Giants Walk It Off in Houston

After two subpar efforts against opponents that, if we're being honest, they should've beaten - and were lucky to gain a tie against one - the New York Giants went down to Houston to play a Texans team that had won its previous two games, and on paper at least was superior to them. In the end, they played one of their most complete games of the season, winning in overtime 27-21.

From the opening kickoff, Big Blue was the better team. Pick a category. First downs: 22-15; Total plays: 65-54; Total yards: 420-237; Yards per play: 6.5-4.4; Passing yards: 232-153; Rushing yards: 188-84; Total drives: 11-10; Time of possession: 35:50-26:45. You have to go all the way back to the Dallas game in week one to find a more dominant performance.

What makes this win so special is that it came on the road against an opponent that made the playoffs last season and was picked by yours truly to win the AFC South this season. J.J. McCarthy, following up on his historic fourth-quarter performance against the New Orleans Saints last week, went 20/28 for 252 yards and, more importantly, no turnovers. The decision to start him over Jameis Winston was the correct one. McCarthy was able to scramble just enough in the pocket to buy himself time to find his receivers. Though he was sacked three times for 20 yards, his dual-threat ability opened up the lanes for the running backs. Not surprisingly, the Giants had their best game on the ground since they played the Cowboys at MetLife.

Malik Nabers caught seven passes for 111 yards; the fourth game in a row in which he's had more than 100 yards receiving. His 605 yards are fifth most among wideouts in the NFL. Rookie Malachi Fields had four catches for 83 yards. Cam Skattebo, after being benched last week for his fumble against Washington, rushed for 124 yards on 17 carries. Micah McFadden, who took over for the injured Tremaine Edmunds at middle linebacker, led the defense with 10 tackles, two for losses.

The only blemish on the day was the kicking game. Dominic Zvada continued to struggle. He missed two makable field goals; one from 56 yards, the other from 44 yards. After going 9/9 in his first four games, Zvada has gone 4/9 over his last three. Other than that, it was about as flawless a game as you could expect.

With the win, the Giants improved their record to 4-2-1 going into the bye week. They are in first place in the NFC East, two games up on the Eagles and Cowboys, both of whom play each other tonight in Philly. And astonishingly they're doing all this without Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns, their best offensive and defensive players. The last time the Giants were this good this late in the season was 2022, when they were 6-1 under first-year head coach Brian Daboll.

The parallels don't end with the records. Like that team, this group believes in itself. There's a camaraderie and a tightness here that's seldom seen in sports. They genuinely believe they have a chance to beat any opponent they face. That confidence isn't mere bravado. It was instilled by their head coach on day one. John Harbaugh has brought a sense of accountability that's been sorely missing the last three years. One week after being banished to the sidelines, Skattebo responded with his best performance of the season. Devin Singletary, who had been a healthy scratch in games three, four and five, scored the game-winning touchdown in OT. 

Coincidence? I think not. This coach clearly knows what buttons to push to get this team going and, moreover, his players have completely bought in. There are no passengers on the S.S. Harbaugh. You either pull your weight or you get thrown overboard, as Najee Harris found out when he complained about his lack of carries. Don't like it here? No problem. There's the door; don't let it hit you on the way out.

Not since the days of Tom Coughlin and Bill Parcells have the Giants had this kind of no-nonsense, tough love coach. Harry Truman used to have a sign on the Resolute Desk that read "The buck stops here." I think Harbaugh must've stolen it from the presidential archives.

Running on Empty

If you were at MetLife Stadium yesterday afternoon to watch the Giants play the New Orleans Saints, you got a special treat: you saw three games for the price of one.

There was game one, in which the Giants forced the Saints to punt on their first three possessions and went up 10-0 late in the second quarter. 

There was game two, in which the Giants turned the ball over four times - one on a fumble - and the Saints scored 34 unanswered points to take a 34-10 lead early in the fourth quarter.

And then there was game three, in which the Giants mounted a furious comeback, scoring 17 straight points to pull within 34-27 with 2:04 left in regulation, and were seconds away from possibly tying the game.

In the end, though, the rally fell short and New York lost a very winnable game against an opponent that started the day 1-4. With the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys both losing to fall to 2-4, Big Blue blew a golden opportunity to take a commanding lead in the NFC East.

There was plenty not to like about this game.

The fumble by Charlie Jones on a kickoff return with 1:18 remaining in the second quarter and the Giants up 10-3, completely changed the trajectory of this game. The Saints scored the tying touchdown with one second left in the half and then scored the next 24 points to take a commanding lead. You can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win in the NFL. At the very least, the Giants should've taken a seven point lead into the locker room. At the most, they could've extended their lead.

Jameis Winston finally came back down to Earth. After two very impressive starts in which he threw for 576 yards with 6 touchdowns and two interceptions, he transformed back into a pumpkin. His two picks in the second half, one of which was thrown directly at the defender, were inexcusable, but sadly predictable. This is what you get with Winston: a quarterback who can thrill you with incredible pass plays but can also frustrate you with inexplicable interceptions. You literally get the good with the bad with him. 

