Giants Show Grit Despite Another Loss, Sit at 2-12 with Draft Implications Looming
Fifteen weeks into the season, the New York Giants find themselves tied for the worst record in the NFL at 2-12. It’s been a brutal stretch-eight straight losses, a carousel of adversity, and a team still searching for answers. Yet, in the midst of all that, the Giants are showing something that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet: fight.
Their 29-21 loss to the Washington Commanders might not look like much on paper, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll see a team refusing to fold. Down late, the Giants clawed their way back into it, forcing two fourth-quarter turnovers and nearly flipping the game on its head. And while two missed field goals from Younghoe Koo proved costly, the effort from Big Blue was anything but hollow.
The resilience was on full display-even as quarterback Jaxson Dart left the game with another injury scare. The Giants didn’t pack it in.
They kept swinging. That’s the kind of grit that’s been missing for much of the year, and it’s what head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have been desperately trying to pull out of this group.
After the game, veteran pass rusher Brian Burns was asked about the team’s resolve. His answer was short, but it said everything: the Giants will “for sure” keep fighting until the final whistle. No qualifiers, no excuses-just a clear message from a leader in the locker room.
And Burns isn’t just talking the talk. He was the one who jumped on the first of Washington’s two fumbles, setting the tone for a defense that’s been tested all season. The former Florida State standout has been a steady presence amid the chaos, and when he speaks, it carries weight.
But not everything is trending up. Abdul Carter, who’s had a breakout season, was held without a sack for the third straight game.
That’s now a mini-drought for the Pro Bowl EDGE rusher, who hasn’t gotten to the quarterback since Week 11 against the Packers. Even so, he still ranks second in the NFL in sacks-a testament to how dominant he’s been for most of the year.
Still, the Giants need him to snap out of this cold stretch if they want to close the season on a high note.
And here’s where things get tricky. If the season ended today, the Giants would own the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That Week 17 matchup against the Raiders? It could very well determine who gets the top spot in April.
It’s a familiar spot for New York-last year, a late-season win over the Colts knocked them out of the top draft slot. History could repeat itself.
But as tempting as that top pick may be, there’s something to be said for a team that keeps pushing when there’s nothing left to play for but pride. Kafka is coaching for his future.
The locker room is full of players trying to prove they belong. And despite the record, the Giants are showing signs of life when it would be easy to check out.
No one’s celebrating moral victories in December. But for a team that’s been through the wringer, this kind of resilience matters.
The Giants may be down, but they’re not done. And if Brian Burns’ words are any indication, they won’t be going quietly.