Need a reminder of how quickly an NFL team's fortunes can change? Tuesday marked one year since the New York Giants fired coach Brian Daboll after he posted a 20-40-1 record in three-plus seasons.
The Giants spent the anniversary trying to upgrade the roster that new coach John Harbaugh has in first place in the NFC East. Those efforts were unsuccessful, as Tuesday's trade deadline passed without any moves.
The Giants swung for the fences, seemingly pursuing every big name on the market. ESPN reported after the deadline that the Giants called the Atlanta Falcons about Bijan Robinson, considered a top running back in the league.
The challenge in trading for impact players is the exorbitant cost. The Jacksonville Jaguars sent first- and second-round picks to the Philadelphia Eagles for Jordan Davis, a quality run-stuffing defensive tackle who has never earned a Pro Bowl or All-Pro selection. The Jaguars sent second- and fifth-round picks to the Falcons for All-Pro safety Jessie Bates, who is in the final year of his contract.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was the most realistic high-profile target for the Giants, who Harbaugh confirmed offered a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick for him. That was a reasonable offer, but not enough to motivate the Colts to move on from a franchise pillar who ranks third in the NFL in rushing yards since the start of the 2024 season.
The Colts conducted a fire sale of players on expiring contracts, acquiring a third-round pick, two fourth-round picks, two fifth-round picks and a sixth-round pick for wide receiver Josh Downs, wide receiver Keenan Allen, guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Taylor was in a much different position since the 27-year-old is signed through the 2029 season.
The Colts needed to be blown away to move Taylor, which didn't happen. Nothing is preventing them from revisiting trade negotiations in the offseason after hiring a new general manager, just as there's nothing preventing the Giants from resuming their pursuit. But for now, they weren't able to land the star running back they've coveted since Harbaugh's arrival in January.
The Giants didn't have a fourth-round pick (used to trade up for wide receiver Malachi Fields in this year's draft) or a fifth-round pick (used to trade for quarterback J.J. McCarthy in September). That limited their ability to make mid-level trades.
The Giants didn't have interest in trading a Day 3 pick for a player who doesn't move the needle, like New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, who was acquired by the busy Jaguars for a sixth-round pick. The Giants wanted to preserve their picks if they weren't going to land an impact player, and they have confidence in their defensive tackle depth, with rookie Bobby Jamison-Travis playing well against the run the past three games.
As much urgency as there is to maximize the Giants' opportunity this season, Harbaugh made it clear they weren't going to make a reckless trade for a short-term fix.
"That's not where we're at," Harbaugh said before the deadline. "So I never think that you're one step away, one player away."
The circumstances are different for a team like the Jaguars, who lost in the wild-card round last year after a 13-4 regular season and now have the biggest point differential in the league. The Giants are tied for 16th in point differential while playing the weakest schedule in the league. Their opponents' winning percentage is .346; the next lowest is the Cowboys' at .397.
An upcoming stretch with games against the Jaguars (6-2), San Francisco 49ers (7-1) and Seattle Seahawks (5-4) will reveal how serious the Giants are as contenders. For now, they're focused on building their lead in the NFC East, starting with Thursday night's home game against the Washington Commanders.
"It's what we do this for. We don't do it for the trades," Harbaugh said. "We do it for the games."
Another test for J.J.
McCarthy will make his third start for the Giants on Thursday night after a quick recovery from the hip injury that sidelined him during Sunday's 19-11 win over the Eagles. McCarthy came back to earth a bit against the Eagles after being lights out in his first five quarters of action for the Giants.
Opposing coaches now have film to study of McCarthy in the Giants' offense, and he'll face a different style of defense Thursday than in his first two starts. Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones has brought the blitzing system to Washington that he learned during the previous three seasons under Minnesota Vikings DC Brian Flores.
