The Giants just keep finding ways to make this thing work.
Lose starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season, and they answer with a 12-7 Week 3 win over the Tennessee Titans. Then Brian Burns goes down with a season-ending ACL injury, and New York turns around and beats the Arizona Cardinals 36-24 in Week 4. At 3-1, the G-Men are alone in first place in the NFC East, and John Harbaugh’s first season in North Jersey has somehow become one of the early stories of the year.
That doesn’t mean the roster is suddenly clean and settled. Four games in, the Giants have plenty still hanging over them, and the win over Arizona only sharpened a few of the biggest ones.
The most obvious is the Jameis Winston ride. Against the Cardinals, he gave New York the full package: three touchdowns, but also two interceptions that nearly wrecked the afternoon.
Winston says he’s “heating up,” but with recently acquired J.J. McCarthy behind him, the bigger question is how long Harbaugh can keep living with the swings if the big plays keep coming with the giveaways.
The run game isn’t offering much comfort either. Harbaugh’s whole identity leans on running the ball and wearing teams down, but right now that part of the offense is struggling to do even basic damage.
The Giants managed just 87 rushing yards in Week 4, averaged 3.1 yards per carry, and never broke off a run longer than 10 yards. It got worse when Najee Harris lost a critical fourth-quarter fumble, pushing the backfield to five fumbles in four games.
That might slide against the 0-4 Titans or 1-3 Cardinals. It won’t hold up forever.
Then there’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was supposed to step into a bigger spotlight with Burns done for the year. Instead, Week 4 was a blank spot.
He finished with two total tackles, no sacks and no QB hits. While Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese were active in the backfield, Thibodeaux looked far removed from the former fifth overall pick the Giants have spent so long trying to unlock.
At some point, the draft status stops buying patience, and this game raised a hard one: is he still a true cornerstone edge rusher, or not?
Reese, on the other hand, keeps forcing his way into the conversation. Before the draft, the debate was whether he was really a pass rusher or an off-ball linebacker.
After four weeks, Dennard Wilson appears to have the answer: he can do everything. Reese played every defensive snap against Arizona and came away with nine tackles, three pass breakups and an interception.
He’s processing the game fast, and he’s showing up all over the field. The next challenge is keeping that production rolling once opposing coaches get more tape on him and start trying to take him away.
The bigger picture is pretty simple: the Giants are 3-1, and the schedule ahead gives them a real chance to build on it before their Week 8 bye. Their next three opponents are a combined 2-9, starting with a trip to Washington to face a 1-3 Commanders team that could be down to third-string quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis.
Harbs said the Giants are preparing for Jayden Daniels until Washington rules him out. After that comes a 1-3 Saints team at MetLife, then a road game against the 0-4 Houston Texans.
Nothing in this league is automatic, especially with New York already down its starting quarterback and best defender. And these Giants have made the last two weeks far more stressful than they needed to be.
Still, if there was ever a stretch to take advantage of, this is it. A 6-1 or 5-2 record at the bye sounded wild not long ago.
Now it’s sitting there in front of them.
In Other News...
Giants Add A Receiver With Ties Fans Definitely Did Not Expect
The Giants are adding another wide receiver to the mix, signing Dontae Fleming to the practice squad after bringing him in for a visit. Fleming has spent time with the Vikings, and his path to New York comes with some unusual familiar faces, including ties to Giants players Dalen Cambre and J.J. McCarthy.
The move also adds another layer to a transaction cycle that has linked the two teams in recent days, with Minnesota signing recently released Giants player Odell Beckham Jr. to its practice squad. For New York, Fleming is a low-risk depth addition, but the connections around him make this a little more interesting than your typical roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Odell Beckham Jr. Just Landed Another NFL Chance After Giants Exit
The Vikings are taking a low-risk look at Odell Beckham Jr., signing the veteran receiver to their practice squad as they try to patch together depth at a position that has been hit hard by injuries, including the absence of Justin Jefferson. Beckhams latest NFL opportunity comes not long after his release from the Giants, giving him a chance to quickly move from a familiar stop back into another contenders orbit.
What happens next is still up in the air, including whether Beckham will be available for the upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints. For a player trying to re-establish himself after leaving New York, Minnesota offers a path back into the conversation, but first he has to get through the week and show he can be more than a short-term depth answer. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Keep Sending The Same Frustrating Message About Jalin Hyatt
Braxton Berrios landing on injured reserve after the foot injury he suffered in Week 4 changes the Giants special teams picture in a hurry, with Charlie Jones expected to step in as the teams primary punt and kick returner. It is another one of those early-season roster shifts that usually creates an opening somewhere else, especially for a receiver trying to climb into the mix.
Jalin Hyatt, though, still does not appear close to being that guy. Even with Berrios out and Odell Beckham Jr. gone, the Giants remain reluctant to promote Hyatt to the active roster, a sign that his limited production since entering the league is still weighing on his standing. For a team that could use more juice on offense, the message has been frustratingly consistent. [Read more 🡒]