John Harbaugh has already changed the feel of the Giants’ home field, and the numbers back it up.
New York improved to 3-0 at MetLife Stadium with a 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4, and that start carries real historical weight. It’s the first time the Giants have opened 3-0 at home since 2008, and only the eighth time that’s happened in franchise history.
Harbaugh also joined rare company right away. He became just the sixth head coach to start his Giants tenure 3-0 at home, and the first to do it since Dan Reeves in 1993. There’s one more wrinkle that makes the feat even more notable: MetLife Stadium wasn’t open in 2008, which means Harbaugh is the first Giants coach to begin 3-0 in this building.
The win over Arizona came thanks in part to Deonte Banks’ heroics, but the broader story is what this team is becoming under Harbaugh. The Giants are 3-1 overall without Jaxson Dart and 2-0 with Jameis Winston starting, and they’ve been finding ways to win games they previously might have let slip away. The locker room and the overall operation have taken on a different feel from what Giants fans had gotten used to under Brian Daboll.
The opponents in this home stretch - the Cowboys, Titans, and Cardinals - aren’t exactly a murderers’ row. But that’s part of the job for a head coach: handle the games you’re supposed to handle and turn home-field advantage into something real.
That’s been a problem at MetLife in recent years, when the building often didn’t give fans much reason to brave bad weather or show up expecting a win. This season has looked different, and Harbaugh’s arrival is a big reason why.
The Giants look competent. They look competitive.
And for once, it doesn’t feel like December is already headed toward draft-position watch.
There’s also a piece of history working in their favor. Every time the Giants have won their first three home games, they’ve gone on to make the playoffs.
That happened on a special day for the franchise, too, with the team celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Super Bowl squad. Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Harry Carson, and Carl Banks were all in attendance.
For a fan base that has spent a long time waiting for a coach it could truly believe in, Harbaugh has given them a reason to start believing again. A 3-0 home start doesn’t settle anything, but for the Giants, it’s a strong place to begin.
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 🡒]