And finally there was the run game, or lack thereof. The Giants managed only 84 yards against a Saints team that had allowed an average of 157 yards on the ground in their last three games. Cam Skattebo, whose fumble in Washington last week would've resulted in a loss had Jayden Daniels not had the brain fart of the decade, had zero carries. John Harbaugh said it had nothing to do with sending a message, but nobody seriously believes that. The real question wasn't why Skattebo didn't touch the ball but why Matt Naggy abandoned the running game so early. After they went up 10-0 late in the first half, the Giants ran the ball only seven more times the rest of the game, and one of those rushes was a 28 yard scramble by J.J. McCarthy on their final possession.

The Saints defense could not believe their good fortune; they teed off on Winston and McCarthy, sacking them five times for a loss of 18 yards. It is axiomatic, even in today's NFL, that you need to be able to run the ball in order to keep defenses honest. Otherwise you get what happened yesterday. Harbaugh can say all he wants that no one has stepped up in that room, and that's certainly true. But even if you're only gaining 2 to 3 yards a pop, that's still better than throwing an incomplete pass, which is what Winston did a lot of yesterday. I'd rather have a third and a manageable five than a third and long any day.

Case in point, on their first scoring drive, the Giants ran a total of 12 plays: 7 runs for 34 yards and 5 passes for 59. It was by far their most effective possessions of the game. Why on Earth would you stop doing that, especially with a quarterback that moves about as fast as a glacier in Greenland? It literally made no sense to anyone who was watching. 

So instead of being 4-1-1, the Giants are 3-2-1 going into Houston to play a Texans team that has won two in a row and is clicking on all cylinders. Unlike the Saints, the Texans can actually play defense, and they have a pretty damn good quarterback. C.J. Stroud is second in the league with 1,714 yards and is playing like he did his rookie season when he threw for over 4,100 yards. According to ESPN Analytics, Houston has an 85 percent chance of winning. Normally, I don't pay much attention to predictions, but it's hard to argue with this one.

If I'm Harbaugh, I've seen enough of Winston. It's time to turn the page and hand the reigns over to McCarthy. His 243 passing yards in the fourth quarter yesterday were the most ever by a quarterback in NFL history. How much of that was because of McCarthy and how much of it was because the Saints went into a prevent defense is anyone's guess. But regardless, the Giants aren't going anywhere with an immobile and erratic signal caller under center. With the division wide open, Harbaugh has no choice but to roll the dice. As I wrote in an earlier piece, he didn't acquire him to sit on the bench. He clearly knows enough of the playbook to start.

McCarthy gives the Giants something they haven't had since Jaxson Dart went down in week two: a dual-threat quarterback. Naggy was brought here to design an offense around Dart. While no one is suggesting that McCarthy is as good as Dart, it's clear from the evidence that Winston ins't. He's the perfect backup, as long as you don't need him to actually play.

Week six is in the books; week seven is up next.

Giants Fit To Be Tied

Coming into their game against the Washington Commanders yesterday, the New York Giants had played four games: Two good, one bad and one ugly. Well now you now can add bizarre to that list. Because bizarre is the only description that fits this game.

It was a tale of two halves. In the first half, the Giants managed only 82 yards of total offense; Jameis Winston was 7/16 for 72 yards; and Dominic Zvada missed a 50 and 57 yard field goal attempt. New York trailed 12-3 at halftime.

Then in the second half, the Giants got their second wind. They put up 239 yards of total offense to the Commanders 173. Winston threw for 3 touchdowns, including the game-tying one to Malik Nabers with 1:43 left in regulation, and New York outscored Washington 24-15 to force overtime. 

In the OT, the Commanders won the coin toss and elected to have the Giants receive. The Jints took the ball down to the Washington 28, where Zvada missed a 46-yard field goal attempt; his third miss of the game. The Commanders then took over at their own 36, but managed only 13 yards before having to punt the ball back to the Giants.

With a new lease on life, the Giants again marched down the field with a mix of passing and rushing. They had the ball at the Washington 24 with 2 minutes left in OT. A field goal would've won the game. But after watching Zvada miss three field-goal attempts, Matt Naggy, wanted to pick up a few extra yards to help his kicker. He called a run play for Cam Skattebo. The last two plays, Skattebo picked up 14 yards. The Giants were hoping he'd pick up at least five. 

Unfortunately, he did the one thing you can't do in that situation; he fumbled the ball and the Commanders recovered it at their own 23. With 155 left, Washington now had a golden opportunity to win the game. And win it they almost did.

I say almost, because this is where things got truly bizarre. Jayden Daniels, who ran for two touchdowns on the day, completed passes to Terry McLaurin (16 yards) and Antonio Williams (6 yards) to get to his own 45. Daniels then scrambled down the right sideline for 16 yards and completed a pass to Treylon Burks for 13 yards down the left sideline and out of bounds to the New York 26 with 55 seconds left. The Commanders then ran the ball off right tackle, I suppose, to put the ball at the right hashmark for their kicker.

