QUARTERBACK
-Jaxson Dart: 14/24 – 193 yards / 1 TD – 0 INT / 98.1 rat
Dart added 17 rushing yards and a touchdown on the team’s final offensive play of the game, far after things were beyond reach. Taking all of the external elements out of the picture (refs, Skattebo injury, etc.), Dart looked confused and erratic but still performed well enough to win. First, he did not turn the ball over. Second, he eluded multiple sacks and some of those resulted in positive plays for the offense. And three, he made multiple downfield throws that were not capitalized on by the intended receiver. Every quarterback can play the “if” game on a near-weekly basis, but it is important to know this could have (easily) been a 300+ yard game with multiple touchdowns again. Seeing how distraught he was after the Skattebo injury and watching the post-game presser says a lot about him. Dart shows a lot of the leadership qualities teams want at the position, especially those that revolve around competitiveness. Whether or not he can channel that into raising the level of play of those around him remains to be seen.
The negative I took from watching the All-22 was how jumpy he seemed in the pocket. While the offensive line did not perform well (I will get to them), he was gun shy on initial reads and it got him into trouble. Thankfully he can create physically via athletic ability and contact-balance/strength, but mentally I think Eagles Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio got the best of him. This is a tough situation for a rookie to play the same defense twice in 17 days and I’m not sure the Giants offensive game plan offered the needed support. Dart is down another weapon, he’s lost three of his last four games, and has five games coming up against winning teams with a combined record of 25-11-1, the toughest in the NFL. I do not expect a lot of production, but we want to see clean decision making, consistent ball placement, and better play-clock management.
RUNNING BACK
-A gruesome, devastating injury to Cam Skattebo in the second quarter took the wind out of the sail in a 14-7 game. Earlier on, he caught an 18-yard touchdown and rushed for 12 yards on three carries. While we all know this is Dart’s team and the future of the organization is on his shoulders more than any player, Skattebo was the sidekick who, in some ways, made the future seem both more realistic and closer than it is. The surgery sounds complex (unlike Malik Nabers) and we likely will not have a clear answer on his return until the spring because of multiple factors, the main one being the risk of infection.
-The door closed because of an injury to Tyrone Tracy’s shoulder in Week Three, and it is now re-opened because of an injury to Skattebo’s ankle. Such is life in the NFL. Tracy gained 39 yards on 10 carries with 14 more yards on 2 catches. Devin Singletary had a 28-yard reception on a brilliant shoelace catch. These two will run the backfield for the time being, and while it could be worse, we already know what the upside is here. Tracy will be the primary back and it is important to know what he can do. No matter what, NYG needs to operate under the possibility Skattebo’s injury will impede his future. Can Tracy be the guy if that is the case? So far, what we know about him is he grades out poorly as a consistent pass catcher and he fumbles too much. He can correct that in the coming months.
WIDE RECEIVER
-Darius Slayton returned and had the most Darius Slayton game ever. He caught 2 of 5 targets for 26 yards, dropped a pass, and did not come down with a contested target on a deep ball. In his defense, he was erroneously called for a pass interference on a 68-yard touchdown. He just can’t seem to catch a break, but when you combine that with the inability to catch the football, bad things follow. Slayton was also beat for a TFL on a play that exposed lack of situational awareness and physicality as a blocker.
-Wan’Dale Robinson caught 3 passes for a team-high 48 yards. He was flagged for a block in the back, also a garbage call by the refs. He was not targeted until the third quarter (the score was 21-10) and two of his targets came on scramble plays. It was interesting they did not seem to design plays for him specifically. Robinson is (by far) their most dangerous weapon in the passing game and he went for 6/84/1 two weeks ago against Philadelphia.
-Beaux Collins caught a pass for 18 yards as Jalin Hyatt was a healthy scratch. Collins offers more physical play, which was the identity of this offense going into this game, and Hyatt simply has not done enough to justify a roster spot. With that said, Collins did allow a TFL on a role similar to Slayton where he was simply too late to recognize what the Philadelphia defense was doing to defend the run.
