Where Jalen Brunson Ranks in the Pantheon of Clutch New York Athletes

As I was watching Jalen Brunson address the crowd at the Knicks parade, I couldn't help but notice an air of vindication in his words. Yes, he thanked James Dolan and the front office for believing in him; his teammates for giving him the confidence; the coaching staff and trainers; and of course the fans.

But it was what he said in closing that resonated most with the two million or more fans who turned out to watch the parade live and the millions more who tuned in to watch it on TV.

"There's a lot of people that have a lot of negative stuff to say. There's a lot of people who have a lot of opinions. But when you prove them wrong, you really don't have to say shit to them. Nah, they don't deserve it. Appreciate y'all. Thank you."

That's about as close to saying "fuck you" as Brunson is capable of. But if ever there was someone who was entitled to say "fuck you" to his detractors, it would be Brunson. Since his arrival on Broadway, this man has endured every kind of slight imaginable.

One of those slights came at the hands of a certain person whose name I shall not bother to mention here. As Brunson said, she doesn't deserve it. But for those who need a reminder, the incident occurred two years ago. This individual made it a point to say Brunson was too small and was "not a dude," whatever the fuck that means. She then went on to explain that since John Stockton and Allen Iverson didn't win, and they were small, that meant Brunson couldn't win either.

For those who actually know a thing or two about basketball, and who also know what the word context means, allow me to turn back the clock a bit. Stockton was a point guard who played for the Utah Jazz from 1984 to 2003. The Jazz went to two consecutive NBA finals in '97 and '98, where they unfortunately met up with the Chicago Bulls, who just happened to be working on their second three-peat. Stockton and Karl Malone played their hearts out, but they couldn't stop Micheal Jordan and the Bulls. They lost both series 4-2.

Like Stockton, Iverson was a point guard who played for the Philadelphia 76ers from 1996 to 2010. In 2001, the Sixers advanced to the finals, where they met up with the Los Angeles Lakers, who were also in the middle of going for a three-peat. That Lakers team had Shaquille O'Neil and Kobe Bryant on it. The Sixers were valiant but the Lakers were too much for them. They lost 4-1. Ironically, the only game LA lost that whole postseason was against Philly in the finals.

My point is Stockton and Iverson's size had absolutely nothing to do with them not winning a title. Their teams just happen to lose to two of the most dominant basketball dynasties of the last 30 years. There's no shame in admitting that, nor should there be. If Stockton and Iverson had been four inches taller, the results would've been the same. Iverson, in fact, averaged 33 points per game against the Lakers in that series.

Making general statements about an athlete's size as a bar against winning is the sort of thing trolls on social media do; it's not the sort of thing people who hold responsible positions in the media should do, and whether or not she apologizes, I hope the next time someone is asked to opine on the prospects of a player winning a championship, the reply that follows is an informed one.

Having said all that, I think what Brunson did this postseason ranks him among the top clutch New York athletes of all time. By clutch, I mean coming through in the playoffs. But where does it rank? I decided to compile a top ten list from the last 60 years.

Without further ado,

1. Eli Manning: The man lived in the shadow of his brother Peyton his whole career, yet when it mattered most, he came up big in Super Bowls 42 and 46, earning not only MVP in both games, but the distinction of being the only quarterback in NFL history to beat Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl. His postseason passer rating in 2011 was 103.3, and he led the NFL in passing yards with 1219 and touchdowns with 9.

2. Mark Messier: He had one mission when he came to Broadway: end the curse of 1940. His "guarantee" and subsequent hat trick in game 6 of the '94 conference finals stands as one of the most iconic moments in Rangers history, and his game-winning goal against the Canucks in game 7 of the finals delivered New York its first Stanley Cup in 54 years.

3. Jalen Brunson: The player who was too small, too slow and not a number one option, tied Micheal Jordan for most points in a road close-out finals game. Captain Clutch's overall performance in the finals is the singular reason the Knicks were able to end their 53 year drought. The man not only deserves his flowers; he deserves a whole damn florist. 

4. Walt Frazier: When Willis Reed got injured in game five of the 1970 NBA finals, the Knicks needed someone to step up and take charge. That someone was Clyde. His 36 points and 19 assists in game 7 enabled New York to win the first of its two titles in the '70s.

5. Reggie Jackson: Mr. October was no stranger to winning in the postseason. He was an integral part of that Oakland A's team that won three consecutive World Series. But it was his performance in game 6 of the '77 World Series that forever cemented his place in New York folklore. His three home runs against the Dodgers helped the Yankees clinch their first title since 1962. 

6. Joe Namath: In the late 1960s, everyone knew the NFL was the dominant league. The Green Bay Packers had routed the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders in Super Bowls 1 and 2, and now the Baltimore Colts were preparing to do the same to the Jets in Super Bowl 3. But Broadway Joe had other plans. He not only guaranteed his team would win, he went out and proved it. In what is still considered to this day the greatest upset in sports history, New York shocked Baltimore 16-7. The win not only made Namath a household name, it put the AFL on the map. One year later, the two leagues merged.

7. Mariano Rivera: Without question, the greatest closer in baseball history. He's the career leader in postseason saves (42), ERA (0.70) and WHIP (0.75). How impressive was Rivera? His ERA in the Yankees '98 and '99 playoff runs was 0.00 in 18 appearances. Indeed, from 1996 through 2000, he allowed just two earned runs in 56 innings. If there's such a thing as an automatic out, it was Rivera. 

8. Lawrence Taylor: From 1981 to 1993, the most feared defensive player in the NFL. He gave offensive coordinators fits and opposing quarterbacks nightmares. LT helped lead the Giants to two Super Bowl wins in '86 and '90, and turned Bill Belichick into a legend. 

9. Derek Jeter: In 7 World Series, Jeter had a batting average of .321, with an OPS of .832. Overall in the postseason, he hit .308 with 20 homers and 61 RBIs. During his Yankee career, which lasted 20 years, he finished 6th in team RBIs (1311) and 8th in team batting average (.310). He was the most consistent clutch player to wear the Pinstripes since Mickey Mantle. 

10. Brian Leetch: The 1994 Conn-Smyth winner led the Rangers with 34 points during their Cup run. The Calder and two-time Norris trophy winner was a fixture on New York's blue line until he was traded to the Maple Leafs in 2004. He's second for most points by American-born defensemen with 1028, 204 behind Phil Housley. 

A New Hope

Week one of the Jaxson Dart era is now officially in the books and the reviews couldn't be better. In his first start in the NFL, Dart showed poise, ability and good judgment, as the New York Giants beat the Los Angeles Chargers 21-18 at MetLife Stadium for their first win of the season. But more than that, Dart gave his head coach, his GM, the franchise and its fanbase something they haven't had in a long time: hope.

After last week's abysmal "effort" by Russell Wilson against the Kansas City Chiefs, the natives weren't just growing restless; they were getting downright ornery. Another phone-in performance like that and the fans would've started wearing bags over their heads. I've seen it; it ain't pretty.

Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka drew up a game plan for Dart that was deliberately simple, but still gave the rookie enough latitude to show off the skillset that made Joe Schoen trade back into the first round to pluck him in the Draft. In his first possession, Dart took his team 89 yards on 9 plays, helped by a 14-yard pass interference penalty, and capped off by a 15-yard quarterback draw to put the Giants up 7-0. It was the first time the Chargers had allowed a first quarter touchdown this season.