There were 50 seconds left, with the clock running and the Commanders out of timeouts. All they had to do was spike the ball and kick the winning field goal. Instead, for some reason only they know, they elected to run another play. Daniels let the clock run down to 12 seconds before taking the snap. He dropped back like he was going to pass, then decided to run. By the time he was tackled there were only 8 seconds left, not nearly enough time for his players to get back to the line of scrimmage and for him to spike the football. Time had run out and, as improbable as it was,  the game ended in a 27-27 tie. 

Like I said, bizarre. 

On the one hand, the Giants were disappointed they didn't win; on the other hand, they were fortunate they didn't lose. It's not every week that a team commits that kind of malpractice. The last time something like this happened in a game that featured the Giants was on opening week of the 2022 season in Dallas. The Cowboys, like the Commanders, could't get back to the line of scrimmage in time to spike the ball and get their field-goal unit on before the clock ran out. It's also the first time since that same 2022 season that the Giants played to a tie, ironically against the Commanders at MetLife.

But while the Giants didn't win, they still had some incredible performances from some of their players. Winston continued his metamorphosis from the player everyone sweared at to the player everyone swears by. Overall, he was 33/54 for 326 yards with 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a QBR of 77.2. In his last two games, he's thrown for 576 yards with 6 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. If this is what the Giants envisioned when they signed him to an extension, mission accomplished. If nothing else, he's put to bed all the talk of J.J. McCarthy taking over the reigns. For the time being, this is his team. 

Nabers and Isaiah Likely were also exceptional. On a day when the running game couldn't get going, they combined for 22 receptions, 215 yards and 3 touchdowns. For the Giants to continue to succeed, they will need both of them to contribute.

And despite giving up some explosive plays, the defense played quite well. Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese each had nine tackles and a sack. Abdul Carter and Dru Phillips had five tackles a piece and combined for 3 sacks. As a unit, the Giants defense had a 2.14 average time to pressure against the Commanders; the fastest time for any team in a game this season. Over the last two games, Dennard Wilson really has this defense clicking.

All things being equal, I'd much rather be a Giants fan today than a Commanders fan. The Giants are in first place in the NFC East; the Commanders are in dead last. Neither team deserved to win and both probably deserved to lose. In a sense, it was a fitting end to the most bizarre game played in years.

Sometimes the football gods smile on you, sometimes they frown on you, and sometimes they just shrug their shoulders. 

Banks A Lot

They say baseball is a game of redemption. They obviously never watched a football game. Going into yesterday's contest between the New York Giants and Arizona Cardinals at MetLife Stadium, Deonte Banks was a man with something to prove. The beleaguered cornerback had a brutal 2025, and many thought he was certainly going to be a goner in the offseason.

But rather than cut him, John Harbaugh elected to keep him, believing his skills could be harnessed with a new defensive coordinator. Through the first three games of this season that faith had not been rewarded. Though Banks was marginally better than last season, he was still a far cry from the player the Giants thought they were getting when Joe Schoen traded up in the 2023 draft to take him with the 24th pick.

And then, just like that, a switch flipped and Banks had the game of his pro life. He broke up no less than five passes thrown by Jacoby Brissett. But it was the last three that proved to be the difference maker. With Arizona on the Giants four-yard line, and trailing by six with 22 seconds left in the game, Banks broke up passes to Michael Wilson and Trey McBride at the goal line. And then on 4th and goal, Banks jumped the route, intercepted a pass meant for Wilson and ran it all the way back 98 yards for the icing on the cake. 

Final score: Giants 36-24.

On a day when Jameis Winston proved he could still throw a football in this league, the outcome came down to a goal-line stand from the unlikeliest player on the roster. Indeed, it was the second straight week that the Giants needed a defensive stop to preserve a win. What a difference a year makes. Last season both these games would've been losses. You know it and I know it.

While Banks may have earned himself a game ball, he was not the only defensive hero on the field for Big Blue. For the second game in a row Arvell Reese made his presence felt. He had nine tackles - one for a loss - and one interception. The former Ohio State phenom leads the NFL with 27 solo tackles this season. He has been everything the Giants could've hoped for when they took him with the 5th pick in the 2026 draft. It is inconceivable that two teams with defensive needs passed on him; one of those teams just happened to be the Jets.

Go figure, right?

But defense was not the only story of this game. The offense had its best showing since opening week against the Cowboys. Malik Nabers caught 6 passes for 112 yards and one touchdown. It was the first time since the loss at Dallas last season that the all-pro wide receiver cracked the 100 yard mark. And just days after the Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings for a 2027 5th round pick, Winston had arguably his best game as a Giant. The 12 year veteran threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns. 

