What's Next for Giants After Dart Injury?

The good news: Jaxson Dart did not injure his ACL in Monday night's loss against the Rams. The bad news: unfortunately, he tore his MCL and meniscus, which required season-ending surgery. And just like that, what looked like a promising year went up in smoke.

Or did it?

As I wrote in my last piece, I never thought this was a playoff team; in fact, I had them going 8-9 even with Dart. With two very winnable games coming up at MetLife Stadium over the next two weeks, to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the Giants demise are greatly exaggerated.

John Mara didn't hire John Harbaugh just to coach his team; he hired him to manage it as well. And part of managing a team is to fill roster vacancies. Well brother do the Giants have a roster vacancy. 

But while losing Dart for the season is a huge hole, that doesn't mean Harbaugh is required to overpay to fill it. No sooner had the news broke about the severity of Dart's injury than every talking head had the Giants acquiring every Tom, Dick and Harry to replace him. 

Let me be as direct as I can. Under no circumstances should the Giants panic here. Yes, they need a backup for Jameis Winston. But, no, they don't need to overpay for that replacement. If they can't find someone on their own practice squad, they can always look elsewhere. There are plenty of choices. Joe Milton is currently on the Cowboys practice squad and all he would cost is cash. Sacrificing valuable draft capital for someone else's backup would be making a bad situation considerably worse.

Think about what's just happened. The guy you designed your entire offense around is out for the season. Even the most seasoned veteran is going to need time to learn that system. Despite what we saw Monday night, Winston is more than capable of stepping in. If the Giants didn't think he was up to it, they wouldn't have extended him another two years. I have every faith that Matt Naggy can make the necessary tweaks to the offense to accommodate his strengths and, hopefully, mitigate his weaknesses. And if he can't, no high-priced backup is likely to change that.

Like it or not, losing Dart for the rest of the season was a gut punch. You could see that it sucked the air right out of the Giants ballon. Even Harbaugh looked like somebody had driven over his dog. The way they played that night, the Miami Dolphins could've beaten them. In times like this, you move on and prepare for the next opponent. Injuries are a part of the game. The fact is there are still 15 games to go in the schedule. Last year's team would've folded like a cheap tent; I doubt this one will. Indeed, Harbaugh indicated in his latest presser that he believed the Giants could still make the playoffs. Bravado? Perhaps, but it does underscore the toughness this team has exhibited since training camp. 

As for what happens after this season, the Giants have no intention of drafting another quarterback, nor should they. Dart has shown he is more than capable of leading this team. Yes he's been snake bit by injuries his first two years, but so have other quarterbacks. Matthew Stafford started only 13 games his first two seasons in the NFL due to injuries. In his third year he started all 16 games, threw for over 5,000 yards and led the Detroit Lions to their first playoff appearance in over a decade. Dart can be the next Stafford if given the time to develop. 

And in the event that the season goes sideways on the Giants and they wind up with a top five pick again, the best thing they could do is to trade back and continue to fill out this roster. Throwing good money after bad is not the solution.

The bottom line? When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Given their bad luck over the last few years, the Giants should probably open up a stand outside MetLife. 

2026 Giants and NFL Preview

The John Harbaugh era is about to begin. No more test runs around the block; no more pep talks about how things are going to be different around here. Giants fans have heard it all before anyway. To borrow an old, if familiar, saying: this is where the rubber meets the road. From here on out, results are all that matter.

If 2025 taught this team anything, it's that it isn't how well you start the game that counts; it's how well you finish it. Five times last season the Giants lost a game in which they held a double digit lead. The most egregious of those losses came against the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium in October. The Jints were up 19 points going into the fourth quarter but lost on a last-second field goal. That loss ostensibly ended yet another season that started out with so much hope.

John Mara did something even his father would never have contemplated. He not only hired a new head coach, he vested in him co-authority to run the organization as he saw fit. In the 101 years since the franchise was founded, no head coach has ever had that much power. But desperate times call for desperate measures. 

From the beginning, Harbaugh put his stamp on this team. He finally pulled the plug on Graham Gano; traded holdout Dexter Lawrence for a first rounder; and set out to address needs on the roster. His decision to draft an offensive lineman with the pick he got from the Bengals underscored the latter.

In a departure from previous coaching regimes, Harbaugh's practices were tough and demanding. It was clear he was looking to build up the team's stamina; something that was sadly lacking late in games last season. Not coincidentally, the Giants defense allowed a total of 84 second-half yards over their last two preseason games against the Dolphins and the Jets. 

But that's the preseason. What about the regular season? After all, the Giants went 3-0 last preseason and look where it got 'em.

Two years in a row I predicted a 7-10 record, and two years in a row, I was rudely awakened, as the Giants finished 3-14 and 4-13 respectively. To say that this is an organization that historically has not earned the benefit of the doubt would be putting it mildly. 

That being said, there are reasons to believe this team will be better this season. For one thing, they have depth on the O-line and the front seven. If Bill Parcels was correct in saying that the game is won at the line of scrimmage, Harbaugh has done a good job beefing up both sides of it.

They also have their quarterback. Though Jaxson Dart played only one possession during the preseason - going 3-4 for 26 yards and a TD - he had by all accounts an outstanding rookie season last year. If Malik Nabers is healthy, and if Odell Beckham, Jr. can rediscover the magic that made him one of the NFL's elite receivers, the Giants will have one of the best one-two punches in the league. With veteran receiver Darius Slayton and tight end Isaiah Likely, Dart should have plenty of weapons at his disposal.

