The New York Giants pulled off their biggest win of the young season in Week 4, stunning the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers. It was the kind of upset that can breathe life into a team’s locker room. But despite the victory, the Giants enter Week 5 as two-point underdogs against the winless New Orleans Saints — a reflection of lingering doubts around consistency, health, and availability.
One major concern is whether star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and second-year safety Tyler Nubin will be ready to go. Both are dealing with issues that could limit them, but the Giants can’t afford to be without either on Sunday.
Lawrence’s presence is bigger than the box score
For Dexter Lawrence, the numbers haven’t told the full story this season. Through four games, he has seven pressures but no sacks. That might look like a quiet start, but anyone watching the games closely knows his impact goes well beyond the stat sheet. Lawrence commands double-teams, collapses the pocket, and forces quarterbacks into hurried throws — the kind of plays that don’t always show up in analytics but change the complexion of a defense.
This week, Lawrence has been battling an illness, though head coach Brian Daboll downplayed concerns about his status. If he’s on the field, the Saints’ offensive line will have its hands full. Without him, the Giants’ defense loses its anchor in the trenches, a void that would make it far easier for New Orleans to find rhythm on the ground.
Nubin learning on the fly
Safety Tyler Nubin has shown flashes of the playmaker the Giants believed they were drafting in 2024, but the adjustment hasn’t been seamless. Transitioning from free safety to strong safety in the NFL has come with growing pains.
Nubin has recorded 15 tackles this year, but his 29.6% missed tackle rate highlights the learning curve he’s still climbing. At times, he’s shown excellent instincts in run support, crashing down to close gaps quickly. But on other plays, poor angles have cost him and allowed opponents to turn short gains into chunk plays.
It’s the life of a young safety: one snap he looks like a rising star, the next he looks like he’s thinking too much instead of reacting. What the Giants see is raw talent that needs refining — and that can only come with more snaps.
Why both players matter Sunday
The Saints may be 0-4, but underestimating them would be a mistake. New Orleans has minimal playmakers on both sides of the ball, and a defense missing Lawrence or Nubin would be a step slower. Lawrence’s dominance at the line of scrimmage helps the Giants mask weaknesses in their linebacker group, while Nubin’s continued development is crucial in limiting explosive plays downfield.
The Giants have already shown they can surprise when healthy and dialed in. But this season is fragile enough that losing either of these key defenders could tilt a winnable game.
For now, Daboll has made it clear he expects both to be ready. If that holds true, the Giants should have the muscle up front and the growing talent in the secondary to take care of business against a team desperate for its first win.