It took a while but the Giants offense finally got going late in the second quarter. Winston hooked up with Malachi Fields and Nabers to put the Jints up 19-14. In typical Winston fashion, however, he also threw two picks which led directly to 10 points for the Cardinals. You take the bad with the good with Jameis. Remember, this was the same guy who in 2019 led the league in passing yards AND interceptions. It's 50 / 50 whether the hits his own player or the opponent's.

That the Giants are 3-1 after losing both Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns is a testament to Harbaugh and his coaching staff. He simply refuses to let his players feel sorry for themselves. You can tell by their demeanor that they expect to win. And on a day when the franchise honored the 1986 championship team, the 2026 team found a way to do just that. 

For the time being, New York sits alone in first place in the NFC East. They travel to Washington next Sunday to play a 1-3 Commanders team that lost at home to the Indianapolis Colts and is missing its starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and its backup Marcus Mariota both to injuries. After that, the New Orleans Saints come to MetLife. Dare I say a 5-1 start is in the offing.

I'm getting ahead of myself, you might say. Perhaps you're right. But after watching this team find new ways to lose winnable games over the last few years, maybe it's time to dream big. 

After all, what have we got to lose? 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

So far this season, we've seen the Giants play three games: one good, one bad and one ugly. Week one, they played their most inspired game in almost a decade, beating the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium 28-20. Week two, they played arguably their worst game in a decade, getting smoked by the Rams in L.A. 28-6. And week three, they played the ugliest game I've seen them play quite possibly in my lifetime; a game in which they hung on to beat the lowly Tennessee Titans 12-7.

Let's not beat around the bush. If the Giants had played a better team out there, they'd be 1-2 instead of 2-1. The offense, without Jaxson Dart, continued to sputter. Twice the Jints had a first and goal inside the Tennessee five yard line, yet had to settle for a field goal both times. Since week one, when they put up four touchdowns against Dallas, New York's only scoring has come from their place kicker.

For the second straight game the pass rush was non-existent. Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter combined for zero sacks, zero hits, zero hurries and one tackle. The only bright spots on defense were Arvell Reese, who had 13 tackles - one for a loss - and Jevon Holland, whose interception with 24 seconds left in the game, sealed the win for the Giants. 

Special teams continued to impress. Dominic Zvada is a perfect 6-6 this season; Jordan Stout has averaged 51.1 yards per punt, including a 78 yarder; and Braxton Berrios has averaged 28 yards on kickoff returns. Harbaugh deserves a ton of credit for addressing what was a weak spot on this team last season. 

But the 600 pound gorilla in the room continues to be Jameis Winston. Coming off an abysmal performance against the Rams, he was only marginally better against the Titans, going 14 / 22 for 118 yards. The timing on his passes was still off, and his inability to run with the ball has hampered his team. On the bright side, at least he didn't throw an interception.

Before you blame the weather, remember Cam Ward had to play in the same elements and he was 23 / 36 for 181 yards. And had it not been for a great play by Holland in the end zone, Tennessee would've won this game 14-12. In his two starts, Winston's QBR is 22.9. That's 30th out of 30 starting quarterbacks.

Clearly this cannot continue. While no one believed for a moment the Giants were a legitimate playoff team, having a quarterback with a diminishing skillset playing this poorly is going to eventually take its toll in the locker room. Look what happened last year with Russell Wilson. No way in hell Harbaugh was going to let that happen again.

That might explain why he traded a fifth round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for J.J. McCarthy today. A former 2024 first rounder, McCarthy was 6-4 as a starter last season for the Vikes. He threw for 1,632 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Like Dart, he is a dual-threat QB with a good arm, who fits Matt Naggy's system more than Winston. Supposedly Harbaugh called his brother Jim before pulling the trigger.

At first, I was ambivalent about this trade. But the more I think about, the more I like it. Despite Harbaugh's insistence that Winston is his starting quarterback "for as long as I can see into the future," I seriously doubt he would've given up a fifth rounder when there were alternatives out there that would not have required draft capital to acquire unless he intended to use him. Ask yourself this question. Three weeks from now when Harbaugh finally pulls the plug on Winston, who would you rather see under center, McCarthy or Jake Haener?

With that in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if we see McCarthy start against the New Orleans Saints two weeks from now. In fact, we might even see him sooner than that. Harbaugh could use him on certain third down situations the same way Brian Daboll used Dart last season before he became the starter. One thing's for certain: having Winston stand in the pocket like a statue isn't working. No one is fooled. This isn't the '80s or the '90s anymore. To win in this league, you've got to keep defenses honest. Unless your name is Jared Goff, mobility is no longer an option in an NFL quarterback; it's a requirement.

Credit Harbaugh for realizing that much.

As if things weren't bad enough. Before I posted this piece, it was reported by Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport that Brian Burns suffered a torn ACL in yesterday's game and is out for the rest of the season. He led the Giants in sacks last year with 16.5. It was yet another blow to a Giants roster that was already reeling from the loss of Dart last week.

When it rains it pours.

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. 