In the backfield, the Giants have plenty of depth, as well. Joining Tyrone Tracey and Cam Skattebo are Devin Singletary and Najee Harris; the latter a free agent pickup from the Steelers, who before he got injured last season, ran for over a thousand yards four years in a row. 

If there is one major area of concern it remains the secondary. The fact that Deonte Banks survived the final cut this weekend speaks more to the lack of options at the position than it does Harbaugh's belief in his player. Dennard Wilson is going to have his hands full keeping opposing offenses from exploiting that weakness. The onus will be on the front seven to pressure the quarterback. Indeed, the entire season may come down to whether or not they are successful.

Last season, New York had the toughest strength of schedule of any team in the NFL. Going into 2026, it has the 17th toughest schedule. So if the Giants struggle this season, it won't be because of the quality of their opponents; it'll be because they suck. And I don't think they will suck.

But while I am cautiously optimistic, I would put the brakes on any talk of a postseason berth. The NFC West and North are the top two divisions in all of football. It's quite conceivable that you could have five playoff teams coming from those divisions. Even if the Giants wind up with a winning record, they will have a difficult time beating out teams like the Seahawks, 49ers, Packers and Lions.

If we're being realistic, the goal in Harbaugh's first year should be for the Giants to be playing meaningful football in December.  An 8-9 record would accomplish that goal, and is very doable given their schedule. Anything more would be a nice bonus; anything less would be a major disappointment. 

Below are my predictions for the 2026 NFL standings and postseason.

NFC East:

Eagles

Cowboys

Giants

Commanders

NFC North:

Bears

Packers

Lions

Vikings

NFC South:

Buccaneers

Saints

Falcons

Panthers 

NFC West:

Rams *

Seahawks

49ers

Cardinals

AFC East:

Patriots

Bills

Dolphins

Jets

AFC North:

Ravens *

Bengals

Steelers

Browns

AFC South:

Texans

Jaguars

Colts

Titans

AFC West:

Broncos

Chargers

Chiefs

Raiders

* Number one seed

NFC Wild Cards:

Seahawks 

Packers

Lions

AFC Wild Cards:

Bengals

Bills

Chargers

NFC Championship game: 

Rams over the Eagles

AFC Championship game: 

Bengals over the Patriots

Super Bowl:

Rams over the Bengals

Giants Get Their Man

This time, the Giants didn't fumble the ball on the one-yard line. This time, they took it into the end zone. It's been a rough stretch for Big Blue. Since they fired Tom Coughlin after the 2015 season, the Jints have gone through no less than five head coaches: Ben McAdoo, Steve Spagnuolo, Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge and Brian Daboll. Five coaches in ten years; all dismal failures. But this time, they didn't dick around. They set their sights on one man - the right man - and they landed him.

They sent Steve Tisch in his private jet to pick him up; they brought out the top guns - Eli, Coughlin, Jaxson Dart, the fucking ghost of Lombardi - to impress him; they wined and dined him; they did everything but kidnap him; and it worked.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

To be honest, I was starting to have my doubts. When I went to bed around midnight, all indications were that John Harbaugh was on his way back to Baltimore and was scheduled to meet with the Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Flacons at his home over the weekend. Fuck, I thought. Another one bites the dust. 

Instead what happened was that both sides worked well into the evening on an agreement to bring the former Ravens head coach to MetLife. The exact terms have not yet been released, but the contract is believed to be for five years at just under $100 million, making Harbaugh one of the highest paid coaches in the NFL. It also gives him the power to hire his own assistants.

One of those assistants will undoubtedly be Todd Monken. The former offensive coordinator of the Ravens worked under Harbaugh the last three years. How good is Monken? In 2024, Baltimore became the first NFL team with 4,000 plus passing yards and 3,000 plus rushing yards in a single season, leading the league in total offense and yards per play.

So how did the Giants do it? How did they convince the most coveted coach since Andy Reid to sign with them on the first visit? As I wrote in an earlier piece, it came down to two things. The first was Dart. There is simply no substitute for having a franchise quarterback. Harbaugh was clearly impressed with the rookie and believes he can win with him. 

The second reason is more complicated. On paper, the Giants were a bad team, but on the field, between the Xs and Os, they were much better than their record indicated. Five times this season, they lost a game in which they held a double-digit lead; four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. Every one of those losses could just as easily have been a win. Harbaugh obviously felt the same way. 

Which brings us to the sixty-four thousand dollar question. How is Harbaugh going to improve a defense that folded like a cheap tent this season? By bringing in a competent defensive coordinator, that's how. One of the names being mentioned is Jim Schwartz. Over the last nine seasons, Schwartz has worked for the Bills, Eagles and Browns. Twice his defenses were top five in the NFL: 2017 with the Eagles and 2023 with the Browns. Assuming he doesn't take the Ravens job, he would be the best DC Big Blue has had since the days of Spags.

If he's not available, Antonio Pierce might be a good second choice. The former Giants linebacker and former Raiders interim head coach interviewed for the Giants head coaching vacancy last week. He was well respected by his players and went 5-4 during his brief stint in Vegas. Bringing him back would be more than a symbolic gesture to a suffering fanbase; it would signal to the league that the Giants are serious about assembling a coaching staff that can take this team to the next level. 

And what would the next level look like? Well, for starters, let's pump the brakes on making the playoffs. I expect the Giants will be considerably better under Harbaugh than Daboll, but making the playoffs in the NFC will be extremely tough, if not impossible. Excluding the four division winners, the Rams, 49ers and Packers will all be in the hunt in 2026, as will an improved Lions team. And don't forget about the Commanders. With a healthy Jayden Daniels, they should win 10 games easily. At best, I see this team winning 8 or 9 games.

