QUARTERBACK
-Jaxson Dart: 17/24 – 139 yards / 1 TD – 0 INT / 99.1 RAT
Dart returned after missing two games because of a concussion suffered in Chicago, former Head Coach Brian Daboll’s final game at the helm. A lot has changed since he’s been under center but in all reality, nothing is different. The discussion around Dart has centered around his inability to avoid hits at the NFL level. As I said following his first start in Week Four, “Dart needs to tone it down as a ball carrier. If he continues to take big hits, it will get fans pumped and look cool on highlights. It will also land him on IR at some point…we will be watching whoever his backup is again.” The line between taking too much contact while still remaining competitive is a tough one to draw, no question. But he is on the wrong side of that line and in addition to other development projects he is taking on to be a quality NFL quarterback, that may be the most important one. He started off the game a bit panicky in the pocket but on multiple occasions he kept himself open for hits, big ones.
When it comes to evaluating his game as a passer, Dart protected the ball while maintaining aggression. He was forced to try and fit a lot of throws into tight windows and as a matter of fact, he placed them where they needed to be minus just a couple (one of which was a dropped interception). Dart’s natural arm talent when it comes to touch, accuracy, and tempo is very good. The one thing he will need to hammer in more and more when I compare him to a guy like Matthew Stafford revolves around lower body mechanics. I am not a quarterback coach, nor do I want to be, but there are a ton of unnecessary fade-away type movement patterns to his passing. Sometimes it is needed, sometimes it is not. It is a common issue with a lot of young quarterbacks in the highlight-reel world we live in but almost all of the guys who play like that are doing it at an unnecessary rate and it impacts multiple elements to the pass. Dart is talented, but he isn’t “good” yet. Upside and potential still live under the roof of fantasy. And to become good, mechanics and decision making will need to be on the to-do list.
RUNNING BACK
-It was another split attack used by Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka. Tyrone Tracy left the game early with a hip injury that does not appear to be serious. He finished with 36 yards on 10 carries as NYG once again struggled to create any movement at the point-of-attack. When there isn’t space, Tracy won’t create. Devin Singletary, on the other hand, was able to produce. He had a game-high 68 yards on 12 carries including a 22-yard touchdown. He also tied for the team-high 34 receiving yards on 3 catches. He provides excellent teach-tape for anyone who wants to understand and see what vision means for a running back. Feel, anticipation, reaction meshed with foot speed and square hips will do a lot for a back.
WIDE RECEIVER
-Wan’Dale Robinson had just 34 yards on 7 catches without any first downs. It was a low-usage day as New England rightfully put a lot of attention on him. There is nothing to fear in the NYG passing game so trying to take everything off the table for Robinson beyond dump-offs is a smart move. He has 10 catches of 20+ air yards this year and every other active player on the roster for this game has 10 as well, combined. Robinson’s most fixable issue, drops, have improved this season mightily but the biggest non-fixable issue, his size, will always be a limiter.
-Darius Slayton made the most of minimal usage. He had 2 catches, one of which he turned into a 30-yard touchdown after a tough, gutsy play where he caught the ball near defenders, broke a couple tackles, and outran defenders into the end zone. He also brought in a two-point conversion attempt with an aggressive, contested, all-hands catch. Had this been a closer game or even a win, Slayton would have had his praises sung louder.
-Isaiah Hodgins had just one catch for 4 yards. He also missed two blocks which is uncharacteristic for him. They both limited potential gains in the running game. Returner Gunner Olszewski was knocked out on a kick return and will likely miss some time.
TIGHT END
-The back-and-forth nature of Theo Johnson took a hit, as that was only a matter of time. He was targeted eight times as the antonym to the small and shifty Robinson, as Johnson is massive but clunky. He struggled to get open but he was still thrown to as much as anyone on the team. He, too, caught just three passes (for 29 yards) but also dropped yet another pass down the field. It would have resulted in a touchdown and even though it was a difficult play, it is one that must be made if you are going to be a reliable week to week option in a quality passing game. Johnson, who is fifth in the league in drop rate, was also flagged for a false start and a personal foul. He also got beat in the run game at the second level and allowed a pressure as he was late to recognize and was not quick enough to make up for it.
-Daniel Bellinger got rocked for a tackle for loss where Anfernee Jennings just stonewalled him before making the play. He was not targeted.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-Andrew Thomas had an easy-looking, elite game and I want to continue to make sure we all know and understand how special he is. Thomas is, without a doubt, an All-Pro. I believe he and Tristan Wirfs are the best left tackles in the game now. He makes things look so easy and he does it with talent, yes, but also technique. Everything from top to bottom is in sync, stable, and firm. The biggest difference I see in his game is how much he is moving people in the run game. Whether it is zone-scheme or gap-scheme, he is dominant. In traffic or in space, dominant. It is such a shame they are not competitive in the prime of his career.
-Jermaine Eluemunor, who I have been harder on than most, played a solid game. His quickness and overall twitch looked better than in recent weeks. He allowed just one pressure on a play where his base got too narrow and the bull rush just tripped him up. He was recovering well and played with very good bend.
