John Harbaugh doesn’t need much time to put the Giants in a place they haven’t been in years.
Four games into his tenure, New York can grab sole possession of the NFC East - a position the franchise has not truly owned in almost six years. That alone tells you how unusual this opportunity is. The Giants have spent too long chasing the division instead of setting the pace, and now a manageable stretch could finally change that.
The path is there. Arizona is next, and the Eagles are staring at a tricky matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. If those results break the right way, Harbaugh and the Giants could take a real step toward something the organization has been waiting on for a long time.
The last time the Giants sat alone atop the NFC East was November 29, 2020. That day, they beat the Cincinnati Bengals 19-17 on the road to move to 4-7, and for a few hours they were in first place on a technicality because Washington did not play until the afternoon window.
Wayne Gallman handled the offense with 94 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Xavier McKinney, now with the Green Bay Packers, was still a rookie.
Even New York’s better moments since then came with company. In 2022, the Giants were 7-2, but the Eagles were already 8-1.
Dallas sat close behind at 6-3, and Washington was not far off at 5-5. The division has not offered the Giants much room to breathe.
This year has at least given them a chance. With Jaxson Dart starting for less than five quarters, the Giants are already 2-1, which makes the opening stretch look even more promising. The Cardinals are a softer matchup, and Philadelphia is dealing with enough issues to keep the door cracked open.
The biggest concern for the Eagles right now is DeVonta Smith. He missed the first two Week 4 practices with a hamstring injury, and his workload was already being managed before Philadelphia’s Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears. With a shorter turnaround ahead, ESPN’s Tim McManus reported that "the expectation is he won't be able to go,".
If Smith is out or limited, the Eagles enter the Rams game with real problems. Their running game has not been as sharp as usual, and the defense has had issues in the secondary. That gives the Rams, who are trying to rebound from an ugly primetime loss, a chance to pile on.
There is still plenty of season left, but the Giants finally have a real opening. Harbaugh has given them a shot to climb into first, and maybe even to reset the standard in the NFC East.
In Other News...
Giants Suddenly Have A Starting Safety Problem Around Tyler Nubin
Tyler Nubins latest setback has only sharpened an already tricky situation in the Giants secondary. The third-year safety left Week 5 with a neck injury and is day-to-day, but his grip on a starting job has been loosening for a while. He has already seen snaps siphoned away by Jason Pinnock and ArDarius Washington, leaving the Giants to sort through a position that suddenly looks a lot less settled next to Jevon Holland.
Jason Pinnock is also trending back toward availability after concussion protocol, which gives the Giants another decision to make as they move through the week. For Nubin, the issue is no longer just getting healthy enough to play, but proving he still belongs in the first group when the defense lines up again. The Giants wanted stability at safety, and instead they are heading into a stretch where the job picture could change again almost as soon as it is clarified. [Read more 🡒]
John Harbaugh Has Already Changed The Feel Around These Giants
Five games into the season, the Giants already look and feel different under John Harbaugh, even with the offense having to adjust after Jaxson Darts injury. The results have come against a stretch of beatable opponents, but the bigger takeaway is how often this team has stayed in the fight, leaned on players such as Jameis Winston, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo, and carried itself with a level of edge that had been missing in recent seasons.
The NFC East picture is still messy, and the Giants have not solved everything, but they have at least made their games feel competitive again. There have been key moments and missed chances along the way, yet the larger conversation around this team is no longer about passive losses or listless effort. It is about whether this group can keep stacking that toughness and turn a better start into something more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Have Found A Needed Answer On The Offensive Line
The Giants got a longer look at Marcus Mbow at right tackle in Week 5 against Washington, and the rookie responded well when his number was called. He stepped in after Jermaine Eleumunor went down and settled into the job with a steadiness that mattered for an offensive line trying to hold together in a tight game.
Mbow was on the field for 45 snaps and gave up two pressures, but he generally handled his assignments cleanly in pass protection. There are still details in his technique and footwork that need sharpening, which is hardly a surprise this early, but the early returns suggest the Giants may have stumbled onto a useful option while they wait to see how the spot sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]