For the time being, Giants fans will have to be satisfied with a team that is well coached and closes out games. Considering that Bill Parcells and Tom Coughlin went 3-12-1 and 6-10 respectively in their first seasons as head coach, and both went on to win two Super Bowls, that ain't bad.

Patience has become a four-letter word with this fanbase. This time around, it might actually pay off.

Where Will John Harbaugh Wind Up?

No sooner had I written my piece on who the next Giants head coach would be, that we learned the Miami Dolphins had fired their head coach Mike McDaniel. Naturally every Dolphins fan from Key West to Port St. Lucie assumed Harbaugh was going to be the Dolphins next head coach. After all, the owner Stephen Ross has more money than God, and Harbaugh is in tight with Ross; ergo it's a done deal. 

Jesus, how many Margaritas can those people drink down there? Even Jimmy Buffet's going, "Dude, chill out, they haven't even met with him yet."

For the record, every owner in the NFL is rich, and by rich, I mean filthy rich. The Giants are owned by John Mara, Steve Tisch and Julia Koch; the latter has a 10 percent stake and just happens to be worth $81 billion. Trust me, the Giants would have no problem forking over a sizable chunk of dough to get Harbaugh's signature on a contract.

So now that we've dispensed with the "Who's dick is bigger" portion of the piece, let's get down to what really matters; what will likely be the things that determine where Harbaugh coaches next season. Things like do they have a quarterback? How many holes do they have on the roster? What division do they play in? And how much control will he have? 

While there's no indication that Harbaugh is looking for total control of football operations - i.e., bring in his own GM - it is reasonable to assume he's looking for a collaborative relationship with the front office; one that gives him input into player personnel and the ability to hire his own assistants. 

There's another misperception that needs to be cleared up, and that's this idea that Harbaugh is the second coming of Vince Lombardi. He's not, and even if he were, none of these teams are the '66 Green Bay Packers. All of them have flaws; flaws that will need to be addressed for them to become title contenders. Indeed, the best team currently looking for a new head coach just happens to be the one that fired him, and even they went 8-9. 

Since I have a horse in this race, I thought I'd start with them first. 

New York Giants: The last 15 years notwithstanding, this is still considered a marque franchise with a rich history and four Super Bowls to its credit. Sherman, Parcells, Fassel, Coughlin. And those are just the head coaches. Lombardi, Landry, Belichick, and Payton have all cut their teeth as assistants with this organization. Harbaugh would be in good company.

The Giants lost five games this season in which they held a double-digit lead, four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. They have a young, talented quarterback in Jaxson Dart, a vastly improved offensive line, and some weapons on both sides of the ball. They are not as bad as their record would suggest. With the right coach, this could be an 8 or 9 win team next season.

Miami Dolphins: The last franchise to have a perfect season, the Fish present a tantalizing choice. If ever there was a fanbase that was starving to win a championship, it's this one. They have not been to the Super Bowl since 1985, and haven't won a playoff game since 2000. Harbaugh could be the next Don Shula.

Could be. That's because there are a couple of problems. Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill are due to make $108 million next season. That's a lot of salary to tie up just for two players. New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan will have to decide whether to keep both or trade them to free up cap space.

The other problem is location. Over the last forty years, there have been four warm-weather teams that have won the Super Bowl: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (twice), the New Orleans Saints, and the Los Angeles Rams. Like it or not, warm-weather teams just don't do well in cold weather venues come January. Does Harbaugh really want to be the next Dave Wannstedt?

Atlanta Falcons: Frankly, I'm surprised more people aren't talking about them as a possibility. The Falcons play in arguably the worst division in the NFL. They had a strong finish to the season, winning their last four games to finish tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers for first place. The Panthers won the division by virtue of a tie breaker. 

With Harbaugh, Atlanta could easily win 10 games every season, which would be more than enough to earn a home game in the playoffs. For a city that loves its football, he could run for mayor.

Cleveland Browns: Not to be confused with the original Browns franchise that moved to Baltimore, this Browns franchise has had very few things to celebrate since its inception in 1999. Ironically, they fired the only coach to win 11 games and coach of the year (twice) in Kevin Stefanski. 

Harbaugh's family is from the area. Hiring him as coach would be like the prodigal son returning home. The issue here is the GM, and a quarterback room that is more crowded than the L.I.E. during rush-hour. Like the NFC South, the AFC North is not a particularly strong division. 9 wins could be enough to win it.

Tennessee Titans: They have their quarterback in Cam Ward, but precious little else. This would be the ultimate re-build. If Harbaugh manages to pull it off, he would go down in history. 

Arizona Cardinals: An intriguing choice. They have the quarterback but unfortunately play in the same division as the Rams, 49ers and Seahawks. Not sure Harbaugh wants any part of that.

Las Vegas Raiders: Word has it Tom Brady has his sights set on Curt Cignetti of Indiana University, who just happens to coach Heinemann trophy winner and first overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Guess who holds the number one pick?

My thoughts? I think it comes down to the Giants, Dolphins, Falcons and Browns. That coincides with what Jay Glazer has reported. He spoke with Harbaugh who told him that he has narrowed the list of teams he will interview with down to three or four. Harbaugh is also said to be reviewing film on various players. I assume one of them is Dart. 

Like I wrote in my last piece, the Giants cannot afford to make the same mistake they made six years ago. If they truly believe that Harbaugh is the best man to coach this team, they need to make him an offer he can't refuse. Don't let him leave the building without signing him. If Mara has to give up his first-born grandchild, so be it.