-Inside, center John Michael Schmitz was really up and down. Early on he was getting tossed around (and to the ground) by former Giant Cory Durden who, I guess, viewed this as a revenge game. He was playing hard. Schmitz was impressive in space on the Singletary touchdown, showing both hustle and athleticism. Schmitz and Greg Van Roten have turned into the two (kinda) enforcers of the line. They are the first to get in the faces of defenders who take aggressive shots at their teammates. They are the first to get a few extra shoves in after the whistle. I like that about them but I just wish they were, well, better. Van Roten allowed a tackle for loss and a pressure and Schmitz was a tad late on some lateral movement. Both graded out above average in the pass game, but they are not doing well enough at the point-of-attack in the running game.
-Jon Runyan is highlighted by a few people for being an upper tier guard. I don’t see it. He allowed a tackle for loss and allowed a pressure in addition to being flagged for illegally blocking downfield (which was probably not his fault). When I break Runyan down with a microscope, I have a hard time finding what he does at a high level. Athletically he is very average. Power-wise he is below average. I guess he knows the game well and simply does not lose much. There is value in that, but he sums up the interior offensive line perfectly and explains why I consider it to be a significant need heading into the 2026 offseason.
EDGE
-The story of the game is Abdul Carter once again. For both good and bad reasons. First, the latter. Carter was benched for the entire first quarter because he missed a special teams meeting. Whether it was an honest mistake or not, Carter needs to own this and get better. There is no way around it. On the field, despite missing an entire quarter, he led the team with 5 pressures and a sack. He also added 3 tackles against the run. His first step is so lethal and he can stop on a dime with good bend. When he can develop credible counter moves and power, he is going to be an incredible pass rusher. But right now? He is a one trick-pony most of the time and that isn’t overly difficult to block for anybody mentally.
-Brian Burns added 3 pressures and a TFL (and one more tackle). He nearly had a sack, but Andru Phillips (who missed a sack despite having Drake Maye wrapped on the play) knocked Burns off the path away from his 14th sack.
-Chauncey Gholston got the start with Kayvon Thibodeaux still recovering from a shoulder injury and the Carter suspension opening the door. He and Tomon Fox essentially did nothing at all. Zero impact on the pass rush, zero tackles in the run game. All of the sudden NYG was thin at EDGE. Gets me thinking about this upcoming offseason as crazy as it sounds.
DEFENSIVE LINE
-There was something missing from the defense all game. There was no bite, no personality. This can be blamed, that can be blamed. From a personnel standpoint, the middle of the defensive front simply did not show up. Dexter Lawrence finished with one pressure late and he had one tackle on 48 snaps. He was playing tall, leaning on blockers, and simply did not have the fight we are used to seeing. I have to assume he is in pain more than checked out mentally. Either way, and especially if it is the former, he should be shut down at some point in December.
-Roy Robertson-Harris had the most disruptive player of the group, finishing with 3 tackles and a pressure, and Rakeem Nunez-Roches added one tackle.
-Rookie Darius Alexander’s upside shows up on occasion, but his bad tape is, similar to Theo Johnson, really poor. Most of it centers around the bend in his knees and hand placement, both issues that are correctable. He had one pressure as well. DJ Davidson stepped in for Lawrence on occasion and did a nice job clogging the inside lanes and maintaining his ground, but he simply does not move fast enough to create plays. There will be a market for him, especially the two-gap schemes.
LINEBACKER
-Bobby Okereke had an awful game. There continues to be a revolving door next to him but he is no longer the stable rock inside the defense can rely on. He finished with 7 tackles, but also 3 misses and got torched in coverage. “Not fast enough” and “too many recovery steps” are all over the game notes.
-Zaire Barnes, in his first start, flashed some extra juice compared to what is normally out there, but he is not an option moving forward. He did lead the team with 11 tackles and added a sack, but he missed two tackles and was too late to recognize the running lanes. Barnes struggles mightily to fill gaps and play effectively against blockers. New England ran right at him a few times and he was constantly in recovery mode.
CORNERBACK
-Paulson Adebo returned from his knee injury and looked rusty. He was burned for a deep 33-yard touchdown (on a perfect pass) against rookie Kyle Williams. He allowed a team-high 8 completions, but most of them were short passes where he was in good coverage. He also added a pass break-up and 10 tackles.
-Cor’Dale Flott also allowed a touchdown on a quick fade he did not see fast enough. He had 4 tackles and a miss, but did not force any incompletions on 4 targets.
-Andru Phillips was the primary nickel and he added 3 tackles along with a pass break-up. His lack of discipline on a blitz resulted in a 26-yard run for rookie TreVeyon Henderson. He also had a missed sack where he overshot his angle on Maye, who escaped his grasp. His coverage was very solid and I saw less false steps than what I am used to seeing.
SAFETY
-Another quiet game from the trio of Tyler Nubin, Jevon Holland, and Dane Belton in coverage. Belton and Nubin both made nice plays at or behind the line of scrimmage against the run. Nubin looks so much more comfortable at the point-of-attack and he simply plays faster down there. I wonder if the new defensive system (this year and next) can find a way to get him in the box more often. Belton finished with 7 tackles and a pass break up.