Giants Come Crashing Down To Earth

If we're being totally honest here, last night's Rams game in L.A. was an L on the schedule. You know it and I know it. Yes, it would've been nice to start the season 2-0, but let's face it: after getting embarrassed by the 49ers on opening week in Melbourne, you had to know that Sean McVay was going to have his team ready to play the Giants. In fact, I believe I said as much in an earlier piece:

"You can bet the ranch Sean McVay will have his team ready by Monday," I wrote. Damn, I'm good.

But no way in hell I saw this coming. Eight days after playing their most inspired game in a decade, they turned in their worst performance since a 40-0 drubbing at the hands of the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium in 2023. Not only did the Rams win 28-6, they knocked Jaxson Dart (knee), Malik Nabers (shoulder), Brian Burns (ankle) and Andrew Thomas (groin) out of the game.

You can count the number of things the Jints did right in this game on one hand and still have a pinky left over. How bad was it? Punter Jordan Stout and safety Jevon Holland were the only stars for New York. Stout had six punts for an average of 52.5 yards, while Holland had an interception and a forced fumble that he recovered at the Rams 11 yard line.

In a nutshell, the Giants couldn't throw the ball; couldn't run the ball; couldn't pass block; couldn't run block; with the exception of one Rams possession couldn't generate a pass rush; and their secondary couldn't cover a kitchen table. Other than that, everything was peachy keen. In eight days they went from a prince to a frog. I could've sworn I saw Brian Daboll on the sidelines. 

And as if things weren't bad enough, the injury to Dart, which was initially thought to be an MCL sprain, appears to be far more serious. Ian Rapoport is reporting that after getting an MRI, the second-year QB may need season-ending surgery. If that's true, the Giants season may have ended. 

Unless of course you think Jameis Winston is capable of stepping in and taking over the reigns for this team. Based on what we witnessed last night, the jury is out. Winston looked totally unprepared, going 11/27 for 111 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. How inept was the offense with him on the field? Davante Adams had 195 yards for the Rams; the entire Giants team managed 182.

It's reasonable to assume Winston will improve his level of play in his next start. After all, he was exceptional against the Lions in Detroit last season that had the Giants played any kind of defense would've resulted in a win.  But he's also the same quarterback who in 2019 led the NFL in passing yards and interceptions. So anything is possible.

That means John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen will have some decisions to make. Do they shore up the QB position via trade or do they ride out the season with Winston and hope for the best? That all depends on what happens over the next two weeks. The Giants host the Tennessee Titans this coming Sunday and the Arizona Cardinals the following Sunday. Even without Dart, both are winnable games. If Winston plays well and the Giants are 3-1 going into week five, I could see Harbaugh and Schoen standing pat. But should they be 2-2 or, God forbid, 1-3, and Winston plays terrible, all options are on the table. After enduring the worst period of football since the 1970s, I don't think the fanbase can stand another lost season.

The sad thing is they may not have any choice.

A "Likely" Win

The night started out good and it ended even better. The New York Giants beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 at MetLife Stadium in front of 83,286 fans, most of whom were rooting for the home team. It was the most impressive win Big Blue has had in over a decade, and only the third time since they won Super Bowl 46 that they started the season 1-0; the other two times - 2016 and 2022 - they made the playoffs.

Cam Skattebo led the ground attack for the Giants with 81 yards on 18 carries, including a touchdown on New York's first drive. Jaxson Dart was brilliant all game. He was 23/29 for 230 yards with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 134 and a QBR of 81.6. Going into the season, the one lingering question was how he would play under center. Based on what we saw last night, I'd say that question was answered satisfactorily. 

But it was Isaiah Likely who stole the show. The tight end had 8 receptions for 78 yards, including two touchdowns. He also had two key third-down receptions late in the game that allowed the Giants to keep possession of the ball and run out the clock. Of all the offseason signings by John Harbaugh, Likely could prove to be the most consequential.

There were so many keys to this game, but I'll concentrate on three.

One: It was obvious from the opening kickoff that the Giants were the more physical, better prepared team. The grueling practice sessions in training camp paid off. Unlike past seasons, when they would run out of gas late in games, this team looked fresh in the fourth quarter. Indeed, it was the Cowboys who looked gassed.

Two: The Giants had seven possessions in the game and they scored a touchdown on four of them. No settling for field goals; no three and outs; and only one punt. The two TD drives they had in the second half took more than 16 minutes off the clock. When the Jints got the ball back with 5:21 left in the game, they never gave it up. Dallas was limited to only two possessions over the final two quarters. Overall, New York dominated the time of possession 36:40 to 23:20. 

Three: Remember last year in Dallas when James Hudson committed four penalties on one possession, one of which cost the Giants a touchdown? Four penalties on one drive before Brian Daboll finally benched him. Well, after Tyrone Tracey fumbled the ball late in the second quarter with the Giants in field goal range, Harbaugh had seen enough. He benched Tracey the rest of the game. The message could not be clearer. Careless mistakes will not be tolerated. There's a new sheriff in town, and he means business. 

