It was supposed to be a homecoming of sorts for the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night. The team donned their all-white 1980s road uniforms, and the fans followed suit to create a "White Out."
While the fans did their part, the team failed to do theirs. Many felt the opponent, the floundering Washington Commanders, would lie down and let the Giants and their fans party on. They were wrong. Very wrong.
While the Giants had multiple chances to win, they let the victory slip away and now face a dogfight in the NFC East as they head into a rough stretch of their schedule.
Here's what we learned from the Week 10 loss.
This is "crazy town"
Several weeks ago, head coach John Harbaugh's wife, Ingrid, called the NFL "crazy town" after watching a wild slate
of games that Sunday. Games went back and forth, and underdogs outplayed favorites in almost every instance.
That's basically been the Giants' season in a nutshell. They play close games. When they're behind, they come back. When they're ahead, no lead is safe. Thursday night was more of the same. There was no rhyme or reason to what they were doing. Seat-of-the-pants strategy set it. They simply played to the moment.
Six lead changes in a 24-21 game? How does that happen? Each score put a different team ahead. Washington just happened to score last.
Harbaugh said his team played "pretty good" but "not good enough" to win.
"We're pointing toward our next opportunity. I think our guys are tough. We have a good spirit. It's not one of fear. It's one of power and courage. We will continue fighting," he said.
Bottom line: Get used to standing and pacing during the fourth quarter every week.
Just a hiccup, or reality setting in?
Let's face it. The Giants are an average team. They could be above average had they not lost quarterback Jaxson Dart and linebackers Brian Burns and Tremaine Edmunds to long-term injuries. Average in the NFL means a 9-8 or 8-9 record, and they are on track to achieve that. Keep in mind, they haven't yet played a team with a winning record.
Many saw this game as a win, but the point spread dropping from Giants -3.5 to Giants -1.5 as the week unfolded should have tipped off Giants fans that something was amiss. Washington was treating this game as do-or-die. If they had lost, they would have fallen to 2-6-1 and out of the division race.
Still, the Giants are all alone in first place in the NFC East at 5-3-1 midway through the season. They are still ironing out many things and now have 10 days to prepare for the second half of the season. That starts with hosting AFC South-leading Jacksonville in Week 11 and includes games against Seattle, San Francisco, and Detroit.
Nabers in a slump?
For the second straight game, star wide receiver Malik Nabers was held in check. He was targeted seven times and caught five for 44 yards. His two missed targets are sticking out this morning, though. On a key third down, he slipped and didn't complete the route. It was a slick night, so he gets a pass.
Then, at the end of the game, Rasul Douglas picked off a deep pass down the middle, boxing out Nabers, who made no effort to catch the football.
Let's not forget the biggest mistake -- the fumble deep in Washington territory late in the third quarter. Nabers had the ball stripped by Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu on the 16 yard-line, killing what could have been a game determining scoring drive.
After the game, the usually garrulous Nabers was nowhere to be found in the locker room for comment.
First-year players are creating a new identity
Watching the 2026 Giants is a totally different experience than in recent years. They have lots of new faces, and most of them are massively talented. Rookie linebacker Arvell Reese is the brightest new face, and he has taken over the Giants' defense. He's the player people notice the most. On Thursday, he played every snap again and led the team in total tackles (13). He is playing at a Pro Bowl level.
Tight end Isaiah Likely could be joining Reese at the Pro Bowl Games. He was unstoppable again, grabbing nine of 11 targets for 127 yards, highlighted by a 66-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown.
But there are others. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy, whom the Giants rescued from the Minnesota Vikings' doghouse last month, is playing like a first-round pick. He gets more comfortable every game and was tossed for a career-high 293 yards on Thursday night.
Rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields has shown that he can both move the chains and get separation downfield. Punter Jordan Stout has a powerful leg and can kick with finesse, though he had a costly shank.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: What we learned from New York Giants' 24-21 loss to Washington Commanders
