ""Nobody has the rocket science answer. This is football, man."
There is plenty of reason to feel good about where the Giants are headed on offense. It is, however, going to be several months before we see if all that promise is fulfilled.