But as wonderful as the night was for New York, there were still some red flags. Even with the bad officiating, Dak Prescott had his way with the Giants secondary. Dru Phillips, in particular, was brutal. Going into the season, my main concern with this team was its secondary, especially the cornerback position. Nothing I saw last night did anything to allay that concern. If this team is going to go anywhere, it's clear the front seven will have to carry the lion's share of the load defensively. While they did an excellent job against the run - Dallas averaged just 3.8 yards per rush attempt - they did not have a single sack on Prescott the whole game, even though they managed eleven hurries.

The fact is the Giants won this game because their offense kept the Cowboys offense on the sidelines most of the night. But that won't be the case every time. Sooner or later the pass rush and the coverage will have to pull its weight. It'll be up to Dennard Wilson to make the necessary corrections and adjustments. 

In the meantime, Big Blue can enjoy the fruits of their labor. They're 1-0. They earned the win; they were the better team. Now it's on to L.A. to play a Rams team that was embarrassed by the 49ers in Melbourne Australia. You can bet the ranch Sean McVay will have his team ready by Monday. After that come two very winnable games against the Titans and Cardinals, both at MetLife. Tennessee lost to the Jets 23-10 at home. They might be the worst team in the NFL. Guess who their offensive coordinator is. Yep, that guy.

3-1 has a good ring to it, doesn't it?

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

Harbaugh Aces His First Draft

"It's deja vu all over again."  - Yogi Berra

Four years ago, new GM Joe Schoen had two picks in the first round - the 5th and 7th - which he used to select Edge Kayvon Thibodeaux and offensive tackle Evan Neal. Thibodeaux was considered the second best defensive prospect in the Draft behind Aiden Hutchinson and Neal was considered the top-ranked tackle. After an impressive rookie campaign, Thibodeaux's performance has slipped considerably over the last three seasons, while Neal has turned out to be a bust.

Going into the 2026 NFL Draft, Schoen and new Head Coach John Harbaugh also had two picks in the first round - the 5th and 10th - which they used to select Edge Arvell Reese and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. Reese was considered the second best defensive prospect in the draft while Mauigoa was considered the top-ranked tackle. 

For a fanbase that's gotten used to having its heart broken, you could certainly understand the cynicism. But if we're being totally honest here, both picks made perfect sense. No way Harbaugh and Schoen could've anticipated Reese falling into their laps, and no way in hell they were going to look that gift horse in the mouth. Anybody who says the contrary doesn't know shit about football. Reese has the potential to be the next Micah Parsons, and, unless your name is Dave Gettleman, you don't let a Micah Parsons slip through your fingers.

Indeed, if fans had a bone to pick at all, it was with what happened five picks later. The general consensus Thursday night was that Caleb Downs would go quickly in the Draft. Yours truly had him going to the Jints at 5. So when he was still on the board at 10, everyone watching the event live just assumed that Harbaugh and Schoen would scoop him up. Imagine landing two of the top four defensive prospects in the same Draft; the other two being David Bailey - taken by the Jets at 2 - and Sonny Styles - taken by the Commanders at 7. The Giants were this close to being crowned "best team in the Draft" less than halfway through the first round.

But when Roger Goodell announced that they had selected Mauigoa with the 10th pick, a.chorus of "what the fucks?" could be heard from Parsippany to Canarsie. Frankly, my only qualm with the pick was that if the Giants were looking for someone to play right guard, why not take Vega Ioane, who's an actual guard and was rated number one at his position?

That being said, the pick makes total sense. As much as it would've been nice to have Downs patrolling center field for the Giants, the greater need was on the offensive line. Jaxson Dart is, without question, the most important player on this roster. Protecting him is essential to any long-term success this franchise plans on having. With the addition of Mauigoa, New York has its best O-line since the Tom Coughlin days. If I had to access day one, I would give the Giants an A.

Day two was almost as productive. Despite what Harbaugh said at his presser after the Draft, the Giants definitely had their sites set on defensive tackle Kayden McDonald at 37. But when the Texans leapfrogged them and snagged him, they didn't panic. They simply shifted gears and filled another position of need by selecting cornerback Colton Hood. Hood was viewed by many as a late first round prospect, so the Giants got a solid player at good value who has a chance of starting opposite Paulson Adebo on opening week. They then traded back into the third round and took wideout Malachi Fields at 74. Fields had a great Senior Day but bombed at the Combine, which led to his slipping in the Draft. The Giants believe they found a potential third target for Dart.

New York rounded out its draft by taking three depth pieces in the 6th round, one of which - linebacker Jack Kelly - could be a great addition to the special teams. Altogether, Harbaugh and Schoen were surgical with their picks, filling specific needs while not reaching; something several teams - i.e., the Rams - were guilty of doing this Draft. Overall, I'd give both men an A minus.

There's still more work that needs to be done. A successful draft was certainly an important step in the rebuilding process. But after trading Dexter Lawrence, Harbaugh has a gaping hole at nose tackle. 

