EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants are — somehow — 3-1 without quarterback Jaxson Dart and star edge defender Brian Burns. They lead the NFC East. Let’s examine the game in our unique ‘Kudos & Wet Willies’ style.
Kudos to …
Deonte Banks — In case you didn’t know, this is what happened on the final play of the game with the Giants desperately trying to hold a 30-24 lead:
That is a Banks’ game-saving house call four plays after being called for a phantom pass
interference call that gave the Cardinals first-and-goal at the 4-yard line with :22 seconds left, seemingly dooming the Giants to a depressing loss.
“I thought you had to touch the guy for it to be pass interference,” said head coach John Harbaugh of the penalty call.
No matter. The Cardinals never gained another yard. Three straight incompletions, including one on a pass breakup by Banks, set the stage for the final play. Banks undercut a slant intended for Cardinals’ wide receiver Michael Wilson and took the ball to the house as a jubilant crowd at MetLife Stadium erupted.
Banks had four passes defensed in addition to his game-winning interception.
It’s been an amazing turnaround for Banks, a 2023 first-round pick who had miserable seasons in 2024 and 2025 and not long ago seemed destined to be a backup cornerback and kickoff returner.
Not anymore.
Arvell Reese — The No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is getting better each game, and quickly turning into a star. Reese filled up the stat sheet on Sunday with nine tackles [one for loss], an interception, three passes defensed and a pressure that helped Greg Newsome get one of the Giants’ three interceptions of Brissett.
Reese wasn’t satisfied, saying he “left a lot of plays out there.”
Reese said he wants to be a “game changer” and a “dominant player” but that he’s “nowhere near” being the player he wants to be.
Maybe not, but after what we saw Sunday that is a scary thought. He’s pretty darn good right now.
Malik Nabers — Nabers gave everyone a scare when he stayed down on the field briefly after a 39-yard reception in the first quarter. He popped up and ran off the field, though. Nabers finished with a big day, six receptions in seven targets for 112 yards (18.7 yards per catch), including that 39-yarder and a 25-yard touchdown catch.
This was easily Nabers’ best game of the season, and the explosive plays bode well for a Giants’ offense that desperately needs them.
Abdul Carter — The second-year edge defender told Big Blue View this week that he was “disgusted” by the team’s pass rush productivity through three games. Sunday, he did something about it.,
Carter did not have a sack, but he did make Cardinals’ quarterback Jacoby Brissett feel his presence for the entire game.
Special teams (except for kickoff coverage) — There is so much to love about what the Giants did on special teams Sunday, and what they have done all season. Except for Sunday’s kickoff coverage, which we will get to.
- Rookie placekicker Dominic Zvada is now 9 of 9 after connecting on three field goals on Sunday. He his from 39, 50, and 52 yards — the last two being the longest kicks he has been asked to attempt thus far.
- Tyrone Tracy had a 55-yard kickoff return that set up a Zvada field goal.
- Punter Jordan Stout did not hit any 70-yard bombs on Sunday, but he did average 44.7 net yards and drop two of his three punts inside the 20-yard line. His best punt was a 47-yarder with the Giants clinging to a fourth-quarter lead that pinned Arizona at its own 3-yard line.
- Charlie Jones replaced Braxton Berrios on kickoff return, and eventual on punt return after Berrios was ruled out with a foot injury. Jones contributed a 23-yard punt return that prevented the Giants from starting a fourth-quarter drive in the shadow of their own end zone.
Dennard Wilson — There are a couple of reasons to praise the Giants’ defensive coordinator after Sunday’s game.
First, even without Brian Burns Wilson found a way to finally get the Giants’ pass rush cranked up. Check this nugget from NextGenStats:
The Giants blitzed on 53.8% of dropbacks in their victory over the Cardinals in Week 4, the highest blitz rate by a Giants defense since the start of last season.
Jacoby Brissett completed 6 of 18 pass attempts for 55 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions against the Giants’ blitzes while facing pressure on 52.4% of dropbacks (2 sacks). The Giants have called more blitzes with Brian Burns off the field, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3, blitzing on 47.1% of dropbacks with Burns off the field and just 23.7% with him on the field this season.
As noted above, Carter and Reese were fantastic. Tremaine Edmunds and C.J. Okoye has sacks — the first official sack of Okoye’s career. They made Brissett uncomfortable, contributing to the three passes they intercepted.
More subtly, look at the run defense. After two drives, the Cardinals had a 14-3 lead and had run the ball — mostly to the edges of the Giants’ defense — nine times for 81 yards (that’s 9.0 yards per carry). For the remainder of the game, they ran 17 times for 42 yards, 2.5 yards per carry. I don’t know what adjustment Wilson made, but whatever it was it worked. And it changed the trajectory of what looked like it might be an Arizona route.
Bryan Hudson — Hudson got his first start in place of John Michael Schmitz, and appeared to play well. There were no obvious breakdowns in the middle of the line. John Harbaugh said the switch isn’t permanent, with Schmitz having missed time during the week for the birth of a child. Still, Hudson’s play might give the Giants something to think about.
Wet Willies to …
Kickoff coverage — The Giants allowed kickoff returns of 39 and 27 yards, uncharacteristic breakdowns for special teams coordinator Chris Horton’s group.
Kayvon Thibodeaux — Getting the start with Burns out for the year, Thibodeaux was mostly non-existent. He had two assists on tackles. That’s it.
Odell Beckham — Beckham created lot of good will during the summer as he worked to come back to the Giants after a year away from football. He made the team, but in the end the Giants cut him. In my view, Odell washed away all the good will he created with his social media tirade.
Kwillies to …
Jameis Winston — I think we probably just need to get used to the idea that Winston is going to be in this category every week.
There was, as is the way of the world with Winston, a lot of good and a lot of bad.
There were three touchdown passes. A couple of those came on brilliant plays. A 25-yard strike to Nabers. A play where he scrambled and got Malachi Fields open for a score. A tight-window TD to Theo Johnson.
There were two interceptions. One of those, created a six-point swing at the end of the first half, taking the Giants out of field goal range and giving the Cardinals a chance to add three points. The other one, on the first possession of the second half, was “allegedly” thrown to Darnell Mooney. It missed the receiver, though, by about 10 yards. That pick put the ball at the Giants’ 37-yard line and set up a touchdown that put Arizona ahead, 24-19.
There were four sacks. I’m not sure what the tape will show, but I would venture an educated guess that Winston either could have avoided or actually caused all of them.
In the end, though, Winston has started two games for the Giants, they have won both, and they lead the NFC East.
That is the bottom line.