Dart was very effective going through his progressions, particularly on third down, where the Giants as a team were 7/15. Overall, he was 13/20 for 111 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 96.0. He also rushed for 54 yards on 10 carries. By comparison, Eli Manning's slash line in his first start was 17/37, 162, 1-2, 45.1.

Cam Skattebo, another impressive rookie drafted by Schoen in the fourth round, also had a solid game, rushing for 79 yards on 25 carries. In all, the Giants ran the ball 42 times for 161 yards. With Tyrone Tracy out with a dislocated shoulder the next couple of weeks, Skattebo will have to carry most of the load in the backfield.

But as good as Dart and Skattebo were, it was the defense that stole the show, especially the front seven. Led by Brian Burns, Abdul Carter (the third pick in the '25 Draft), Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux, they had 20 pressures, 12 hits and two sacks against Justin Herbert. They also forced two interceptions, which led to 11 points for the Jints. It was the first time this season that the Giants held an opponent to under 20 points, and the first time since week 16 last season against the Indianapolis Colts at MetLife that they led in all four quarters of a game. In case you're wondering, the Giants don't have many of these games.

But the news was not all good for Big Blue. Malik Nabers, whose 1204 yards was good enough to finish fifth in the voting for rookie of the year last season, suffered a torn ACL in his right leg in the second quarter and is out for the rest of the season. The star wideout had 18 receptions for 271 yards when he went down. Against the Cowboys two weeks ago, he led all New York receivers with 167 yards on 9 receptions and two touchdowns. His presence will be sorely missed.

All things considered, though, the Giants did what they had to do Sunday: win the game. They are now 1-3. If they beat the Saints in New Orleans next week - which they should - they will be 2-3. Before the start of the season, I said the Giants had a chance of going 3-6 in their first nine games. With the Philadelphia Eagles (twice), the Denver Broncos and the San Francisco 49ers all upcoming, they could still do it.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. The headline here is that the Giants have found their quarterback. 

And his name is Jaxson Dart.

It's Dart's Time

 

A week ago, the Giants offense looked like Air Coryell; last Sunday, it looked more like the Hindenburg at Lakehurst, New Jersey. And Russell Wilson, who last week had regained his Super Bowl form against the Dallas Cowboys, reverted back to the player Sean Payton couldn't wait to ship out of Denver against the Kansas City Chiefs.

So much for making progress. I thought this team was moving in the right direction. Clearly I was wrong. 

You can make all the excuses you want: Steve Spagnuolo double-teamed Malik Nabers; the Chiefs needed the win more; Patrick Mahomes is a magician who alluded the Giants pass rush all night; Graham Gano got injured during warmups, rendering New York's kicking game practically useless. 

It's time to face facts. Despite all the offseason maneuvers, this is still a bad team. Bill Parcells was right: You are what your record says you are; and right now, the Giants are 0-3. From what we've seen, so far, and based on the strength of schedule, if this team goes more than 2-7 in its first nine games, I would be very surprised.

Contrary to what I wrote before the season, waiting until week ten to make a change at quarterback is too late. Apparently, Brian Daboll agrees. The head coach announced this afternoon that Jaxson Dart will start this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. 

It was the right decision, and for the following reasons.

Going into the 2025 season, the assumption was that Wilson would be competent enough to give Daboll the time he needed to bring Dart along, so that when he finally took over the reigns, he would be able to handle the pressure.

But in two of his three starts, Wilson has been underwhelming to say the least. Against Kansas City, he looked completely lost; indeed, he looked more like a rookie than the guy who was being groomed to take his job. His two interceptions on Sunday were forced passes that never should've been thrown. 

Look, we all gave Wilson kudos for throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns against the Cowboys in week two. But when Caleb Williams threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns against them the following week, it was fairly obvious that Wilson's performance was an anomaly. Hell, the way that secondary is playing, Peyton Manning could come out of retirement and throw for 200 yards and a touchdown against it.

But here's the biggest reason for making the switch. This team is 0-3. After this Sunday, they will likely be 0-4. Justin Herbert, the player Dave Gettleman really wanted, might be the best quarterback in the NFL. If the Giants can't move the football and put up some points, this game will be over at halftime. Dart at least has an element of speed to his game that Wilson lacks. When he came in last Sunday, you could feel the electricity resonate within the stadium. If he was good enough to be the backup, he's obviously ready to be the starter.

There's losing and then there's losing without a fight. Right now, the Giants are losing without much of a fight. Daboll had no choice but to pull the plug on Wilson. Even if it turns out that Dart isn't the second coming of Eli Manning, he will at least breathe some life into a locker room that desperately needs something to believe in.

The fans are disgusted. The players frustrated. The season is hanging in the balance.

It's Dart's time, ready or not. 

Deja Blue

Two years ago, the Giants were playing the Bills in Buffalo. Despite their 1-4 record, they outplayed the Bills. But because of several mistakes - one near the end of the first half - they lost the game when Josh Allen connected on a 15-yard pass to Quinton Morris in the end zone with 3:48 left in the fourth quarter. That was basically it for Big Blue. They never fully recovered from that loss.

I'm not prepared to throw in the towel on the Giants just yet. For one thing, this was only the second game of the season; for another, unlike that game in 2023, and so many others over the last ten years, this time around the offense wasn't the problem. Indeed, after sleepwalking through a 21-6 loss to the Commanders in Washington the previous week, the Jints looked like Air Coryell against the Cowboys in Dallas. Russell Wilson resembled the quarterback who took the Seattle Seahawks to consecutive Super Bowls a decade ago. If you're a Giants fan, you haven't seen anything like this since Eli Manning was under center. 

The Giants put up 37 points on the day, with Wilson completing 30 of 41 passes for 450 yards and three touchdowns, the last one coming with 25 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to put New York up by three. And if Shane Bowen had been more aggressive with his defensive play calling on the Cowboys last possession in regulation, this team would be 1-1 instead of 0-2.

Then again, if James Hudson hadn't committed four penalties on the opening drive - one of which cost his team a first and goal at the two yard line - the Giants probably would've had a seven-point lead against the Cowboys with 25 seconds to go instead of three, thus rendering the soft defensive play calling by Bowen moot. 

But then that's been the pattern for this franchise for years, hasn't it? When they score, their defense fails them; when they play good defense, they can't find the end zone to save their lives. And sometimes, it's just good old-fashioned poor play calling or untimely mistakes. The Giants are a veritable smorgasbord of bad luck, if ever there was one. 

And in a season in which their first nine games are the toughest of any team in the NFL, they can ill afford to squander any opportunity to get a win. That's what makes Sunday's loss in Dallas so brutal. They outplayed the Cowboys for the majority of the game; they were the better team on the field; they deserved a better fate than they got. Stop me if you've heard this before.

And with the Kansas City Chiefs coming to town, things aren't going to get any easier for the men in blue. The Chiefs are 0-2. The last tine they started the season 0-3 was 2011 - 14 years ago! The Giants, on the other hand, have started the season 0-3 four times over that span. If we know anything about Patrick Mahomes, he hates losing about as much as a vampire hates a sunrise. He knows he hasn't played up to his standard, and neither have his teammates. With the sting of last year's Super Bowl flop still sticking in their craw, they will be in a foul mood when they take the field at MetLife this Sunday, you can be sure of that.

Look, we all knew the Giants had a brutal schedule before the season started. They should be 1-1; they aren't. As an old boss of mine used to say, "Pete, it is what it is." What's important now is that this team continue to play as hard as it can. They have talent on both sides of the ball; more talent than they had three years ago when they went 9-7-1 and secured a Wild Card spot. They have a quarterback who can throw deep and on target; Malik Nabers is a star in the making; and as a team they've recorded six sacks so far.

