The Giants are heading into their season opener at home against the Dallas Cowboys with a fresh batch of storylines, and the biggest one may be the mindset coming from John Harbaugh. He has made it plain that he isn’t interested in cautious talk or lowered expectations.
“Of course we expect to win,” he said. “How do you go out there and compete at this level if you don’t expect to win?
If you don’t expect to win, you certainly aren’t going to. We expect and we plan to - and we’ll be playing to win every single one of our games this year.
That’s our expectation. That’s our plan.
That’s what we’ll be striving for. We think we can.
We believe we can wholeheartedly.”
Whether that approach can actually turn into a playoff team in Year 1 is still an open question, but the message itself is unmistakable.
There’s also a familiar name on the other sideline for a key piece of the Giants’ early-season buzz. Mike Tomlin was there in what became John Harbaugh’s final game as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, the 44th and last meeting between two coaches who combined for 14 AFC North titles, three AFC Championships and two Super Bowls. Tomlin’s Steelers finished 23-17 against Harbaugh in regular-season games, and the two teams split their four postseason matchups.
On the player side, one of the more intriguing predictions around the league has Malik Nabers taking home Comeback Player of the Year. The idea comes with a giant asterisk in the form of Aaron Donald’s return, but the logic is simple: Nabers matters too much to the Giants’ offense and to Jaxson Dart’s development.
The third-year wide receiver changes the way defenses have to play New York. Even if he comes back only close to where he was before, that alone could make a major difference for the Giants.
Nabers put it plainly: “I feel like when I get out there, I feel like I’ll be better than what I was before.”
Another Giants storyline centers on Deonte Banks, whose summer has been framed as a revival, a second act. But Henry Baker, who coached Banks at Maryland for three years, sees the bigger picture as the cornerback settling into the demands that come with being a first-round pick in New York City. In Baker’s view, that adjustment is part of what should finally bring out the player Banks was drafted to be.
In Other News...
Giants New Pecking Order Is Already Turning Into A Real Camp Story
A fresh training camp approach has already started to show up on the Giants roster, with John Harbaugh and his staff giving opportunities to both familiar faces and players with no prior connection to him. The result is a group being judged less by old ties and more by how they fit what the coaches want, which is exactly the kind of reset that can change the tone of camp before the first full pads practice even settles in.
That shift has kept several key names in the mix, including Kayvon Thibodeaux and Deonte Banks, while also bringing in a few notable changes around the edges of the roster. Veteran lineman Daniel Faalele was dealt away, Najee Harris joined the backfield picture, and the bigger question now is how much this new pecking order will keep evolving once the competition really starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Week 1 Depth Chart Just Raised Big Questions Before Cowboys
The Giants unofficial Week 1 depth chart offered an early look at how Brian Dabolls staff plans to line up against the Cowboys, and it came with a few notable wrinkles. Deonte Banks is now listed as a starting cornerback next to Greg Newsome II after moving up the chart, while Chauncey Golston is shown as the starting defensive end with Darius Alexander behind him. Cam Skattebo also appears as the starting running back, with several others stacked behind him, giving the backfield a layered look heading into the opener.
One of the more interesting details is what the Giants left off the chart altogether: there is no primary slot receiver listed, a sign they may rotate multiple players through that role. Depth charts this early can still shift before kickoff, but they can also hint at how a coaching staff sees its personnel after camp and the preseason. For a Giants team trying to settle key spots before facing Dallas, the chart raised as many questions as it answered. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Answered A Growing Concern On Their Defensive Line
The Giants added some needed experience up front by signing veteran defensive tackle Dean Lowry, a 32-year-old who has spent time with both the Packers and Steelers. He is expected to begin on the practice squad, but the move gives New York another seasoned body in a defensive line group that has been looking for more reliable depth and a steadier presence around the younger tackles.
Lowrys appeal is as much about what he can bring off the field as what he can do on it. The Giants view him as a versatile piece who can help against the run and offer the kind of leadership that can speed up the development of younger players, and in a room that has been under scrutiny, that sort of addition can matter as the season wears on. [Read more 🡒]