The Giants Are 2-11, But Don’t Be Fooled - This Team Is Closer Than You Think
At 2-11, the New York Giants’ 2025 season has been, by most measures, a disaster. The Brian Daboll era came to a screeching halt, and interim head coach Mike Kafka didn’t waste time making his own changes, including the dismissal of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. On the surface, it’s been a year defined by blown leads, missed opportunities, and a revolving door on the sidelines.
But peel back the chaos, and there’s something quietly encouraging happening in East Rutherford.
Yes, the record is ugly. But this team has the foundation - and more importantly, the quarterback - to make a real leap.
Rookie Jaxson Dart has shown flashes of being the guy in New York. He’s got the arm, the poise, and the playmaking instincts that scream franchise QB.
The one thing he needs to clean up? Taking fewer hits.
If the Giants can keep him upright, they might have something special under center.
And it’s not just Dart. The defensive line is already playing at an elite level, providing consistent pressure and holding their own in the trenches.
The secondary has promising pieces, and the offense features a young, dynamic backfield with Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy - two guys who can hurt you in different ways. Add in Malik Nabers, who’s emerging as a legit No. 1 wideout, and tight end Theo Johnson, who’s quietly becoming a matchup nightmare, and the Giants aren’t lacking for talent.
Now here’s the stat that really changes the conversation: the Giants have run more offensive plays while leading this season than the 8-5 Lions, the 10-2 Broncos, and the 8-4 Bills. That’s not a misprint. New York ranks 11th in the NFL in that category - ahead of multiple playoff-bound teams.
That’s not just a quirky stat. It tells a story.
This team isn’t getting steamrolled every week. They’re getting out to leads.
They’re moving the ball. They’re playing competitive football - until they’re not.
What’s killing them is the inability to close. And that’s where coaching comes in.
The most painful example? Week 7 against Denver.
The Giants led comfortably heading into the fourth quarter - and gave up 33 points in the final frame to lose 33-32. That’s not just a meltdown - that’s historic.
And it wasn’t a one-off. Week 2 against Dallas, they allowed the Cowboys to get into field goal range with just 27 seconds left to tie the game.
In Week 10, they had a two-score lead with six minutes to play against the Bears - and still lost. Week 12?
They were up on the Lions before surrendering 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
These aren’t just tough losses - they’re gut punches. And they’ve happened too often to chalk up to bad luck.
The Giants have been in position to win. They just haven’t had the leadership to finish.
Mike Kafka, for all his familiarity with the roster, likely isn’t the long-term answer. That puts the onus squarely on ownership.
The Mara family has to get this next hire right. Because the pieces are in place - on both sides of the ball - for this team to take a leap.
They’re not a rebuild away. They’re a head coach away.
The Giants aren’t as far off as their record suggests. They’re not just losing - they’re losing games they should’ve won.
And that stat about offensive plays while leading? It’s not just a footnote.
It’s a sign. This team is knocking on the door.
Now it’s up to the front office to open it.