In August, I predicted a record of 7-10. I saw nothing in Dallas to make me regret that prediction. Just the opposite, in fact. If they play like they did against the Cowboys - sans the penalties and soft defense - they are going to surprise a number of teams before this season is over; perhaps even the Chiefs. 

Just don't quote me on that, okay?

Jaxson Dart is Making a Compelling Case to Be the Giants Starting QB

In 2004, everyone on Planet Earth knew that Eli Manning was the New York Giants quarterback of the future. Then GM Ernie Accorsi traded an '04 third round pick and a first and fifth rounder in '05, along with Philip Rivers, to the San Diego Chargers to get Peyton's younger brother. 

The plan was to let Eli sit and learn behind former Super Bowl winner Kurt Warner. And based on what we saw in the preseason, that plan certainly looked feasible. Eli put up respectable numbers - 24/49, 327, 0 over four games - but was hardly a show stopper. Indeed, head coach Tom Coughlin waited until week 10 before finally turning the reigns over to him.

Fast forward 21 years to the 2025 NFL Draft. Present GM Joe Schoen traded three picks to move back into the first round to select Jaxson Dart at number 25. The Giants believe strongly that Dart is their quarterback of the future. Like in '04, the plan is to let Dart sit and learn behind another former Super Bowl winner, Russell Wilson. 

Warner to Eli, Part Deux, right? There's just one not-so-small problem. Dart has thrown a monkey wrench into those plans. Through two preseason games, Dart is a combined 26/35 for 291 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs. His 117.7 passer rating is the best on the team, a full 45 points better than Wilson.

Dart has become THE football story of the preseason. Initially he was viewed as a mid second rounder that needed a lot of work to smooth out the rough edges. NFL.com gave him a 6.17 grade in their eval, listing him as a "good backup with the potential to develop into a starter."

That was no backup we saw Saturday night. Seven quarterbacks took the field at MetLife Stadium; four for the Giants and three for the Jets. Dart was better than all of them, and it wasn't even close. Head coach Brian Daboll has a real dilemma on his hands. On the one hand, it makes perfect sense to start the season with Wilson at the helm. Clearly someone at NFL headquarters has a sick sense of humor, because the Giants, coming off a 3-14 campaign in 2024, wound up with the toughest schedule of any team in the league this season. Throwing a promising young talent like Dart into that gauntlet could have disastrous consequences for the Giants. And if there's one thing this franchise can ill afford to do is fuck up another young quarterback. John Mara will skin both Daboll and Schoen alive if that happens.

On the other hand, while Wilson has been good, he's been on a downward trajectory since the 2020 season. At this point in his career, he is nothing more than a bridge to a successor. At least when the Giants signed Warner in '04, he was three years removed from his second Super Bowl appearance and led the league in passing yards with 4830 that season. Daboll, after two very disappointing years in which the fanbase was calling for his head, could hardly be blamed for wanting to roll the dice with the player he moved heaven and earth to land.

What to do? That is the question. If I were a betting man - and I'm not - I'd put my money on Wilson being the stater week one, with Dart as the backup. That means that Jameis Winston, whom Schoen signed to a two-year, $8 million guaranteed contract during the offseason, will likely be traded for a draft pick. No sense having an $8m asset on your books when you already have a bonafide starter waiting in the wings. And besides, the way Tommy DeVito has played this preseason, if he gets cut, he'll be picked up by another team quicker than you can say, "you want mashed potatoes with those cutlets?"

As for when Daboll makes the switch to Dart, I'm thinking week 10. That's because the first nine weeks of the schedule will be particularly daunting. Just take a gander at who the Giants play:

@ the Washington Commanders

@ the Dallas Cowboys

vs the Kansas City Chiefs

vs the L.A. Chargers

@ the New Orleans Saints

vs the Philadelphia Eagles

@ the Denver Broncos

@ the Philadelphia Eagles

vs the San Francisco 49ers

If they go 3-6 during that stretch, they'll be lucky. I've been a fan of the Giants since the dark days of Joe Pisarcik and John McVay. I've seen the football gods smile and frown on them. Trust me, they took a dump on the 50 yard line with this schedule. As much as I want to see Dart be the starting quarterback, I'd rather he not do it from inside a rubber room.

No, the sensible thing to do is let Wilson take his lumps as the starter in the first half. Then after week nine, thank him for his service, send him to the nearest triage unit, and have Dart close out the season.

If the Giants don't screw this up, they'll be in good shape for 2026 and beyond.

Of course when it comes to the Giants, "if" is a four-letter word. 

Joe Schoen Doesn't Pull a Gettleman

Going into the 2019 NFL Draft, New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman was looking for a successor to Eli Manning. The previous year, he used the number one overall pick to draft Saquon Barkley. Landing a franchise running back and a franchise quarterback in consecutive drafts would've been quite the feather in Gettleman's cap.

Unfortunately for Gettleman, the quarterback he wanted - Justin Herbert - decided to stay one more year at Oregon. So instead of waiting until 2020 to get his man, Gettleman took Daniel Jones with the 6th pick in the 2019 Draft. To say that pick was a reach would be putting it mildly. Every single draft board had Jones as a late first or early second-rounder at best. Compounding the issue was the fact that the Giants had two first round picks that year - 6 and 17 - meaning they could've taken linebacker Josh Allen with the 6th pick and still had Jones at 17.

While Jones has struggled to deliver on his promise, Allen has become one of the NFL's best edge rushers. Last season he recorded 17.5 sacks. And Herbert, who was drafted by the L.A. Chargers the following year - ironically at 6 - is one of the best signal callers in the league.

Credit Joe Schoen this much: the man takes good notes. Going into this year’s NFL Draft, the Giants once again had the 6th overall pick. J.J. McCarthy of Michigan was sitting there just waiting to be snatched up. His former coach, Jim Harbaugh, raved about him, calling him the best quarterback in the Draft.

But Schoen wasn't biting. In fact, he tried to move up to number 3 to get Drake Maye, whom he believed to be a much better QB, but the New England Patriots were not interested in trading down. So instead of reaching like his predecessor did five years ago, he took the best available player on the board.

Malik Nabers is unquestionably the most dynamic and explosive wide receiver in this year's draft class. The Giants haven’t had a player with this much talent at that position since Odell Beckham, Jr. With the departure of Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles during the offseason, Nabers instantly becomes this team's number one offensive weapon. Whatever else you might say about how bad things went for the Giants last season, the front office had itself a pretty good night last night.

True, the Giants are still stuck with Jones for at least another season. With the contract he signed last year, there's no way in hell they can cut him; the dead cap hit alone would be $69.3 million. So, like it or not, Danny Dimes will get one more shot to prove he's a franchise quarterback. But this time he'll have an elite receiver to throw the ball to.

As for Schoen, his work is not done. He still needs to find a replacement for Xavier McKinney, who bolted for the Green Bay Packers over the winter. Then there's the offensive line, which continues to need help. In other words, there's plenty of holes still left to fill for Joe.

So far, I'd give him an A for the first day of the draft; overall, an A minus for his tenure as general manger. And that's more than I can say for the guy he replaced.

A Tale of Two Halves

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

- Charles Dickens
 

Wow, who knew Dickens was a Giants fan?

As they limped off the field at halftime in Glendale, Arizona, the Jints were trailing the Cardinals 20-0. The only reason it wasn't 27-0 was because Cardinals quarterback Joshua Hobbs missed a wide open Zach Ertz near the end zone.