TIGHT END
-Theo Johnson, a big and fast athlete who I have noted several times lacks natural football reaction speed and overall twitch had the biggest gaffe of the day. On Dart’s best throw of the game, Johnson inaccurately located the ball and let it fall to the ground after it hit his hands. It was a 3rd-and-6 play toward the end of the second quarter (3:00 left) with PHI up 14-7. Had Johnson come down with it, it is first down inside the PHI 10-yard line. At the very least, more time gets chewed off, and at best, NYG ties the game 14-14 up going into halftime. But, no. NYG settled for a field goal and it gave PHI enough time to put a drive together. That drive resulted in a touchdown and they walked into the locker room up 21-10. He now has 8 drops in 20 career games. His saving grace is the progress he has shown as a blocker. He got blown up by Zach Baun early, but other than that, he was a positive difference maker in the run game.
-Daniel Bellinger caught his lone target for 21 yards. He was also flagged for illegally lining up offsides. NYG got away from 12 personnel, as Bellinger played under half the snaps Johnson did. Perhaps that was a result of the amount of time they spent in a point deficit, but I believe this offense needs these two guys on the field as much as possible. Bellinger has turned into the second most dependable option in the passing game. Dart also missed him wide open over the middle a couple times.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-A few solid weeks of play from the offensive line came to an abrupt halt against a Philadelphia pass rush that was ranked bottom-third in the NFL. It is not a coincidence Andrew Thomas’ poor game led to this, as I still maintain the notion he is the most important player on this offense. He allowed three pressures and a sack, often reacting late to some of the lateral games their front was playing. It was found in both the run and pass game that he just seemed slow to recognize. Fellow tackle Jermaine Eluemunor allowed three pressures, as he was constantly getting walked into Dart’s lap. Part of the reason Dart seemed jumpy in the pocket was the fact Eluemunor could not anchor. While he wasn’t losing his battles outright, he wasn’t winning them either.
-The interior actually held up just fine in pass protection in the first half. They trapped the interior rushers multiple times which created the escape hatch for Dart when the pressure came from the outside. The second half, however, got ugly. All three allowed multiple pressures and I charged a sack to both Greg Van Roten and John Michael Schmitz. The theme of the day for all blockers (“late”) was the line I kept writing over and over for those two. The foot speed is not there to recover if they initially read it wrong, and again, the Philadelphia defensive game plan simply appeared a step ahead. That, and their defensive tackles are, without question, on a different level than what NYG has along the interior. Blame this, blame that…that is the objective fact.
EDGE
-The only positive thing I have to say about this defense comes from, once again, this trio. Brian Burns had a sack for the third straight week and added four tackles. I could tell the ankle was slowing him down a bit when looking at his initial burst, but his 80% is still the best edge play this team will get from anybody.
-Abdul Carter had such a disruptive game and I can tell there is a growing sense of frustration coming from him because he just isn’t closing. There is no question his presence is being felt each week, however. He had 5 tackles (2 stops) and led the team with 4 pressures. Two of his pressures led to sacks and he had another penetration that led to a no-gain running play. Carter also caused a hold and should have caused another one the refs clearly missed. Remaining as unbiased as possible, I can’t say anything bad about his play. He is playing faster than everyone, he plays low to the ground with good power and balance, and his ability to make tight turns is very Micah Parsons-caliber. If there is one thing he could improve, it would be the angles he is taking to the action. That is one area he has not bought into just yet. This league is faster than anyone out of college realizes and those quick pressures are often creating the creases for the ball carrier, even quarterbacks, to escape.
-Kayvon Thibodeaux is playing smarter football and it showed on the tush push where he ripped the ball from Jalen Hurts hands. It was a smart, effective play that the refs completely blew. He added 3 pressures, 4 tackles, and a pass break up against arguably the top tackle duo in football. He played effective assignment football when it came to setting the edge, but he struggled to get off the latch of their hands.
DEFENSIVE LINE
-I assumed PHI would be run-heavy after barely using Barkley against NYG two weeks ago. With center Cam Jurgens out and right guard Tyler Steen playing inconsistently, this was a game I thought Dexter Lawrence could control the line of scrimmage. I put extra attention on his review and it was not pretty. Something seems different with him. Even on surface level, Lawrence looks heavier and slower. He is huffing and puffing and showing multiple signs of fatigue. And lastly, he isn’t finishing. While he did have a pressure and a half-sack, he did not win almost all of his match-ups. I can’t remember a time I saw him get pushed back as much as he did in this game. When Micah Parsons got traded away from DAL, I tweeted out the NFC East just lost its best defensive player and of course the NYG faithful went crazy as they raised Lawrence on top of their outstretched arms. Here we are eight weeks into the season and I’m not sure Lawrence is even the second best defensive tackle that played in this game. Something is up.
