The New York Giants are getting just the lift they wanted when they hired John Harbaugh as their head coach in the offseason. The move to hire Harbaugh came as the team realized that the previous coaching administration of Brian Daboll and interim boss Mike Kafka was simply not good enough. Harbaugh's organization, competence, confidence and instincts are the reasons that the black cloud is not hanging over the franchise any longer.
However, the Giants were built with the idea that they had a potential superstar in development at quarterback. Jaxson Dart was not a finished product by any stretch, but his ability as an athlete and a passer gave Harbaugh a player who could dominate on occasion and put explosive plays on the board with Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields and tight end Isaiah Likely catching the majority of his passes.
Dart was certainly on track for 1 game-plus, but then disaster hit in the Week 2 Monday night loss to the Los Angeles Rams when the quarterback suffered a season-ending knee injury.
That meant the Giants had to insert backup quarterback Jameis Winston into the lineup. Winston is a far cry from the college phenom who was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He may have had all the tools coming out of Florida State, but he has never demonstrated any of the refinements needed to win the in the NFL.
Winston has been a traveling man since leaving Tampa Bay
He played five years with the Bucs before moving on the Saints, Browns and the Giants. Throughout the years, Winston has shown the propensity for making the big mistakes at the wrong moments. Interceptions have been his calling card since coming into the league, and he was shunted into a backup role after throwing a league-worst 30 interceptions in the 2019 season.
He has helped the Giants to a 2-0 record with victories over the struggling Tennessee Titans and the Arizona Cardinals, but there's no reason to think that Winston has gone through the dramatic changes needed to change his football makeup.
That's probably the main reason the Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy from the Minnesota Vikings. McCarthy is not ready for prime time, but Harbaugh believes that McCarthy has the tools to succeed in the NFL even if the Vikings gave up on him.
That time has not come yet because the Giants have a pair of wins with Winston at quarterback. He is certainly happy to have a chance to line up under center for New York.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity I have now,” Winston said after the game, per The Athletic. “And right now, I get to smile and say I’m the starting quarterback for the New York football Giants. I’m focusing on what I would love, which is winning games with my team, being the best that I can be.”
The attitude is good and the opportunity is wonderful, but Winston's tendency toward putting the football at risk will rear its head and the Giants will eventually pay a price.
Progress has been made and winnable games are ahead
Article Continues BelowThere is more to the Giants than a quarterback with a shaky background. They have talent at the skill position with Cam Skattebo, Nabers and Likely, and they can give the Winston a fairly big assist.
However, the biggest reason the Giants have moved to the top of the NFC East is the defense. The unit is not elite, but the Giants are much improved this season as they rank tied for 8th in points allowed at 19.8 per game and they are 9th in yards allowed.
Reese has given the Giants a lift on D
The defense is doing it in the style that the New York Giants have played for decades when they have been a good team. They have that one player in linebacker Arvell Reese who can impose his will on a game and dominate the opponent.
No, he is not in the Lawrence Taylor category, but he is telling his teammates to jump on his back and he is driving them. Reese leads the Giants with 34 tackles. He also has 3 tackles for loss, 4 passes defensed and 1 interception.
The Giants should be able to keep it going with at least two more wins in the next three games before their bye in Week 8.
They have a road game against the Commanders, a home game against the Saints and a road game against the winless Texans. The Giants have a chance to sustain their success through those games.
But midnight is coming in the second half of the season. The belief is that Winston will continue to feel good about himself and then revert to his old ways. He will eventually put the ball at risk and the Giants will pay a huge price.
By the end of the year, it would not be a shock if Harbaugh put Winston back on the bench and let McCarthy have an opportunity. The clock is ticking on Winston and the Giants.