I was in sales for 25 years, and I know for a fact that when a customer walks out of your store without a receipt in his hands, he rarely if ever comes back.

As Tommy Lugauer of WFAN pointed out: John Harbaugh has his pick of the litter here. It is up to Mara to make sure that pick is the Giants.

 

Previewing the Top Candidates for Next Giants Head Coach

Six years ago, the Giants found themselves in the exact same position they are in now. They had just fired Pat Shurmur and were looking for his replacement. They interviewed several candidates, including Mike McCarthy and Matt Rhule, but elected to go with Joe Judge.

We all know what happened, so there's no need rehashing it. Suffice to say that this time around, the Giants are hoping, praying, that they get the right man. Thankfully, there are three eminently qualified candidates available, along with a few potential dark horses. 

Given the stakes, I doubt that Joe Schoen and John Mara will seriously consider any of the dark horses, but with this franchise, you never know. Remember, it was Mara who was absolutely smitten with Judge during his interview and couldn't wait to hire him. 

For our purposes, I'll concentrate on the front runners. To be clear, any of these three men would make an excellent choice and be considerably better than either Brian Daboll or Mike Kafka. Having said that, though, I do have a pecking order. So without further ado,

John Harbaugh: Without question, the best coaching free agent to hit the open market since Andy Reid was fired by the Eagles, Harbaugh checks all the boxes and would instantly become the best head coach the Jints have had since Tom Coughlin. In 18 seasons with the Ravens, he was 193-124, including the playoffs. He won a Super Bowl in 2012 with Joe Flacco as his quarterback, but with Lamar Jackson, his teams have underachieved in the postseason.

Kevin Stefanski: In six seasons with the Browns, he made the playoffs twice, winning eleven regular-season games and coach of the year both times. That's quite an accomplishment for a franchise that since 1999 has had four winning seasons. Stefanski's claim to fame is working with quarterbacks, which will be crucial for the development of Jaxson Dart.

Mike McCarthy: In hindsight, Mara should've hired him back in 2020 instead of Judge. But that's water under the bridge. McCarthy is one of six head coaches in the history of the NFL to win twelve or more games with multiple franchises. He won a Super Bowl in 2010 with the Packers and had three consecutive 12-5 seasons with the Cowboys. But his lack of playoff success in Dallas led to a falling out with Jerry Jones. 

Now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Who would I go with? Obviously, Harbaugh would be my first choice. But if it turns out that he wants too much control - i.e., Bill Belichick in New England - I could see the Giants pivoting to Stefanski. And to be honest, I wouldn't be disappointed, provided they hire the right assistants. Imagine a staff of Stefanski as head coach, Kliff Kingsbury as offensive coordinator, and Antonio Pierce as defensive coordinator. That would arguably be the best coaching staff the Giants have had since their last Super Bowl team. As for McCarthy, he would be the safe pick. I don't love him, but I don't hate him either. Like I said, all three would be improvements over Daboll and Kafka.

One thing to keep in mind: the Giants aren't the only team looking to fill a coaching vacancy. Aside from Baltimore and Cleveland, the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans also have their lines in the water. And the Falcons are especially intriguing because, unlike the other teams, they fired their coach and GM. That means they're in position to give whoever they hire total control over football operations. While's there's no indication that Harbaugh is looking for that much power, it's hard to imagine him turning down such an offer if it came his way.

We know that the Giants have already met with Stefanski and McCarthy; they've also met with Raheem Morris - the former Flacons head coach - and have a meeting scheduled with Pierce later this week, so they're in full compliance with the Rooney Rule. If Mara and Schoen like what they see when they sit down with Harbaugh next week, it would behoove them to make him an offer right there on the spot. Under no circumstances should they allow him to leave the building. On the other hand, if they're not enamored of Harbaugh, their very next call has to be to Stefanski. Get him in as soon as possible before another team snatches him up.

Six years ago, the Giants let two very qualified coaches slip through their fingers. They cannot afford to make that same mistake again. Time waits for no man, or organization. If Mara screws this up, he'll have no one but himself to blame.

The problem with casting a wide net is that sometimes the big fish gets away.

Why Jaxson Dart Is the Offensive Rookie of the Year

Just to be clear, Tyler Shough is a good quarterback. The New Orleans Saints made the right choice when they selected him with the 40th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Choosing a quarterback to lead your franchise is not, contrary to popular opinion, a slam dunk. Even the best have a learning curve. Peyton Manning, in his rookie season, led the league in interceptions. But as good as Shough has been this season, Jaxson Dart has been better.

This is not a subjective opinion; it's an objective analysis. In virtually every metric that matters, Dart is the better quarterback. Below is a comparison of both players stats.

While Shough has a slightly higher completion percentage and a few more passing yards, Dart has more overall yards, more passing touchdowns, more total touchdowns, fewer interceptions, a higher QBR and a higher passer rating. But the biggest thing that stands out is his passer rating against elite teams. No team in the NFL had a tougher strength of schedule this season than the Giants. Dart had to play the Eagles (twice) the Chargers, the Broncos, the Bears, the Patriots and the 49ers - all teams that have a legitimate shot of going deep in the postseason - and he had a passer rating of 98.5 against them. 

By comparison, the only team Shough had to face that has a legitimate shot of going deep in the postseason is the Rams, and he had a passer rating of 81.2 against them. Most of his success has come against the likes of the Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins and the Jets; the latter was dead last in the NFL with an opponent passer rating of 110.9.

