Stuck in Between: Why the Giants Can’t Get Out of Their Own Way

A lot of discussion has taken place over the past several weeks regarding Big Blue's current standing. At the moment, the New York Giants franchise has fallen off the deep end, and what started as a comeback season has officially turned into a season that no one expected. They are sitting at 2-12 and at the bottom of their division, with the only upside being that they may have the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Giants are currently being made out to be one of the worst teams in the league, but they actually aren’t. They have several pieces that work, but they aren’t entirely aware of where or how to use them.

This starts with the Giants' management. The team has fantastic players and has taken the time to put Big Blue back on the map. The season began with decent games and close wins, but what fell apart for them was the play-calling and the decisions made by the current Giants manager, Joe Schoen, in New York. His draft this past year was good. However, putting them to use has been a different matter between the team and management. It has looked promising for the Giants nearly all season, and at points, they actually were. 

 1. The Giants Have a Quarterback in Jaxson Dart

The Giants made a great decision in drafting rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart at the end of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. It wasn’t Schoen who wanted him in the first place. It was actually the Giants' former coach Brian Daboll. Dart has done a tremendous job making the plays on the field. However, the play-calling has been a struggle. When the Giants' offense gets on the field, it’s a struggle for them because it’s almost as if the coaching staff is having trouble finding ways to trust him with throwing the ball. Dart ends up running the ball in the end, and most of the time, he is the one getting tackled when, in practicality, he should actually be the one who is being protected, an area where the Giants have failed to do nearly all season.

They have a quarterback in this rookie; they just need to get him the other pieces that he needs. He worked well with both Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers, who were just as much of a help to him when they were able to play before going out for the season with injuries. If Dart had both of them, the Giants probably would have had a chance at making the playoffs this past year. However, this is not the case, and next year they should be in a better spot. It all depends on what the franchise decides to do. 

2. Finding Someone Who Can Actually Call the Plays

The Giants having a decent head coach would play a significant role in why they are currently standing where they are. Daboll made decisions that weren’t very healthy for Big Blue, and it seems that current interim head coach Mike Kafka is doing the same. They run Dart again and again, but it doesn’t seem to work, and within the defensive line, the Giants leave holes wide open. They have had multiple times this season when they have allowed their opponents to get through, allowing them to score and put the Giants down for another loss. They need a head coach who puts trust in his defensive and offensive coaches to keep players from being so afraid to pass the ball up the field, or even to try to stop a play when it comes to the defensive line. 

3. A New General Manager Would Make a Difference 

In the last six seasons, the Giants have struggled immensely. There have been times when Schoen has done a great job during the draft of picking individuals who could be difference-makers for the roster. However, there have been times when he has picked up players who have been complete busts, such as Evan Neal. He also decided to let players such as former running back Saquon Barkley go to the Philadelphia Eagles, a decision he will never live down. Fans have spent six years watching Schoen make decisions that have backfired on him in the end, and for him to be left in charge of looking for a new head coach isn’t the best idea. 

If the Giants were to get a new general manager, the team might start winning more games because it would sign players who know what to do on the field right out of college. They could drop running back Devin Singletary and find someone for Dart who is better suited. They could undo many of the decisions Schoen has made. He almost decided to pick up Shedeur Sanders, but once again, he was talked into picking up Dart. A different general manager would have made many other decisions than he has, and they would definitely be better ones. 

The Giants are not the worst team of 2025. They have made some decisions that haven’t worked out in their favor. However, next year the team may be looking for a complete turnaround if the Giants change the front of their house and move players around. They definitely have a handful that need to be let go and a handful that need decisions made about them. It all depends on what next year brings in New York.