Over their first six quarters, the Giants had been blanked. The last two teams to pull off that "feat" were the 1992 Patriots and the 1978 Colts. Big Blue had five possessions in the first half: three punts, an interception and a sack to end the half. There was little reason to believe things would be any different in the second half. 

And then, as if inspired by divine intervention, the Giants had a second half for the ages, outscoring the Cardinals 31-8. They converted on all five of their possessions, including the game-winning field goal with 19 seconds left. Daniel Jones completed 17 of 21 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 44 yards and the team's first touchdown of the year. And just like that, a season of light has pre-empted - for now - a season of darkness. Dickens couldn't have scripted it any better.

The Giants 20 point comeback was their largest in the Super Bowl era. The previous largest comeback in the Super Bowl era was 19 points in Week 9 of the 1970 season against the Washington Redskins. As any sports fan who was around at the time knows, the '70s were not particularly kind to both New York area football teams, especially the Giants.

Let's not mince words here. The Giants pulled a rabbit out of the hat - figuratively speaking - with that second half performance. They were being dominated on both sides of the ball by a Cardinals team that even with Kyler Murray at the helm in 2022 managed to win just four games. Going into this season, Arizona was the odds-on favorite to land the number one pick in the '24 draft. A Giants loss would've ostensibly ended their season. 

Even with the win, Big Blue is still not out of the woods. That's because their next four games will be against playoff teams, three of which are considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders. If the Giants have any hope of winning any of them, they must avoid the kind of putrid play they displayed over the first six quarters of their season.

Whatever pearls of wisdom head coach Brian Daboll bestowed on his troops at halftime Sunday - and I would loved to have been a fly on the wall in that locker room - he'd be well advised to repeat before they take the field at Levi's Stadium Thursday night. Because I can assure you if the Giants fall behind 20-0 against the 49ers in the first half, there will be no miraculous comeback in the second half. Pound for pound, San Francisco might be the most complete team in the NFL. If the Giants don't bring their "A" game, things will get ugly fast, and they will stay that way. You can bet the ranch on that, and your kids tuition, as well.

Unfortunately, that "A" game will be missing an important cog. Saquon Barkley injured his right ankle on the last Giants possession of the game and had to be helped off the field. An MRI revealed a normal ankle sprain, meaning the all-pro running back will likely miss the next two to three games. Without Barkley in the backfield, Jones will have to carry the offensive load. To some extent, this might be the best thing that could've happened to the Giants. Sooner or later, they are going to have to find out whether their $160 million quarterback is the next Eli Manning or the next Kenny Pickett. Now is as good a time as any.

Yes, Sunday's comeback win was indeed something to behold. Giants fans who were despondent after the first 30 minutes, were jubilant after the game. How long that jubilance lasts, however, remains to be seen.

Yes, Eli Manning Belongs In the Hall of Fame

That was quite a nice game Daniel Jones had against the Redskins. 28 for 42, 352 yards, five touchdowns and, most importantly, no turnovers. Whatever else you can say about this abysmal season, one thing's for certain: the Giants have found their quarterback. Jones is the real deal. Going into week 17, he has thrown for 2726 yards and 23 touchdowns - both franchise records for a rookie QB, going all the way back to Charlie Conerly in 1948. While he has had a problem with fumbles, his TD to Int ratio 23 to 11 is better than what Sam Darnold - his counterpart on the Jets - posted in his rookie year. It's now all too apparent that he was the best QB taken in the 2019 draft. Imagine where this team might've been if they had had any defense this year.

But while the future certainly looks bright with Jones under center, the man who started his last game for the team against the Dolphins last week will likely be out of football when the season comes to a close. And when that happens the discussion will immediately pivot to whether he belongs in Canton. Let me just cut right to the chase here. Yes, Eli Manning deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Just compare and contrast his stats with another Hall of Fame QB: Joe Namath.

Manning:
Completion %: 60.3; TD-Int ratio: 366-244; Total Yards: 57,023.

Namath:

Completion %: 50.1; TD-Int ratio: 173-220; Total Yards: 27,663.

Yes, Broadway Joe will forever be remembered for his "guarantee" win over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, and, yes, he was hobbled by injuries throughout his career, but Eli beat the greatest quarterback in NFL history not once, but twice in Super Bowls 42 and 46. And he was the MVP in both games. You wanna say he was lucky? Fine, but was he lucky twice? I doubt it. Consider this: as incredible as Ron Swaboda's catch in the '69 World Series was, there's no way in hell he makes that catch again. Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.

My point is that every successful athlete at some point has lady luck shine on them, but the truly great ones, more often than not, make their own luck. And Eli, when his team needed him the most, came through in the clutch. No he wasn't as prolific as his brother Peyton, but in the postseason he was a better quarterback than Peyton. And as I wrote in an earlier piece, had this franchise done a better job of providing him with the weapons he needed, he might've had a third ring.

The sad truth is that Eli is going to be judged for the last six years of his career; a period that admittedly wasn't as spectacular as his first ten. And that's both unfortunate and unfair. Show me one potential hall of fame quarterback who could win with the team Eli was saddled with. I doubt even Tom Brady would be able to overcome this level of incompetence. What John Mara and Steve Tisch have allowed to happen to this once proud franchise is a disgrace. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Look, if it was up to me, Eli would be in the Hall of Fame in a heartbeat. Pound for pound, he was the best signal caller the franchise has ever had. He belongs in the Hall of Fame, right up there with fellow Giant Lawrence Taylor. To not punch his ticket to Canton would be to do a disservice to a good man who has done nothing but distinguish himself for an organization that in my opinion never truly appreciated what it had.

End of an Era.

Before I proceed to slice and dice the New York Giants for the brutal way in which they handled this whole, ugly affair, I wanted to say a few things about Eli Manning first.

With the exception of Lawrence Taylor, who was the best defensive player I ever saw play the game, no one had a bigger or more profound impact on this franchise than number 10. Eli was a class act and a true professional. He's the only quarterback in NFL history who can boast with pride that he beat Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl. And I'm also pretty sure he's the only quarterback who went into Lambeau Field twice and beat Brett Favre and Aaron Rogers in a playoff game; the former in sub-freezing conditions, the latter against a 15-1 team. Had Jerry Reese done a better job of drafting offensive linemen during his tenure, Manning might well have won a third title, that's how good he was.

Many "critics" have opined about how Manning's skills have deteriorated over the last few years. You try getting your ass pile driven into the turf six, seven, eight times a game and let's see how your skills hold up. The fact that he hasn't missed a game due to injury in his entire 16 year career is nothing short of miraculous, given how little protection he's had the last six seasons. Were it not for Ben McAdoo's decision to bench him for, of all players, Gino Smith in 2017, he would've entered week three of this season having started 233 consecutive games, second only behind Favre. Not bad for a guy the so-called experts said was overrated.

For all the talk about how great the David Tyree and Mario Manningham catches were in Super Bowls 42 and 46 respectively - and they were great - the fact is that it was Manning who delivered both throws. The Manningham ball, in particular, was perfectly placed. Had it been thrown slightly to the left, Manningham would not have been able to catch it; had it been just to the right, it would've been batted away. Without those plays, the Patriots and not the Giants would've won both games. That's why Manning, and not Brady, was the MVP in those contests. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, New England fans.

On behalf of every Giants fan out there, I wanted to say thank you, Eli, for all the great memories. I still have your jersey and I will wear it proudly this Sunday when your team goes up against Tampa. Daniel Jones has some mighty big shoes to fill.

And now onto the main course.