Fans of Shough bring up his wins, passing yards per game and passing yards per attempt. Anyone who's watched even one football game knows full well that no one player determines wins and losses. It's the ultimate team sport. The Giants lost five games this season in which they led by double digits; four of those losses came in the fourth quarter. If they had any kind of defense at all, they'd have at least four more wins. Putting that squarely on Dart's shoulders is not only unfair, it's stupid.

As for passing yards per game and passing yards per attempt, the former is a direct result of the game plan implemented by the offensive coordinator; the latter can be very easily manipulated. For instance, a QB can complete 20 passes for an average of six yards per completion; then pop two for 60 yards a piece. That comes out to 10.9 yards per catch. But is that really an honest way to evaluate his talent? I hardly think so.

Dart has other accolades in his favor. He's the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to register 1,800 passing yards, 400 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns in his first nine regular-season starts. Unlike so many rookies, he doesn't wilt under pressure. Indeed, the better the competition, the better he plays. He's the perfect fit for a New York market that chews up and spits out lesser athletes. Just imagine what he could've done had Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo not been lost to season-ending injuries.

This is not about bashing Tyler Shough. As I mentioned above, he's a good quarterback. After years of searching for Drew Brees' replacement, the Saints appear to have found him. This is about acknowledging the obvious: Jaxson Dart is the better player. He deserves to win the offensive rookie of the year award.

If he doesn't, there should be an investigation.

Five Losses That Defined the Giants Season

Before we get to the main topic, I wanted to say a few words about yesterday's win in Vegas. If nothing else, we now know for certain that the Giants are NOT the worst team in the NFL. Quite the contrary, the team I saw on that field executed on offense and made enough plays defensively to convince me that with the right coaching staff in place, they could have a winning record next season. 

Yes, I know it was only the Raiders, who, along with the Jets, are two of the worst teams in all of sports, but Big Blue has shown throughout this season that they can hang with the best in the league. Now that they no longer have the number one pick to worry about, we can put this whole Fernando Mendoza nonsense to bed. The Giants have their quarterback and he put on quite a show yesterday. Hopefully, Joe Schoen, or whoever the next GM winds up being, will realize that and use next year's draft to fortify the many needs this team has.

As for the fans who were hoping they would lose to secure that number one pick, I honestly don't know what to say. Imagine being so bitter that you root against your team. I've been a fan of the Giants since the days of Joe Pisarcik, which means I've endured a lot of losing seasons. Not once did I ever root for them to lose. Winning these last two games would mean the world for a roster that is still relatively young and has some pretty good talent on it. If you can't see that, I feel sorry for you.

Now onto the main course. I will list each loss in chronological order, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know which one was the worst.

Week Two at Dallas: Coming off a lackluster performance in Washington, the Giants, with Russell Wilson under center, had their most impressive offensive performance in over a year. Wilson threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns; the last one a 48 yard strike to Malik Nabers to put the Jints up 37-34 with 25 seconds left in regulation. All New York had to do was stop the Cowboys from getting into field goal range.

But in what would become a pattern all season long, Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen elected to rush only three, and Dak Prescott navigated his team to the Giants 46 yard line, where Brandon Aubrey kicked a game-tying 64-yard field goal to send it into overtime. Dallas eventually would win on another Aubrey field goal.

Week Five at New Orleans: This was Jaxson Dart's second career start. The previous week he had beaten the Chargers at MetLife 21-18. Two touchdown passes from Dart to Theo Johnson put New York ahead 14-3 with 13 minutes left in the second quarter. Victory seemed inevitable.

That's when the wheels came off. Dart threw two picks. The Giants as a team turned the ball over five times; the last one resulting in an 86-yard fumble recovery that put the Saints up 26-14. It was a painful reminder that counting your chickens before they hatch is not a good strategy for winning. 

Week Seven at Denver: The pièce de résistance of the 2025 season. Fortunately, I was at a wedding when this travesty happened or I would've thrown something at my TV. Dart had arguably his best game as a pro, throwing for 283 yards and three touchdowns against one of the best defenses in the NFL. 

New York led 19-0 after the third quarter, and 26-8 with ten minutes to go in the fourth. The Broncos scored 22 unanswered points to take a 30-26 lead with 1:51 left in regulation. Dart then drove the Giants downfield and put them ahead 32-30 with 37 seconds remaining. 

Once again, Bowen elected not to pressure Bo Nix, who managed to get his team into Giants territory, where Will Lutz kicked a 39 yard field goal to win the game as time expired. That Bowen wasn't fired immediately after the game just underscores how incompetent this franchise is.

Week Ten at Chicago: The Giants had lost three games in a row going into the Windy City, but that didn't stop them form taking a 17-7 lead over the Bears two minutes into the third quarter. Once again, Dart was impressive, going 19-29 for 242 yards and two rushing touchdowns. 

However, with just over five minutes to go in the third and the Giants deep in Bears territory, Dart was hit and fumbled the ball at the Chicago 21 yard line. He suffered a concussion on the play and would not return. With Wilson at the helm, New York's offense stalled and the Bears rallied for a 24-20 win. This was Brian Daboll's last game as head coach.

Week Twelve at Detroit: The final nail in this hellscape of a season. With Dart still in concussion protocol and Mike Kafka replacing the fired Daboll, the G-Men jumped out to a 27-17 lead over the Lions early in the fourth quarter, thanks to Jameis Winston throwing for 366 yards and two touchdowns.

But, and stop me if this sounds familiar, the Giants defense couldn't hold the lead. Jahmyr Gibbs had the game of his life, rushing for 219 yards and two touchdowns; the latter coming in overtime. Not one Giant defender touched him as he raced 69 yards for the winning score.