-The two other veterans both flashed in the absence of Lawrence, figuratively. Rakeem Nunez Roches had a sack, a pressure, and three tackles while playing just half the snaps. Roy Robertson-Harris added a pressure and three tackles, two of which were stops. He pushed the interior blockers around a couple times. The problem with both is they get too aggressive and vacate their gaps which creates massive cutback lanes, and when you don’t have linebackers that can fill in quickly, things get ugly.
-Rookie Darius Alexander continued his solid play in limited action. He added a half-sack, the first of his career and continues to show improvement against the double team. He did miss a tackle late after things got out of hand. DJ Davidson broke up a pass and added a tackle. He outperformed Lawrence (in half the snaps) when it came to maintaining gap integrity, which is hard to say.
LINEBACKER
-Eight games in, I am completely on the side of the fence this defense is going to need new linebackers in 2026. You can’t win with the likes of Bobby Okereke and Darius Muasau. They were outclassed by the PHI offense, run and pass. Okereke led the team with 8 tackles, but he missed 2 tackles and allowed all the targets thrown his way to be completed, including a touchdown. Okereke is very solid on the basic fundamentals within playing the inside run. That’s it. When it comes to fluid and smooth movement in space, he is rigid and stiff. The Dallas Goedert touchdown where Okereke just fell down because he had to change direction is the theme I keep seeing on tape. Darius Muasau missed a team-high 4 tackles. His performance on the long Barkley touchdown and 2nd-and-26 conversion by Tank Bigsby reminds us why he was a sixth round pick. Neither of these guys are athletic enough and it isn’t close. I simply don’t trust the upside of either and their floors have not been high as well.
CORNERBACK
-With Paulson Adebo out, Deonte Banks was put back into the starting lineup. The success PHI had through the air ironically had very little to do with him. He was targeted just two times (both were completed), but nothing of note came of it. He made a solid tackle on a Barkley rushing attempt, but he also lost outside contain on a run early that resulted in an 18-yard run. Simply put, Banks wasn’t a factor (good or bad). Cor’Dale Flott, ironically, was who the PHI passing game went after. He allowed three completions for 49 yards (both highest on the team) before leaving the game early with a concussion. He was dominated by the string bean DeVonta Smith in the run game when trying to get off his block multiple times. In a solid season for Flott, this was the worst we have seen out of him so far.
-Andru Phillips played just over half the snaps and finished with 3 tackles and a pass break up. I was disappointed with his performance in Denver, but he played faster and seemed to anticipate better in limited action.
-Korie Black, a seventh round rookie who was cut and spent time with the Jets, was back in blue and saw the first substantial snaps of his career. PHI went after him hard after NYG lost their second starting corner. He was flagged for a pass interference on third down and also allowed a 40-yard touchdown to Smith on a play he struggled to turn and locate the ball.
SAFETY
-Tyler Nubin is abruptly playing himself out of a job. Whether or not the NYG coaching staff feels that way remains to be seen, but we are getting to a point where he is unplayable. He broke up a pass on the first play of the Eagles’ offensive game, doubling his career total, and then was embarrassed on the long Barkley touchdown. His combination of poor foot quicks, agility, and recovery-speed were all on display on the same play. He also allowed a touchdown in coverage and missed two more tackles. Pre-Monday night, Nubin is tied for the league’s defensive back lead with 11 missed tackles.
-With Jevon Holland out, Dane Belton got the start. He has been excelling as a third safety, but I am unsure about his ability to be an every down player. He was second on the team with seven tackles (0 misses) but was also caught out of position in pursuit a couple times.
-Raheem Layne played 4 snaps and finished with a tackle and also allowed a short reception. There isn’t much else at this position and with Holland out, the lack of options are obvious.
SPECIAL TEAMS
-K Graham Gano: 2/2 (Made 47, 34)
-P Jamie Gillan: 4 punts (48.5 avg – 44.3 net)
3 STUDS
-ED Abdul Carter, ED Brian Burns, QB Jaxson Dart
3 DUDS
-OT Andrew Thomas, DT Dexter Lawrence, S Tyler Nubin
3 THOUGHTS ON PHI
(1) Watching PHI play against NYG two times in 17 days easily leads me to the notion that even though the Giants won the first match-up, these teams are in completely different leagues. Of course that can change quickly, but several things would have to go right for that to occur. Sure, NYG can play the “we’re injured” card, but remember, PHI was missing their WR1 too and they scored 38 points. They were missing a starting center with a questionable right guard and still ran for 276 yards. While PHI seems a little less consistent than what we are used to watching, they’re balanced and capable of beating anybody at any location. Nobody has turned it over less. They have a top shelf running back with an offensive line capable of taking over. And I think their defense is going to improve more and more as their young pass rushers continue to improve. The Eagles are the NFC favorite.