Once more, this franchise botched what should've been a graceful transition. Dave Gettleman's refusal to admit that the Giants were in rebuilding mode when he took control over a year ago, meant that the team was compelled to retain Manning and his $23 million salary going into this season. It's now painfully obvious that he was going to select a quarterback in this year's draft, having passed on one last year. Fine, I have no problem with that. I'll say it again: Saquon Barkley was the best player in the 2018 draft. You don't pass on a generational player like that.

But if Gettleman was determined to choose a quarterback in 2019, he should've jettisoned Manning before the season began and put that money to work where it was sorely needed: the secondary. It was inevitable, given how well Jones performed during the preseason, that he was going to eventually be named the starter. Gettleman could've chosen to do what the Jets did a year earlier: let his number one draft pick learn how to be a successful quarterback under center rather than on the sidelines. I'm not saying the Giants' record would've been any better with Jones as the starter, but at least the expectations would've been set a whole lot lower.

So now this team, with arguably the worst secondary in the league and a front seven that at best is below average, has a $23 million quarterback riding the bench and a rookie quarterback at the helm. And for that, owner John Mara must take full responsibility. It was undoubtedly his call to keep Manning this season, rather than release him and allow him to sign with another NFL team that could've used his services. Imagine Eli taking over the reigns in Pittsburgh, where Ben Roethlisberger is done for the season. Or perhaps landing in Jacksonville to take over for Nick Foles, who is also out for the remainder of the year. How sweet would it have been to see Eli reunited with Tom Coughlin? Now he's forced to sit while Jones starts in his place. If you don't think that's humiliating, you've never watched a football game in your life. There are bench players in this league that are treated better.

Face it: the Giants are the laughing stock of the NFL. Their ownership and G.M. have managed to take a bad football team and somehow make it worse. Going into this season I thought they might go 7-9. As things stand now, they'll be lucky if they match last year's record of 5-11. But one thing's for certain, the man who proudly wore number 10 for 16 seasons had nothing to do with this train wreck. In fact, had his team performed with the same level of professionalism he exhibited game in and game out, I dare say the Giants would be one of the league's premier teams; right up there with the Patriots.

Predicting Where the Giants Will Finish

The last time I made a prediction regarding the Giants was six years ago; let's just say that one didn't turn out so well. I had them in the Super Bowl against the Ravens. The Jints finished 7-9 that year. Oh, well.

That being said, I think that those who are predicting this team will finish 3-13 or 4-12 might be in for a shock. No, I'm not predicting they're going to be in the Super Bowl. I'm not making that mistake again. But I do think they will be better than last year, when they went 5-11. That's because of two factors: one, their schedule is somewhat easier than last year's; two, their offensive line is considerably better than last year's.

And it's the latter that will ultimately determine the fate of this team. I feel bad for Eli Manning. Over the last six seasons he has had to play behind arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL. Think about it: he's the same age as Philip Rivers and Ben Roethlisberger, and he's younger than Tom Brady. Yet no one has asked if any of these quarterbacks are over the hill. That's because the organizations these quarterbacks play for have given each of them the tools they've needed to succeed. The Giants, for some unknown reason, have left Eli out in the cold to fend for himself. And for a man who moves about as fast as glaciers melt, that has spelled disaster for him and his team.

But in the second half of last year, there were signs that this beleaguered offensive line was starting to jell. Both free agent Nate Solder and first year starter Will Hernandez got their legs under them. Eli finally had the time he needed to throw and the team went 4-4. The season finale at Met Life against the Cowboys went down to the wire. Only a last minute touchdown by Cole Beasley saved Dallas from a stunning loss.

This season, the offensive line will be even better with the additions of Kevin Zeitler and Mike Remmers, plus the return of Jon Halapio who broke his leg in week two last season. Granted, it still is ranked only 17th in the league, but given where it was last season, that's saying a lot. When you consider that last year the Giants scored the most points in their division, it's reasonable to assume that this year's team will score even more.

And they will need to. That's because the defense, which was a sieve last season, could be even worse this year. Dave Gettleman's decision to pass on Josh Allen with the 6th overall pick meant they lost an opportunity to draft a premiere pass rusher. Dexter Lawrence, who they took at 17, is good at stopping the run, but is a huge question mark against the pass. With this secondary, if the Jints can't get to the QB, Eli might have to put up 40 points a game just to have a shot at winning.

Overall, though, I like this Giants team's chances more than last year's. Saquon Barkley will improve upon his stellar rookie season and the receiving corps will more than compensate for the loss of Odell Beckham Jr., who is now Cleveland's headache. They should have no problem splitting the first four games, and if they stay healthy, they will be in the playoff hunt going into the last couple of games of the season.

Barring John Mara and Gettleman switching to Daniel Jones halfway through the season, which I don't think is likely given how both feel about Eli, I predict a 7-9 record and a third place finish.

Daniel Jones Has Earned the Right To Start

Before we go any further, let me just reiterate what I wrote back in April. The decision to draft Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick was a big mistake. By all accounts, not one NFL team had Jones rated that high on their board. The Giants could’ve drafted Josh Allen 6th overall and Jones would’ve still been available at 17. Having said that, and after having seen him in the preseason, it’s clear that of all the quarterbacks taken in the 2019 draft, Jones is by far the best of the lot. It’s not even close.

Just look at the stats. After 3 preseason games, Jones’s passer rating of 140 is off the charts. He has completed an astounding 83.3 percent of his passes, going 25 of 30 for 369 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Compare and contrast him with Dwayne Haskins – the quarterback everyone wanted the Giants to take. He’s completed just 22 of 41 passes – a 53.7 completion percentage - for 305 yards with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions and a passer rating of just 66.

And Jones has looked good both in the pocket as well as in the shotgun. He has thrown the deep ball well, which was a huge question mark with him, and more importantly, he has thrown the ball where only his receivers can catch it; a feat that Eli Manning still hasn’t mastered after 15 seasons. The kid has handled himself better than could be expected, given the controversy surrounding his drafting. If there’s such a thing as ice water in a person’s veins, Jones’s nickname should be Mr. Freeze.

Based on his performance, he has earned the right to start the regular season under center. Yes I know Manning is the starter, and yes I know he’s getting paid over $23 million. You don’t pay that kind of money to a bench player. But let’s be honest here for a moment. Unless Eli and the Giants get off to a fast start, you and I both know the boo birds will be chanting “We want Jones” every incomplete pass or interception Eli throws. Do Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur – not to mention John Mara and Steve Tisch – really want that nightmare hanging over this team the entire year. Face it, if the plan is to not sign Eli for 2020, then it’s only a matter of time before the kid takes over the reigns. The longer this drags out, the more painful it will be for all involved.

Loyalty is a good thing; and this franchise has certainly been loyal to Eli. And he has repaid that loyalty by being a good soldier. But there comes a point where loyalty has to take a back seat to common sense. If Jones had had, say, an average preseason like Haskins, then I would say sit him for a year and let Eli play out the string. But Jones has had anything but an average preseason. In fact, he’s been exceptional. With a revamped offensive line in front of him, the best running back in the league in Saquon Barkley behind him and a number of talented receivers who are more than capable, Jones will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. It’s not like he’s going to be Kyler Murray out there.

Deep down, Manning knows the end is near. 15 years ago, he was the new kid on the block who took over for a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Football, like all other sports, is a business. And that business can be cruel and exacting. But it is what it is. Mara’s responsibility, first and foremost, is not to consider the feelings of any one player, but to look after the long-term interests of the team. And those long-term interests are best served by making Jones the starter now.