Jones blitzed the Giants on 40 percent of their dropbacks during the teams' 27-27 tie in Week 5. It was the fifth-highest blitz rate of that week (the Giants were first at 62.2 percent in the same game). The Commanders often sent all-out blitzes at Giants quarterback Jameis Winston, using six or more pass rushers on 21.4 of New York's dropbacks. That was the second-highest rate of the week, trailing only the Giants' 23.3 percent.
Winston got into a groove after a rough first half, leading the Giants out of a 14-point hole in the fourth quarter to force overtime and finishing with 326 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
McCarthy's production Thursday will be measured against a Commanders defense that has lost defensive tackles Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw to injuries since the last matchup.
Skattebo's time to shine
The Giants are refreshingly healthy considering they're playing their second game in five days. McCarthy was a full participant in practice this week and running back Cam Skattebo is ready to return after missing the Eagles game with a hamstring injury.
Skattebo is eager to make amends for his crucial overtime fumble that cost the Giants a win in the first Commanders matchup. It has been an eventful stretch for Skattebo, who was benched the following week for the miscue. He then returned to his lead back role and rushed for a career-high 124 yards in an overtime win over the Texans. Skattebo injured his hamstring on a 42-yard run that set up the game-winning touchdown.
In the meantime, Skattebo has watched the Giants aggressively pursue trades for potential upgrades at running back.
"I would be skeptical, too, if my running back was going for 60 yards a game and not really exploding out," Skattebo said. "I'm still getting comfortable. I'm still learning how to play football in this league."
Skattebo noted that he has only appeared in 15 career games, with his rookie season interrupted by a major ankle injury. He believes he's rounding into form and now gets nine weeks to prove to the Giants that they already have the feature back they've been seeking.
"I've been that guy," Skattebo said. "They know what I'm capable of. They know what I can do … When I come out and I'm ready to play football, I can be one of the most dangerous backs in the league. Simple as that."
Scrambling to stop Daniels
The relentless blitzes Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson sent at quarterback Jayden Daniels in the first matchup seemed to catch the Commanders flat-footed, so Washington will game plan some counters for the rematch. It's surprising how infrequently opponents have used screens against Wilson's attacking defense, but that could be something the Commanders incorporate.
The best counter to a blitzing defense is to run the ball effectively. But the Commanders have a lackluster rushing attack, especially with top running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who had 11 carries for 82 yards in the first matchup, sidelined by a groin injury.
The Commanders' biggest threat on the ground is Daniels, who torched the Giants for 104 yards on eight carries (excluding a kneeldown). All of those runs were scrambles, which has remained a weakness in the Giants' defense. Eagles quarterback Joe Milton gained 62 yards on seven scrambles last week.
Giants rookie linebacker Arvell Reese marveled at Daniels' speed after the first meeting. It will be interesting to monitor how Reese adjusts after getting burned by Daniels on a 16-yard scramble in overtime that should have set up a game-winning score before Washington's botched clock management.
Reese was in zone coverage on the play, even though it may have looked like he was spying Daniels. The Giants didn't deploy a spy, which was a strategy Harbaugh questioned after the game.
The Giants sprinkled in a dime package on some third downs last week, with three safeties -- Jevon Holland, Jason Pinnock and Ar'Darius Washington -- on the field together. That package may be effective against Washington because it will get more speed on the field. It would be a major departure for Wilson to devote a spy to Daniels consistently, but Washington could be an option for the role to deter the slippery quarterback from scrambling so often.
Another option would be to try overwhelming Daniels with pressure again before he has a chance to run. Slot cornerback Dru Phillips was a menace as a blitzer in the first matchup, recording two sacks and five pressures. Outside linebacker Abdul Carter should again be able to exploit a mismatch with backup left tackle Brandon Coleman.
Prediction:
Giants 23, Commanders 20. The Commanders may be the Giants' biggest threat in the NFC East. A Commanders win on Thursday would close the gap in the standings to two games, and the tie in the first meeting means the winner of this game will hold the head-to-head tiebreaker. Daniels is an X-factor in any matchup, but the Giants have demonstrated an ability to find a way to win against opponents in their weight class.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