(2) Are there any Eagles expected to shake free in free agency who NYG can take a look at this upcoming offseason? They lost multiple defensive front players last spring. The primary players who could be available via free agency are TE Dallas Goedert, S Reed Blankenship, and LB Nakobe Dean. With what NYG thinks they have in Theo Johnson, I would be surprised to see them pursue a high-priced tight end. After investing in Holland in March, Blankenship is likely off the board. Dean is the name I think will have some suitors. I loved Dean coming out of Georgia a few years ago (he was one of my draft picks for NYG when I do the real time picks), but multiple knee injuries would scare me off. I would rather pursue someone in the draft at that spot.
(3) Is PHI a better football team without AJ Brown? Something like this always comes up when a receiver goes down and that respective team has a good game. Short answer? Absolutely not. Longer answer? Not having a diva receiver on the field can open the door to other ways of producing and force coaches to get more creative. If that creativity works, then it is a natural knee jerk reaction to say things are better. Similar to how the Rams looked good without Puka Nacua, it is more of a test for the team to not be predictable. The purpose of a number one receiver, in my opinion, is mainly about the season-long production and impact. But when looking at a specific game or two, you never want to fall apart simply because that one guy (who touches the ball 6-8 times on average) is not there. Sure, on 4th-and-goal in a gotta-have it situation that receiver is the go-to guy. But this is the ultimate team sport and a team should prove they are not dependent on a guy, especially when a defense focuses so hard on them. The Eagles are good without Brown, they can be great with him.
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) An unpopular opinion I have is steered toward the long term future of the Giants. Nobody wants to see injuries to Nabers and Skattebo for multiple reasons. Both the football and personal side are just heartbreaking. There is something that can come out of this that is beneficial, however. Dart already has a lot on his shoulders and whether we feel it is fair or not, everyone is putting all their eggs in this basket. One of the worst organizations in football over the last decade is filled with people who both work for and support the team, banking on him leading them out of darkness. This will come down to more than touchdowns and highlight scrambles. This is going to come down to his ability to be a leader and get the most out of every asset on this roster. The best quarterbacks do it. Sure, many benefit from the situation around them, but the ones that sustain greatness are the reliable rocks a team is built on. Dart lost his WR1, next man up. Create something out of someone. Dart lost his RB1, next man up. Create something out of someone. Their top defensive player is underachieving, next man up. They are missing multiple starting defensive backs, next man up. Score more points, that is the responsibility. The roster has lost a lot of firepower since he took over, but this should be viewed as the challenge he needs to take on himself to not only steady the ship, but raise his level of play.
(2) Are we confident in the structure of this offense? It seems to me the best we see of Dart, the times we are most pleased with his level of play, stems from plays that are not the initial design. Dart has proven he has the sixth sense to evade pressure and find green to buy more time for receivers to get open. How often have we seen him pick apart coverage schemes from the pocket over and over? When I watch the All-22, it is amazing how many times the lack of creativity and/or how long it takes for routes to develop prevents from Dart getting it out. When I compare other passing games, it simply looks like there are more options available, quicker. I know many think Brian Daboll has his job locked in to 2026, but I’m not sold. He has some more to prove.
(3) The Giants allowed 276 yards on the ground in Philadelphia. Through eight weeks, that is the highest single game number in the NFL. The Giants are allowing 5.7 yards per carry (also worst in the NFL), and their 74 penalties are atop the league. We have seen not one, but two colossal late-game collapses at the hands of the defense. They’re dead last in fourth-down defense, dead last in air yards completed, and 27th in red zone defense. The system on the defensive side of the ball is completely broken. Firing Shane Bowen may help, it may not. But it won’t hurt and it will send a message to everyone (besides Tim McDonnell) that everyone’s job is on the line. Give me a sound reason why not. I’m listening. Everyone must perform better or else. An argument can be made that this is the most-talented defense that has been here since Daboll/Schoen came on board. And this is the result? Enough is enough, someone make a bold decision and stop with the daddy-ball, country-club type nonsense.