This Thursday, Jones will start against the Patriots in the last preseason game. It'll be the toughest test of his brief NFL career. If he continues to perform the way he has so far, Shurmur will be faced with the toughest decision of his coaching career.

Look, what Eli Manning has done for this franchise is incalculable and will be hard, if not impossible, to replicate. After all, it isn't every quarterback who can boast that he beat Tom Brady twice in the Super Bowl. Those accomplishments notwithstanding, he shouldn't be allowed to determine when he rides off into the sunset.

Big Blew!

So much for not forcing a pick. So much for a plan.

The Giants went into this year's NFL draft with two glaring needs: pass rusher and offensive line help. They ended up with three first round picks - one via a trade - and failed to address any of them. To say this was an epic fail would be putting it mildly. I've watched this organization pull some boners over the years, but nothing could've prepared me for what happened last night.

First, thanks to the Raiders choosing Clelin Ferrell with the fourth overall pick, the Giants were guaranteed a shot at getting a defensive stud at number 6. Once Tampa took Devin White at 5, the only question that remained was whether the Jints would snag Josh Allen or Ed Oliver. Either would've been a solid pick that would've instantly stepped in as a play maker on defense. Instead, Dave Gettleman chose Daniel Jones, a quarterback that most football experts thought was a late first rounder at best and will likely sit at least a year, maybe two, behind Eli Manning.

There is no excuse for this pick. Even if Gettleman "loved" the guy, he could've had him at 17. Once they passed on Dwayne Haskins - which several mock drafts had going to them at 6 - the urgency of picking Jones early went out the window. Given that the Broncos at 10 traded down with the Steelers and the Redskins ended up with Haskins at 15, the Giants could've had their cake and eaten it too just by being patient. Imagine landing your edge rusher AND your quarterback of the future in the same round without having to trade up. Now that's what I call killing two birds with one stone.

But the news only got worse for the Giants as the evening progressed. After Gettleman passed up Allen at 6, Tom Coughlin's Jaguars took care of business and took him at 7. Then the Bills snatched up Oliver, the other stud the Giants could've had, with the 9th pick. Then, one by one, every defensive player who could've made a difference, from Devin Bush to Rashan Gary to Brian Burns, came off the board. By the time the 17th pick came around, Gettleman was forced to settle for Dexter Lawrence, who's basically a nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme. And while he's outstanding against the run, he's somewhat average as a pass rusher. In three years at Clemson, Lawrence had a grand total of 10 sacks. Allen, by comparison, had 17 in his final year at Kentucky. So instead of drafting a potential hall of fame linebacker, ala a Carl Banks, the Giants come up with, at best, a two-down lineman who will likely play out of position because they already have a nose tackle.

The only saving grace was Deandre Baker, a highly regarded cornerback, whom the Giants traded back into the first round to get. The price tag was one of their three 4th round picks along with their 2nd rounder. They traded up from 37 to 30 to get a player they likely could've gotten had they stayed put. So, to sum up, no premium pass rusher, no offensive line help for Eli, and a slightly above average to mediocre quarterback who will likely go down as the next Dave Brown. Astonishing!

Spare me the ridiculous Kansas City model comparisons. For one thing, Daniel Jones is no Pat Mahomes. For another, the Chiefs are a winning organization with talented people in charge of it. The Giants, from the looks of it, are run by the Three Stooges, and two of them are named John Mara and Steve Tisch. Mara's father, Wellington, must be spinning in his grave.

The thing that hurts the most is that I defended Gettleman when he traded Odell Beckham, Jr. last month. I thought then, and still do, that it was the right move. Beckham's act was getting old fast. Despite his considerable talent, he never delivered in the clutch. The only winning season the Giants had in his five-year stint was 2016, and as I pointed out, that was because of a great defense. The good people of Cleveland will now have to contend with his antics.

I also defended his decision to pick Saquon Barkley over a quarterback with the overall 2nd pick in 2018. I agreed with him that he was the best player in the draft that year, and nothing I've seen since has convinced me otherwise. The rule is you always choose the best player on the board when it's your turn to pick. It was the case last year, and it should've been the case this year. Gettleman's decision to ignore that rule could end up costing the Giants dearly. It is well understood that if you go for a quarterback and he doesn't work out, it can set your organization back years. It's been 42 years since Joe Namath retired and how many quarterbacks have the Jets drafted trying to find a suitable replacement? Even now, they still don't know if Sam Darnold is the real deal.

The moral of the story is that Super Bowl quarterbacks don't grow on trees. The Giants have been fortunate indeed to have two that have taken them to the promised land: Phil Simms and Eli Manning. And while the latter may be a couple years passed his expiration date, that's still no excuse for forcing the issue, especially when next year's class of quarterbacks looks like it'll be considerably better than this year's.

That Dave Gettleman didn't know that is deeply disturbing; that the owners of the Giants didn't find that out before hand is even worse.

Addition By Subtraction

Sorry this took so long; I would've written it earlier but I was trying to decide whether to jump off a bridge or just hang myself. Seriously, based on the responses I've been reading on social media and from the so-called football experts, you'd have thought the world came to an end yesterday. "The Giants got fleeced." "Worst trade since Ruth."

Let's be very clear here. Dave Gettleman did not break up the '79 Steelers. Yes, Odell Beckham, Jr. is a world-class receiver who now has a chance to turn the Cleveland Browns into a legitimate playoff contender - MAYBE - but the fact is that in the five years he played for the Giants, they had exactly one winning season - 11-5 with a wildcard berth in 2016 - and that was owed almost exclusively to one of the best overall defenses in the league.

His receptions were the stuff of legend, I get it. In fact, I can still remember that one-handed catch he made against the Cowboys at Met Life stadium on a Sunday night. Al Michaels to this day hasn't stopped hyperventilating over it. By the way, in case you were wondering, the Giants lost that game, along with so many of the games in which Beckham made otherworldly grabs. And that was the problem. He may have played as though he were descended from Mount Olympus, but his teammates never benefited from all that greatness.

And then there were the headaches. When you live among the gods, it's hard relating to mere mortals, and Beckham had more than his fair share of moments when the wrong thing would come out of his mouth. Last season's interview with ESPN in which he criticized the offensive play calling as well as his own quarterback may have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Yes, some of his concerns were valid, but the point is you don't throw your fellow players under the bus.

And who can forget the game against Carolina three years ago where Beckham got into a physical altercation with Panthers' cornerback Josh Norman. It was a disgraceful performance that earned Beckham a one-game suspension, and may very well have been responsible for accelerating the end of Tom Coughlin's coaching career. The Browns will now have the "pleasure" of dealing with his nonsense.

Face it, despite his talent, Beckham had become a distraction for this organization. For a team looking to rebuild, this was the best and only move they could've made. Frankly, given what the Steelers got for Antonio Brown - a third and fifth round pick - I’m kinda surprised Gettleman got the haul he did. In return for a troubled receiver that never got his team over the hump, the Giants landed the Browns' first and third round picks, plus a very good safety. The only downside to the trade is that because of the way his contract was structured, the Giants are saddled with $16 million in dead cap space. Ouch!

But apart from that bit of bad news, they can now go after Haskins with the 6th overall pick, assuming he’s still on the board by the time their turn comes up, and with the 17th pick they can choose a premium pass rusher. And if they still elect to trade for Josh Rosen, they can package a third and fourth round pick to get him without touching their top picks. In other words, Gettleman has a lot of leverage. If he doesn't trade any of them, he will have a total of 12 picks at his disposal to retool this team: both number ones, two picks in both the fourth and seventh round, three picks in the fifth, as well as single picks in the second, third and sixth.