Luckily he has time to fill it. 

Who Will Harbaugh Select in the Draft?

Going into the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants have two first round picks: numbers five and ten; the latter coming from the Cincinnati Bengals in the Dexter Lawrence trade. Who will John Harbaugh select with those two picks? That depends on who gets chosen before those picks.

Since it's generally assumed the Las Vegas Raiders will take Fernando Mendoza first overall, the real fun begins when the New York Jets are on the clock at number two. Will they take David Bailey or Arvell Reese? Will the Arizona Cardinals take Jeremiyah Love with the third pick, or will they trade back as some are predicting? Will the Tennessee Titans take the edge rusher the Jets didn't take, or will they take Sonny Styles, or maybe even Love if he falls to them?

A lot of variables, to be sure. Now you know why every team has multiple players on their board. Because you can never predict what other teams will do. What we know from last season is that the Giants number one need going into this draft is defense, and if Harbaugh has a chance to improve it, he will certainly do so. At the same time, we can't rule out that if someone like Love falls into his lap he won't take him. We also can't rule out the possibility that Harbaugh might trade back to acquire more draft capital. Given that the Giants don't have a third-rounder, that could be what he does with pick 10.

When I look objectively at this draft, three players stand out to me: Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs and, if he falls, Arvell Reese. All three played at Ohio State and all three could easily anchor this defense. But I can also envision taking a chance on Jordyn Tyson with the 10th pick. The Giants also need help on the offensive and defensive lines. See what I mean about a lot of variables? 

I'm predicting two trades: the first is between the Giants and the Cowboys. Dallas sends the 20th pick to New York in exchange for Kayvon Thibodeaux. The second is between the Cardinals and the Dolphins. Arizona gets the 30th pick from Miami, which they will use to select Alabama QB Ty Simpson, in exchange for a second round pick. 

So, without further ado, here is my mock draft for the top 20 picks in the first round. I hope you enjoy reading it half as much as I enjoyed writing it.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana.

2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State. 

3. Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame. 

4. Tennessee Titans: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech.

5. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State. 

6. Cleveland Browns: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State.

7. Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State. 

8. New Orleans Saints: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami. 

9. Kansas City Chiefs: Manor Delane, CB, LSU. 

10. New York Giants (via trade with Cincinnati): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State. 

11. Miami Dolphins: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami. 

12. Dallas Cowboys: Makai Lemon, WR, USC.  

13. Los Angeles Rams: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah. 

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State. 

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon. 

16. New York Jets, Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana. 

17. Detroit Lions: Kaydyn Proctor, OT, Alabama. 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon.

19. Carolina Panthers: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn. 

20. New York Giants (via trade with Dallas): Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State.

As with all my other predictions, please take them with a large grain of salt.

Have fun, people.

Harbaugh Lays Down A Marker

Very early in my sales career, the manager of a store I was working at decided to hold a meeting. Sales were down, the salesmen were bitching about conditions, and he was going to nip it in the bud once and for all. He started off the meeting by pointing to the door and saying, "See that? That's the exit. We don't just put that there for the customers to use. If you're not happy here, let me know and I'll accommodate you. I've got five applications on my desk for every one of you." Suffice to say he got his point across. The bitching stopped and sales soon picked up. Mission accomplished.

I am quite certain that the last thing John Harbaugh wanted to do was trade one of his better players, even if that player did have an "off" year. In his mind, the Giants were better off with Dexter Lawrence on the roster than without him. But after Lawrence issued his trade demand and refused to negotiate on a new contract, Harbaugh's hands were tied.

He could've called Lawrence's bluff and forced him to report to camp or forfeit his salary. But as I wrote in a previous post, why would he want that kind of headache in his first year as head coach? In the end, Harbaugh had no choice but to show his disgruntled player the exit, as it were. And in so doing, he laid down a marker. Don't want to be here? No problem. 

What's remarkable about this situation isn't that the Giants moved on from Lawrence, it's what they got in return. Harbaugh had said he wanted no less than a top ten pick for him, and that's exactly what he got. The Cincinnati Bengals traded the 10th pick straight up for the defensive tackle. 

Already the Monday-morning quarterbacks are at it, arguing that the Giants should've gotten the same haul the Jets got for Quininen Williams: a first, a second and a player. But like I pointed in that same post, you can't compare a trade made at the deadline with a trade made less than a week before the Draft. The Jets had all the leverage in that deal; the Giants had practically none, especially given Lawrence's demands. Frankly, I was starting to doubt whether they could even get a first rounder for him.

But the Bengals needed to improve a defense that was third from the bottom in the NFL, and they figured - correctly - that the best defensive players were all going to be gone by the time they got to choose. So they made the deal.

There were no losers in this trade. Both sides won. The Bengals got the player they wanted and the Giants got the draft capital they needed. They also saved $13 million in cap space, which they can put towards another free agent, D.J. Reader perhaps.

