After only two weeks, a lot of the hope Giants fans had for this season has been ripped away. With the news that Jaxson Dart will miss the rest of the regular season due to a knee injury, many have already moved on to next season. However, if this roster was truly as good as fans thought it should be, losing Dart should not be the be-all and end-all. They should be able to remain competitive and still be a gritty team.
Sure, they may not be a playoff contender, but they can still go a respectable 7-10. That test starts this week as the Giants are set to take on the Titans. This game also marks the return of former Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who is Tennessee’s offensive coordinator. Here are the three things to watch out for during the game.
Can Jameis Winston Play Improve?
One reason fans were so down after it was announced Dart was out for the season was how Jameis Winston played in relief. Despite being considered one of the league’s better backups, Winston had one of his worst performances against the Rams. He went 11 for 27, threw for 111 yards, and threw an interception. Sure, Winston was under heavy pressure and had little time to throw. But even when he got the ball out of his hands, it didn’t look pretty. They didn’t have much power behind them and were easy to defend.
But judging Winston just off that performance is unfair. He didn’t get reps with the first team in practice, which kept him from building chemistry with the receivers. He was also taking over an offense devastated by Dart’s injury. Better preparation on the opponent and less emotion should help Winston play more like we are used to. The offensive coordinator has also said they will develop a scheme that fits Winston’s strengths. This should help Winston put in a much better performance.
What Can the Giants Get From Malik Nabers
Dart was not the only Giants player to get hurt during the game against the Rams. Just a few plays later, Malik Nabers fell to the ground on the sideline in pain. After the game, reports said he had separated his shoulder and that it was popped back in on the sideline. While Nabers returned to the game, he was nothing more than a decoy. He only caught one of his four targets for a yard. If this is all your top receiving target can produce, you are most likely going to lose the game.
Nabers’ status for Sunday is still up in the air, but it would be surprising if he doesn’t play. The main question is how effective he will be. If his shoulder is fine, he should be able to have a performance similar to what we saw against the Cowboys in Week 1. This would propel the Giants to a win. But if the injury is worse than we thought, other receivers will have to step up. Otherwise, the Giants’ passing attack will be silent. Guys like Darnell Mooney and Malachi Fields will need to be guys Winston can rely on.
This Can Be an Abdul Carter Legacy Game
Another key Giants player injury during Week 2 was Brian Burns. He suffered a sprained ankle during the 4th quarter and will most likely miss this upcoming game. This will be a major blow to the Giants’ pass rush. While it was not much of a factor last week, it was a big reason they were able to beat the Cowboys. They will need someone like Abdul Carter to step up and make up for what they lost in Burns. He will need to build off what he did last game, where he got the first and only Giants sack of the season.
A big performance from Carter could not come at a better time. Despite his advanced numbers looking solid, fans have been wanting more big plays. They want him to start finishing on plays and look more like the player they thought they were getting when they drafted him third overall back in 2025. He needs to be a game wrecker against the Titans. He needs to get to Cam Ward and bring him down at least once. If he can throw off Ward’s rhythm, the Titans’ offense will stall.