Naturally, all this assumes that Gettleman has a good draft, but given his results from last year, I'm not that worried. With the exception of fourth rounder Kyle Lauletta, I thought the Giants had a pretty good draft. Second rounder Will Hernandez is a solid offensive lineman and both third rounders - Lorenzo Carter and B.J. Hill  - have been two of the few bright spots on an otherwise dreary defense. If anything, Gettleman has more picks to work with this year than he did last year.

Look, I'm not defending every move Gettleman has made. Why he didn't trade Landon Collins last season when he might've gotten a third rounder in return is baffling to say the least. And he did overpay for Nate Solder. But the first trade he made with Cleveland in which he got offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler in return for under-achieving linebacker Olivier Vernon sorely addressed a team need and saved $1.5 million in cap space, to boot.

In fact, the only major decision Gettleman has to make - apart from who he picks in the draft - is whether to bring back Eli Manning for what will likely be his last year in big blue. The 38 year old is set to make $23 million this season, but $5 million of that is from a bonus that's due to be paid March 17. If Gettleman decides to release Manning now, he would save that money and the dead cap hit would only be $6 million, but then that would mean turning over the reigns to a rookie quarterback on day one. I'm not sure Gettleman wants to put that much pressure on Haskins or Lock or whomever he picks as his next signal caller.

Bottom line, I think the Giants are in a better position now than they were 24 hours ago. No they aren't going to the playoffs, much less win a Super Bowl. But then only an incurable optimist would've thought they were a contender prior to the Beckham trade. When it comes to running a sports organization, I subscribe to the Bill Parcells theory: if you can't win with what you have, tear it down and start over.

If we know anything about the NFL, it's that, with the exception of the Patriots, a team's fortunes can turn on a dime. This year's rebuild can become next year's playoff team. Want proof? Take a look at the '83 and '84 Giants teams. The former finished in last place; the latter made the postseason.

Exploring the Options for Giants on Draft Day

There's one thing everyone can agree with. There's no Saquon Barkley in this year's NFL draft. That's not to say there aren't a lot of talented players who could make a difference, but generational players like Barkley don't grow on trees. The Giants were indeed fortunate to land him with the overall number two pick last year.

This year, however, the Giants have the sixth pick in the draft and there are several options available to them. Do they finally pick a quarterback to take over for Eli Manning? If so, which one? Do they trade for a quarterback and use their number one to shore up one of the weakest front seven of any defense unit in the league? Or do they use it to draft an offensive lineman to protect Eli for what will likely be his last year in blue?

A lot depends on what the Arizona Cardinals do with the overall number one pick. Rumors continue to persist that despite drafting UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen with the tenth pick in last year's draft, the Cardinals are seriously contemplating drafting Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. Viewed by many as the best QB in this class, Murray would instantly become the starter, thus relegating Rosen either to the bench or to some other team's roster via a trade.

If that scenario does indeed play out, where would Rosen land? The Jacksonville Jaguars could certainly use a quarterback, but reports indicate that they are almost certain to sign former Eagle and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. If that happens, that would be sweet music to Giants' GM Dave Gettleman, because it would mean that the Jags would not leapfrog in front of him to draft a QB, and it would also mean that there's one less team that Rosen could be traded to, thus keeping open to option to trade for him.

Why would Gettleman trade for Rosen? Two reasons. One, he made a very good impression with the Giants at last year's combine, particularly ownership, who were quite taken with his maturity. His passing skills were rated as the best among that year's class, and despite a rough rookie year, there are a lot of knowledgeable people around the league who still believe he has what it takes to be a number one quarterback.

Secondly, if Gettleman can get Eli's heir apparent without having to part with either of his top two picks, that would give him the chips he so desperately needs to address the biggest problem staring down this franchise: the defense. Put succinctly, this is one the best drafts for defensive linemen we've seen in quite some time. Ohio State's Nick Bosa, Alabama's Quinnen Williams and Kentucky's Josh Allen are clearly the best of a deep lot, and all three could well be gone by the time the Giants pick. But that leaves a lot of excellent players, such as Houston's Ed Oliver, Mississippi State's Montez Sweat, Clemson's Christian Wilkins, Michigan's Rashan Gary and Ohio State's Dre' Mont Jones still on the board.

In fact, if that is where Gettleman is going, I wouldn't be one bit surprised if he trades down - not up - and winds up with not just an excellent pass rusher but an outstanding offensive lineman. Imagine a scenario in which the Giants swap number one picks with the Dolphins - currently 13th - and end up getting a second and third round pick. They could still get an outstanding defensive lineman, plus use one of the second round picks to shore up the offensive line. Perhaps Cody Ford falls into his lap. And with the other second round pick, plus the third they picked up, they could address the secondary. Talk about retooling on the fly.

But if that's too rich for your blood, there's always the possibility that Gettleman will stand pat and hope that Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins is still available by the time they pick sixth. There's no doubt that this New Jersey native has what it takes to be a star in the NFL. The kid threw 50 touchdowns! And what better storyline for the Giants than to have a homegrown player take the reigns of his child-hood team.

But given how highly rated Haskins is, that's quite a gamble. The Raiders - currently at number 4 - could decide at the last minute they don't think Derek Carr has what it takes to lead them back to the promised land and pick Haskins. With three number one picks in this draft, they could use the other two to fill holes on their defensive and offensive lines. Hell, they just acquired Antonio Brown from the Steelers for a song and a prayer. And then there's the Redskins sitting at number 15. What if they don't feel like waiting for Alex Smith's broken leg to heal and decide to trade up? Yes, they acquired Case Keenum from the Broncos. So what? If Keenum is your idea of a starting quarterback get used to finishing no better than 8-8.

So what do I think will happen? Well, I don't think Gettleman will trade up to get Haskins, so that's out. If Arizona picks Murray, and they're reasonable as to the asking price for Rosen - say a 4th and 7th rounder - the Giants have their quarterback for the future. They will then take a defensive lineman with their first round pick and perhaps an offensive lineman with their second.

One thing I can predict. There will be a lot more wheelin' and dealin' at this year's draft than last year's, and don't be too surprised if the Giants are one of the teams doing the wheelin' and dealin'.

Why the Giants Had To Pick Barkley

In the end it was a no brainer. The New York Giants, sitting with the number two pick in the first round of the NFL draft, had an opportunity to grab what they, and every football expert, thought was the best player on the board. That player was Penn State running back Saquon Barkley. So when the Cleveland Browns selected Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, all that was left for Dave Gettleman to do was wait the obligatory ten minutes before informing Roger Goodell of his decision; a decision, as it turns out, he had made from the moment he became the Giants GM.

To those who say Gettleman should've chosen a quarterback with his pick, I would respectfully disagree. Yes, I know Eli Manning is 37 and, yes, I also know it's been several seasons since he displayed the kind of traits that earned him elite status among NFL quarterbacks. And I'm also painfully aware that teams seldom find themselves in the position the Giants were in to lock in a franchise quarterback. Logic dictates that when you have that kind of opportunity, you cash in on it.

But here's the thing: not one of these four so-called franchise quarterbacks that were talked about as first rounders stood out. All had their good points and all had areas of concern.