-Holland looks like a swing and a miss for Joe Schoen in free agency. He is not making enough of a difference in coverage and the lack of presence he shows as a tackler lacks a feeling of enforcement this defense needs in the middle. He had a terrible missed tackle and the ones he does make are more of grab-and-drag rather than strike.
SPECIAL TEAMS
-K Younghoe Koo: 0/0 (although he missed the ball on an attempt which was technically a sack, something I have never seen before on any level) / 1/1 XP
-P Jamie Gillan: 49.9 avg / 18.8 net
3 STUDS
-RB Devin Singletary, OT Andrew Thomas, WR Darius Slayton
3 DUDS
-LB Bobby Okereke, TE Theo Johnson, DT Dexter Lawrence
3 THOUGHTS ON NE
(1) Watching the Giants (Dart in particular) take big hits over and over obviously spurred emotion from both the players and fans. Were these dirty hits? Were they even illegal? In all reality, no to both. New England plays as physical as any team in the NFL and sometimes physical comes across as “dirty.” When I step away for a moment, I admit that is exactly how I would want the Giants defense to play in the near future. Football is a nasty, violent game and even at the top level there is a gap between the toughest and average defenses especially when it comes to how hard they pursue contact. This mostly comes from the staff that runs that defense starting at the top in Mike Vrabel. While playing physical does not guarantee wins, it is the icing on the cake just as much as team-speed for teams who pursue that kind of identity.
(2) As franchise quarterback Drake Maye entered his second season, New England went all-in on supporting him and simply building the roster. Nobody spent more money than they did in free agency. Starters at all three levels of the defense, and two starting offensive linemen and a number one receiver. Then onto the NFL Draft where they spent the number four overall selection on a left tackle and a third rounder on a starting interior offensive lineman in addition to early second and third round picks on play-makers who have contributed right away. New England (and Chicago) set up really solid templates for NYG to follow from a personnel standpoint. Play-makers and guys to protect Dart at a relentless pace. But the biggest additions were to the coaching staff. The level of importance to that decision cannot be understated.
(3) The Patriots went from consecutive four-win seasons to a potential (maybe even likely) number one seed. They had one winning season over the course of five years. They had multiple coaching changes and a failed first-round quarterback. I know it is hard to see anything positive in NYG’s future, but it is important to know how fast this can happen especially if they have the quarterback in place. Drake Maye is easily an MVP contender and his upside, which everyone saw, is no longer a fantasy or hope. He is clicking in every element both mentally and physically. The mechanics have improved and it is easy to see how comfortable he is making decisions whether it is clock management, self preservation, or reading the defense. Maye is a football nut who is all ball, all the time. No fluff, just leadership by example 24.7.365…
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) Mike Kafka is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. This is a long head coach interview with case studies on display weekly. From the game-day performances to disciplining players who have clearly been beating to their own drum, Kafka will have tangible things to show potential employers as he pursues an actual head coaching gig. Next up? How does he perform after a week off? NYG has their (very late) bye week coming up and it feels like the energy is starting to leak. Kafka does not exactly scream motivational tactics and I’m not sure he lights the fire for most (if any), but one thing I will watch is how different they will come out against the struggling Commanders and VIkings in back to back weeks. Win or not, higher draft pick or not. How flat or motivated this team comes out will be worth watching for his sake more than anyone.
(2) Watching General Manager Joe Schoen’s presser was painful. This is not a cheap shot at his public speaking as it is not an easy thing to do and some people have credible fears and anxieties in that world. From him gasping for air during his opening monologue as if he ran a 5K right before, or the awkward back and forth with Pat Leonard that looked like a couple fighting (“I’m not perfect”), it was another example of how poor this organization is run from the top. Whoever coaches these guys on how to talk is failing at their job and I hope there are some in the building to hold them accountable. My entire life I have grown up listening to how the Giants are a flagship organization in the league. The more I learn and the more I watch? That is garbage. NYG has been a laughing stock. Since 1987, NYG has made the postseason in consecutive seasons from 1989-1990 and from 2005-2008. That is it. It is pathetic. They are nearly 50 games under .500 since 2003 and there are countless people in the building who have been here during that time. The lack of ability to sustain quality results is, without question, coming from the top. They have run out of people to blame.
(3) Last year the defense ranked 30th. This year the defense ranks 30th. Last week Shane Bowen was the defensive coordinator. This week he was not. The group is relatively healthy compared to a lot of defenses. Could this be the fireable offense for Schoen? Remember owner John Mara emphasized how disgusted he was with the defense after the 2024 season. Schoen went on to spend big money in the secondary, added a starter to the defensive line, and used the third overall pick on the first defensive player taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. You can spend big and win the offseason headlines, but that is just as useful to the Giants as Aaron Judge is to the bottom basement dweller of the NFC East. The value is zero. What happens on the field trumps all, and the results on the defensive side of the ball have been nearly zero. If anything, it can be viewed as a negative because of the resources (money) those guys are swallowing up in the coming years.