There you have it: five losses that defined the Giants season. While it's unlikely that New York would've swept all five of those games, with a competent defensive coordinator, who knows, maybe they could've won four of them. They certainly played well enough to go 4-1. While 7-10 is nothing to brag about, it's a helluva lot better than 3-14. And honestly, it's where I thought they'd finish before the season started.

Enough Was Enough

Let's be honest: we all knew the season was over after the collapse in Denver three weeks ago. You didn't think the Giants were beating the Philadelphia Eagles or San Francisco 49ers, did you? Neither did I. It wasn't a question of whether a change had to be made, but when.

Well the "when" came yesterday after the Giants blew a ten-point, fourth-quarter lead and lost to the Chicago Bears Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. That's four times this season New York has lost a game in which they held a double-digit lead; this latest one was the final straw, so the organization "relieved" head coach Brian Daboll of his duties.

I have no problem with the decision. Daboll was 20-40-1 as head coach, but only 11-33 since 2023. He had to go. My only question is why wasn't defensive coordinator Shane Bowen also shown the door? It was his play-calling that directly led to two of those four losses. Indeed, you could easily make the case that had this team defended better, they'd be 5-5, instead of 2-8. And with the worst of the schedule behind them, it's conceivable that the Giants could've been in the playoff hunt going into December. Instead, the only hunt they'll be in is for the number one pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. They currently have the third pick.

That might be the reason why Joe Schoen was retained. In the end, John Mara and Steve Tisch must've felt that, talent wise, the team was headed in the right direction. That isn't to say Schoen hasn't made some mistakes. The decision to give Daniel Jones such a large contract, in hindsight, turned out not to be such a good idea; the whole Saquon Barkley fiasco could've been handled better; and some his draft picks - Evan Neal, Jalin Hyatt and Deonte Banks - haven't exactly panned out.

That being said, the Giants have their franchise quarterback in place; they have an elite receiver and two outstanding running backs; their front seven - at least on paper - is certainly more capable than what they've shown. With some improvements to the secondary, a place-kicker who can stay healthy and the right coaching staff in place, this team should be vastly improved in the standings next season. 

Regarding the latter, who do the Giants hire? If I had my druthers, I'd go with someone along the lines of a Dan Campbell or Mike Vrabel; a no-nonsense coach who holds his players accountable and isn't risk averse. I'm not piling on here, but when Daboll elected to take the field goal rather than go for it on fourth and goal from the one-yard line, I knew the Giants were going to lose. The message that sends to your players is that you don't believe in them. And any coach who doesn't believe in his players has no business being their coach. I guarantee you that Campbell and Vrabel would never do that to their players.

If the Giants are looking for a name, Mike Tomlin makes perfect sense. He's well respected by his players and he has the distinction of being the only active head coach in the NFL to not have a losing season in his 18 years with the Steelers. But would Pittsburgh be willing to let him out of his contract which runs through 2027? Given that the Mara and Rooney families are practically joined at the hip, I'm sure a phone call from John to Art Jr. might get it done. 

If neither option is available, then I would go with someone who can run an offense, like Kliff Kingsbury, former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, and now offensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders. If he's not available, perhaps Joe Brady of the Bills might suffice. But would Mara and Schoen really want to hire another offensive coordinator with no head-coaching experience? I doubt it. 

One reason the Giants may have fired Daboll now instead of waiting until the end of the season is to give Mike Kafka a look see. The offensive coordinator has been instrumental in Jaxson Dart's development. If he does a good job as interim head coach over the next seven games, they may elect to give him the job permanently.

Whichever route they choose, the Giants will need a defensive coordinator who can actually coach a defense. Ironically, they had one in Wink Martindale, but when Daboll fired two of his assistants, he resigned in protest. That led to the hiring of Bowen, who was the polar opposite of Martindale. 

One man I hope they don't hire is Bill Belichick. There's no doubt about his Hall of Fame bonafides, but with everything that's unfolded at North Carolina, it's obvious that the former New England Patriots head coach is just cashing in on his name. Why on Earth would the Giants want to bring that circus to MetLife?

A lot of possibilities out there for Big Blue, to be sure. Mara and Schoen need to get this one right. The fanbase has suffered long enough.

Jaxson Dart Deserves Better Than This

Since blowing a 19-point lead to the Denver Broncos at Mile-High Stadium on October 19, the New York Giants have lost to the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. Neither game was competitive. For the third year in a row this franchise, which has made the playoffs only twice since its last Super Bowl win in 2011, is off to a 2-7 start. The previous two seasons it finished 6-11 and 3-14 respectively. Based on the level of play through nine games, there is little reason to expect that 2025 will be any different. 

New York has given up 249 points this season. Only the Tennessee Titans (257), Dallas Cowboys (277) and Cincinnati Bengals (300) have given up more. Yes, they have sustained injuries, especially to their beleaguered secondary, but there isn't a team in the league that hasn't had to contend with injuries. Indeed, the 49ers were missing several key players, including Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa, yet still had their way with the Giants. Quite frankly, it was embarrassing to watch.

The one, lone bright spot in this train wreck of a season has been Jaxson Dart. The rookie has thrown for 1175 yards in six starts with 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His QBR of 61.2 is 14th among starting quarterbacks; five points higher than Drake Maye's was in his rookie season, and eight points higher than Eli Manning's was in 2007, the year he won his first Super Bowl. In fact, Dart's QBR is higher than Bo Nix, Michael Penix, Jr, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams; the latter the number one pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Ever since the retirement of Eli, the Jints have been looking for someone to take over the reigns. Daniel Jones was supposed to be that guy; and for two seasons - his rookie and 2022 - it certainly looked that way. But, alas, it wasn't to be. Danny Dimes is now on the Indianapolis Colts where he is having his best year as a pro. Good for him.