For instance, UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen was considered the best pure passer of the four, but there were concerns about his health - he had sustained two concussions and missed part of his junior year with a shoulder injury. Then there was his personal makeup - he thinks he's the smartest guy in the room. After he was chosen 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals, Rosen, clearly with a chip on his shoulder, bemoaned that the nine teams before the Cardinals had made a huge mistake that he would make them pay for. Even in a city like New York, that's too much attitude. Can you imagine him with Odell Beckham, Jr on the same field? There wouldn't be enough oxygen left in Met Life Stadium.

Next up was Sam Darnold, the USC quarterback chosen by the Jets with the number three pick. I thought he was the best of the four, but his propensity for turning the ball over was a huge problem. During his two years at USC - did I forget to tell you he's only 20? - Darnold would often force the ball into coverage leading to interceptions. He also would hold onto it way too long leading to fumbles. Sound familiar Giants fans?

As for Baker Mayfield and Wyoming's Josh Allen, neither of them in my opinion was worth such a lofty pick. Mayfield is only six feet tall and lacks the mental discipline needed for an NFL quarterback.  I still can't figure out the Cleveland Browns. They have two of the first four picks in the draft and they end up with the third rated quarterback and the fourth rated defensive player. Go figure. As for Allen, he may have a canon for an arm, but his 56 percent completion rate ranks among the lowest in this class. Well, at least he won't mind the weather in Buffalo.

Put simply there wasn't one Peyton Manning or John Elway among this lot. Hell, I doubt there was even an Eli Manning available. And that's the reason you don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole. Picking a quarterback this high that doesn't pan out can set your franchise back a decade. Just look at how many years the Miami Dolphins have been trying to find another Dan Marino.

Like it or not, star quarterbacks don't grow on trees, but transformational running backs like Barkley can turn a losing team around just like that. Just look at the Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott is a talented quarterback who will likely have a long career ahead of him. But make no mistake about it: it's running back Ezekiel Elliott that makes that team go. In his rookie year, the Cowboys went 13-3; prior to his arrival, the team went 4-12. Don't think for a moment Gettleman wasn't aware of that before the draft. Manning might be in the twilight of his career, but with Barkley touching the ball, say 20 or 30 times, it could be one helluva twilight.

Whether you're picking second or twenty-second, the rule is the same: you pick the best talented player on the board. Period. That's what Gettleman did when he chose Barkley. It's why the Giants are a much better team today than they were yesterday.

Reese's Pieces

So now that Tom Coughlin has "resigned" as Giants' head coach, the sixty-four thousand question that begs to be answered is why didn't Jerry Reese "resign" as well. Because if it's fair game to hold Coughlin accountable for how the wheels came off this season, it's only reasonable to hold Reese accountable for providing the wheels in the first place.

Look, Coughlin did a poor job this year. That's fairly obvious, but he didn't exactly have the '72 Dolphins to work with. It is the G.M.'s job to give his coach the tools to win and Reese has done a lousy job. The offense, save for Eli Manning and Odell Beckham, Jr, is paper thin, and the once vaunted defense is the worst in the NFL. That wasn't Coughlin's fault. Indeed, the two-time Superbowl-winning coach had almost no support from his front office. Jerry Reese took the reigns from Ernie Accorsi who had carefully built two championship teams.

In addition to drafting Manning, the list of players Accorsi either drafted or signed includes Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Antonio Pierce, Chris Snee, Plaxico Burress, Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. He also hired Coughlin. By comparison, Reese brought in Victor Cruz, Jason Pierre Paul and Beckham and little more. While all three were considerable additions, they weren't nearly enough to propel the team by themselves. As Accorsi's players either retired or departed for other teams, Reese's replacements couldn't cut it.

Whoever the Giants pick to coach the team in 2016, this much is certain: if Reese doesn't do a considerably better job at bringing in talent, the results will be the same. Another disappointing season and another year in which Eli Manning will not have a shot at winning a Superbowl. The Mara family has a long history of being patient, sometimes to a fault, with their employees. They certainly showed that patience with Coughlin. Virtually any other coach would've been fired a year or two ago. Just look at what happened to Chip Kelly after just one losing season in Philadelphia. But their reluctance to fire Reese might well come back to haunt them. While Reese may be only the third general manager since 1979, he is by far the least effective.

And now he is tasked with rebuilding a team he had a huge role in dismembering.

Nightmare at Dallas

I was going to title this posting Return of the Fumble, but the above title will suffice. Besides, there was only one true culprit that November day at the Meadowlands and at least Bob Gibson, the offensive coordinator who called that ridiculous play, got his just deserts. Last Sunday's loss had a litany of villains.

Let's start with the head coach. It pains me to say this, but Tom Coughlin needs to go. He simply isn't up to handling a team the way a head coach needs to. There is simply no excuse for him not making sure his assistant coach and quarterback were on the same page. With just under 2 minutes left in the game, up by three and the ball at the 2 yard line, with no timeouts left for Dallas, how in the world do you allow a pass play to be called by your offensive coordinator? The correct call is a run up the middle. If you get in, the game is over; if you don't, you run another 40 seconds off the clock and you kick a field goal. The Cowboys would have about 58 seconds left in which to march the length of the field instead of a minute 38 seconds. Tom blew it big time.

But even allowing for the Coughlin meltdown, Eli Manning should've known that the Cowboys had no timeouts left - and if he didn't, shame on him. If he didn't have a man open in the end zone, the correct play was to fall down on the ball and take the sack. Again, the Giants would've kicked a field goal and Dallas would've gotten the ball back with under a minute to play. Manning should know better. No excuse.

But now we come down to the defensive coordinator: Steve Spagnuolo. For most of the game, his players made life hell for the Cowboys. They relentlessly pursued Dallas and forced three turnovers, two of which lead to scores for the Giants. But on the last two Cowboy possessions, they were nowhere to be found. Saying they were soft would do a disservice to the word soft. Dallas marched down the field twice virtually uncontested. The winning drive took all of 90 seconds. Tony Romo could've had a ham sandwich and a cup of coffee in the pocket, that's how pathetic the Giants' defense looked. This was the epitome of a prevent defense.

All three of these geniuses have a lot of explaining to do. They didn't just snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, like that infamous 1978 Giants team did that November Sunday; they let a team that had outplayed them but made several bad plays steal a game they had no right to win.

That's right, this was a game the Giants by all accounts should not have won, but were less than 2 minutes away from taking. The Cowboys had the ball most of the game and controlled the line of scrimmage. Had they not turned the ball over three times, the Giants would never have been in a position to win at all.

And that's what makes this loss so brutal. For most of the game, the Giants teased their fans and had them thinking, maybe we're not so bad after all. And then the roof fell in and reality came back to bite them in the ass. They've had moments like this in the Coughlin era - way too many for my taste. But this one stung more than all the others combined.

The Giants will try to spin this by saying, "it's one game, we'll learn from this and not let it happen again." Sure they will. And I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you for a wooden nickel.

The football Giants have been making way too many excuses for way too long. It has been four years since the team last had a winning record and that just happened to be the year they last won the Super Bowl.

The sad truth is that if the Giants ever expect Eli Manning to deliver another title they are going to have to get him a coaching staff and yes a G.M. (you didn't think I had forgotten about you, Jerry Reese?). Both the offensive and defensive lines are a mess and both the secondary and linebackers are thin. John Beason's absence proved fatal on that last Cowboy drive.

It is the job of the general manager to get the best players for his coaching staff, and it is the coaching staff's job to make sure they get the best out of those players come game time. Both have been utter failures these last few years and it's high time that Steve Tisch and John Mara realized this and pulled the plug on this current group.

Enough with the lame excuses. Enough with coming up short and allowing games to get away. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over. For the Giants, that has become a mantra.