The real question is what will Harbaugh do with the 10th pick? Will he keep it, or will he trade back, as Gary Myers suggested, to get even more draft capital? It all depends on what happens with picks 6 thru 9. Assuming Jeremiyah Love goes 4th to the Tennessee Titans, the Giants will have their choice of Sonny Styles or Caleb Downs at 5. Either would instantly be a stud. Let's say Harbaugh takes Styles. It's unlikely that Downs would still be available at 10. The same goes for Carnell Tate and Jordan Tyson, who many believe is the best wide receiver in the Draft.

The Giants could certainly use some help at offensive tackle, as well as cornerback. There are several players at those positions who would still be on board deep into the first round. Trading back six or seven spots could get them a badly needed third round pick. After pick 37, the Giants don't select again until 105. That's a long time to go between picks.

It's important to remember that for all the good vibes the Harbaugh signing engendered, the Giants went 4-13 last season; the year before that they went 3-14; and the year before that they went 6-11. This team isn't two or three players away from being a contender; it's eight or nine players away. It needs all the draft picks it can get. Indeed, I wouldn't rule out the Giants trading Kayvon Thibodeaux. If Harbaugh could get a second and fourth for him, imagine the holes he could fill with those picks.

That's the difference between John Harbaugh and Joe Schoen or Dave Gettleman. Harbaugh clearly knows the Giants aren't a playoff team, and he isn't willing to take short cuts to get there. He only wants players who want to be here. He has a vision and a mandate from ownership to see it through. And make no mistake about it, he is running the show. Schoen can hold all the press conferences he wants; on Draft Day, Harbaugh will have the final word. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Schoen is let go next week. Dawn Aponte, who was hired in February to be the team's Senior Vice President of Football Operations, is more than capable of filling his shoes.

 

For the first time in a long time, this franchise is in competent hands. 

John Harbaugh's First Test

John Harbaugh was having a pretty uneventful first few months on the job. He had assembled his coaching staff, signed some notable free agents like Isaiah Likely, Tremaine Edmunds, Jason Sanders, Jordan Stout, Calvin Austin, Darnell Mooney and Cam Jones, and was preparing for what many Giants fans are hoping will be the first of many NFL Drafts as head coach and de facto president of football operations.

Then two days ago, Dexter Lawrence decided to spoil Harbaugh's honeymoon. The 340 pound defensive tackle, who was the 17th pick in the 2019 Draft, demanded a trade. Suffice to say the timing could not have been worse. While no one knows for sure what Harbaugh will do with the 5th pick, hold onto it or trade back to get additional picks, the general consensus was that he was leaning towards keeping Lawrence rather than moving him for additional draft capital. Now those plans appear to be up in the air. If Harbaugh can't satisfy Lawrence's contract demand - and the assumption is he's looking for a new one - he might have no option but to accommodate his wishes.

So, what would Lawrence fetch in a trade? If last year's Quinnen Williams deal is any indication, then the Giants should expect a first and second round pick, plus a defensive player. Of course there's one small problem with that analogy: the trade between the Jets and the Cowboys was made at the deadline, which is typically a seller's market. No such market exists here. Just the opposite, in fact. Every team in the league knows the spot the Giants are in. The last thing they're going to do is make it easy for them. If the best Harbaugh can get is a first round pick for Lawrence, he should take it and run. 

Of course he could wait until Draft Day. There's always a team out there looking to bolster their interior defense. And if Harbaugh can get an additional pick on top of a first for Lawrence, it might be worth the gamble. However, the reverse is also true; teams might try and lowball him, hoping to get a steal. In that event, Harbaugh would be up a creak without a paddle.

Lastly, Harbaugh could always call Lawrence's bluff. After all, he is signed through 2027 to a very team-friendly contract. $26.9 million may be below market value for a player with his talent, but it's considerably better than nothing, which is what Lawrence would get if he sat out the season. 

But does Harbaugh really want a player on his roster who's disgruntled, especially one as important as Lawrence? While he may have had an off year in 2025, he is still considered one of the better defensive tackles in the game. And for a team that struggled mightily against the run last season, I'm not sure Harbaugh wants that kind of headache in his first year on the sidelines.

So the choices appear to be a) pay him what he wants, then write the contract in a way so that the cap hit is less than what it is now; b) get what you can for him in a trade, even if it's less than what he's worth; or c) call his bluff and hope he doesn't sit out or tank.

If I had to guess, I'd say Harbaugh opts for Plan A. At 28, Lawrence still has several good years left before his skills begin to diminish. A three-year deal at $100 million, with the first two years guaranteed, should do it. Both sides get what they want. The Giants solidify their defensive line with a manageable cap hit, and Lawrence gets the security he's been looking for.

If Harbaugh still needs to shed more salary, he can always trade Kayvon Thibodeaux. Indeed, prior to Lawrence's demand, the smart money was on the Giants moving Thibodeux on Draft Day for a second round pick. Now that's almost a certainty.

You know what they say: the best laid plans of mice and men.

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.