As for Dart, it's obvious that the Giants have found their franchise quarterback. His resilience is matched only by his exuberance. If spunk was measured in dollars, Dart would be the richest rookie in the NFL. The kid is unflappable. But there's a limit to any man's resolve. John Mara is playing with fire if he thinks that this level of incompetence won't eventually get to the best quarterback this organization has drafted in its history. I'm not being facetious here. Phil Simms took five years to become a good quarterback; Eli didn't come into his own until his third full season; Dart is already there, and with inarguably the worst receiving corps in the league. 

But past performance is no guarantee of future success. Sam Darnold and Justin Fields were highly touted prospects out of college who were both badly screwed up by their respective teams. Darnold eventually resurrected his career in Minnesota and now Seattle, but Fields appears to be a lost cause. Ironically he's with the Jets, the team that drafted Darnold. You can't make this shit up.

Mara has an obligation to make sure history doesn't repeat itself. Even he decides to retain Joe Schoen as his GM, the entire coaching staff must go, starting with Defensive Coordinator Shane Bowen. His play calling is directly responsible for two losses this season. And Brian Daboll's reluctance - i.e, refusal - to criticize his assistant, is an indictment of him as a head coach. After the Denver loss, you could tell he lost the locker room. At this point, most of the players are just going through the motions. The lone exceptions are Dart and Brian Burns, who is having a career year. He currently leads the NFL with 11 sacks. 

The argument for keeping Daboll is based on the premise that with a young quarterback, continuity is essential. After all, Daniel Jones had four different offensive coordinators in his tenure as a Giant. No doubt that stunted his development. It's perfectly reasonable not to want to do that to Dart.

But the counter argument is that it's far worse for a young quarterback to be saddled in a system that, no matter what you do, keeps spinning its wheels. Even the most incurable optimist would have a hard time winning under those conditions.

If you want proof, look no further than Drake Maye. In his rookie season with the New England Patriots, his head coach was Jerod Mayo and his offensive coordinator was Alex Van Pelt. The Pats went 4-13 and Robert Kraft cleaned house. He hired Mike Vrabel as his head coach and Vrabel hired Josh McDaniels as his OC. The result is that Maye is fifth in the NFL with a QBR of 74, and New England is in first place in the AFC East with a record of 7-2.

Daboll's claim to fame, and the thing that made him attractive to Schoen, was that he helped Josh Allen become the player he is, but that doesn't mean he's a quarterback whisperer, or for that matter even a good head coach. The fact is that after a surprising 9-7-1 maiden season under Daboll, the Giants have been one of the worst run teams in the NFL since. I find it hard to believe they couldn't find someone considerably better to manage the sidelines, while also developing Dart.

Walking and chewing gum at the same time is something millions of people do every day. It's about time the Giants learned how to do it.

Jaxson Dart deserves no less.

2025 Giants and NFL Preview

Since the New York Giants won Super Bowl 46, they have had exactly three winning seasons (2012, 2016 and 2022). They've made the playoffs twice ('16 and '22), and won once ('22 against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round). Over the last fourteen years, this fanbase has gone from hope to despair, to hope, and finally back to despair. If there was such a thing as PTSD for football fans, Giants fans would be first in line at the clinic.

Face it: it's been a vicious cycle for the Big Blue faithful. You get your hopes up, only to have them dashed. Then when you finally write them off, they surprise you by having a good season. You think we'd learn our lesson, but, alas, it's like that scene in The Godfather Three when Michael says, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in." We couldn't quit this team even if we wanted to.

Looking back at my past predictions, it seems I have not been immune to this trap. After a successful 2016 season, I thought the Giants would be Super Bowl contenders in '17. They ended up being one of the worst teams in the league that year. After a surprising 2022 season, I again thought they'd be contenders the following year. Once more, I was wrong. Indeed, the only times I've been pleasantly surprised was when I managed my expectations for them.

Which leads me to 2025. After an abysmal 2024, in which they went 3-14, the Giants had their best offseason in years. They improved their secondary by signing Paulson Adebo; they totally revamped their quarterback position by signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston; they selected what many thought was the best player in the NFL Draft in Abdul Carter; they then traded back into the first round and got the quarterback of their future in Jaxson Dart; and in that same draft they added depth at running back, tight end and the offensive line. By any objective metric, this is a better and deeper roster than last year's.

So what does that mean for the Giants? Well, for starters, it means they won't suck this year. And, trust me, after enduring the last two hellish seasons, that's no small feat. But while not sucking is nice, it might not make much difference in the standings. That's because, as I wrote in an earlier piece, New York's schedule is brutal. Giants opponents had a .574 winning percentage in 2024; by comparison, the Super Bowl champ Philadelphia Eagles opponents had a .561 winning percentage last season. As Mike Francesa said on his podcast, "The Giants could play 40 percent better this year in every aspect and win five games."

While I'm not as pessimistic as Mike, I'm also not going to make the same mistake I made the last two years by overestimating their chances. The Giants had an outstanding preseason going 3-0, but the real season starts September 7. Any honest evaluation of this team's prospects must be realistic.

Ironically, last year I predicted the Jints would go 7-10; this year, I'm predicting the same record for them. That's because I believe this is the best front seven the Giants have had since their Super Bowl days; Wilson is considerably better than Daniel Jones; and they have speed at the wide receiver position with Malik Nabers on the verge of stardom. And if that isn't enough, Brian Daboll is coaching for his job. Another 3 or 4 win season, and he's gone. You can bet the ranch John Mara made that clear to him seconds after the conclusion of last year's train wreck.

As to where they finish in the NFC East, thanks to Jerry Jones giving away Micah Parsons to Green Bay, third place is not out of the question. But if I were a betting man, I'd say fourth, just to play it safe.

Below are my predictions for the 2025 NFL standings and postseason.

NFC East:

Eagles

Commanders

Cowboys

Giants

NFC North:

Packers *

Lions

Vikings

Bears

NFC South:

Falcons

Buccaneers

Saints

Panthers 

NFC West:

49ers

Rams

Seahawks

Cardinals

AFC East:

Bills

Dolphins

Patriots

Jets

AFC North:

Ravens

Steelers

Bengals

Browns

AFC South:

Texans

Titans

Jaguars

Colts

AFC West:

Chiefs *

Chargers

Broncos

Raiders

* Number one seed

NFC Wild Cards:

Commanders

Rams

Lions

AFC Wild Cards:

Dolphins

Chargers

Broncos

NFC Championship game: 

Packers over the Eagles

AFC Championship game: 

Bills over the Chiefs

Super Bowl:

Packers over the Bills

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. 

John Mara Stays the Course

Doug Pederson's record over the last three seasons:

2022: 9-8
2023: 9-8
2024: 4-13
Total: 22-29

Brian Daboll's record over the last three seasons:

2022: 9-7-1
2023: 6-11
2024: 3-14
Total: 18-32-1

Guess which coach got fired Monday?

The below attachment will answer that question.

As a rule, I don't subscribe to the theory that the first arrow out of ownership's quiver should be firing the coach or manager. The fact that it has become the default option for so many underperforming teams over the last couple of decades explains in large part why some franchises succeed while others continue to spin their wheels. 

But for the life of me, I cannot comprehend the reasoning behind this decision by Mara. It makes absolutely no sense. Anyone who was paying attention knew full well that Daboll had lost the locker room. For all intents and purposes his players quit on him weeks ago. Think about it: Had the Indianapolis Colts not been so inept last Sunday, the Giants would've lost their last 12 games of the season. You don't keep coaches who preside over that kind of collapse. You thank them for their service and show them the door as quickly as possible.

To be fair, Daboll is not solely to blame for this disaster. He had some help. The guy who hired him, Joe Schoen, took a team that was already bereft of talent and somehow managed to make things worse. It pains me to admit it, but the 2022 team that beat the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card game consisted primarily of players drafted or signed by Schoen's predecessor, Dave Gettleman. If it's ok to criticize Gettleman for taking Daniel Jones with the 6th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, it's equally ok to ask why Schoen elected not to take a quarterback in a draft that was loaded with QBs.

Whoever said you can't draft a quarterback if you already have one obviously never bothered to check in with the Atlanta Falcons. They took Micheal Penix Jr with the 8th pick in last year's draft after they had already signed Kirk Cousins to a lucrative free agent contract. Well, after Cousins struggled over the first 14 games of the season, Penix took over. The rookie competed 58 percent of his pass attempts for over 700 yards, with 3 touchdowns and 3 picks. And if his coach was a halfway decent clock manager, his team would've been mathematically alive for a playoff spot going into week 18. 

Bo Nix was taken by the Denver Broncos with the 12th pick in that draft. He threw for 3775 yards with 29 TDs and 12 INTs. In his rookie year he managed to get the Broncos into the playoffs for the first time in nine years. As good as Malik Nabers was this season, who would you rather have, him or Nix? The point is Schoen blew it by not taking a QB last year. The fact is neither Shedeur Sanders nor Cam Ward are as talented as Nix. And Schoen would have to trade up from the 3rd pick in order to get a shot at either one of them. 

This is the group Mara wants to keep intact? These two guys? I'm all for keeping the faith and showing patience, but this is ridiculous. Rewarding Schoen and Daboll with another year at the helm is an insult to the fans who have had to endure more than a decade of humiliation. Since the Giants last Super Bowl title in the 2011 season, they have had three winning seasons and two trips to the playoffs. For a franchise that has been in existence for 100 years that is simply unacceptable.

And keep in mind, I'm not even blaming Schoen for his decision to re-sign Jones over Saquon Barkley. We've been over this, but the fact is there was no way to franchise tag Jones and still keep Barkley. There just wasn't enough cap space. But even allowing for that, as a talent evaluator, Schoen leaves much to be desired.

The sad truth is there isn't one position on this roster that doesn't need serious attention. Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was supposed to be the next Carl Banks, took a major step backwards this season after an impressive 2023 campaign in which he recorded 11.5 sacks. While Brian Burns was a nice addition, the defense as a whole was terrible. They had only 5 interceptions on the season. Only the Cleveland Browns (4) had fewer. Offensively, the 273 points the Giants scored was the second worst in the NFL. Again, only the Browns (258) scored fewer. They had only three first quarter touchdowns the entire year. Shameful doesn't begin to describe this season. If this is the process Mara was referring to in his statement, I can only imagine what he was smoking when he wrote it.

I'm old enough to remember the Andy Robustelli Giants of the 1970s. They never finished higher than 4th in the NFC East. Wellington Mara was the owner back then, and he was as tone deaf as his son when it came to the boo birds. It wasn't until "The Fumble" in '78 that Wellington and his nephew Tim were finally shamed into making a change. Pete Roselle convinced them to hire George Young as GM, and it was Young who assembled the roster that eventually went on to win two Super Bowls. 

By the way, Young's first pick in the 1979 Draft was a little known quarterback out of Morehead State by the name of Phil Simms.