The New York Giants Are 0-2 Again. But Are They Finally ... Watchable?

When Fox expert Greg Olsen noted that this week’s type of Russell Wilson was “unrecognizable from Week 1,” he could person referred to nan full New York Giants team.

Limping into Dallas aft their dismal opening nonaccomplishment to nan Commanders, nan Giants picked up wherever they near disconnected – pinch a batch of stupid mistakes. Offensive tackle James Hudson III stole nan limelight arsenic he someway amassed 4 consecutive penalties connected New York’s first possession. Hudson was duly benched but nan Giants’ penalties kept coming – they gave distant 160 yards’ worthy connected Sunday.

And yet … contempt nan penalties, nan Giants we saw connected Sunday successful Dallas were thing for illustration nan hapless squad we saw past week – and for ample parts of nan past decade. This squad showed fight, moxie, and an discourtesy astatine its best. Wilson was sensational, proving his critics incorrect by, simply put, producing 1 of nan champion games of his career. His 450 passing yards and 3 touchdowns were nan consequence of his bid of nan offense, smart determination making, improved violative statement play, and a typical relationship pinch Malik Nabers.

Nabers, erstwhile again, reminded america that he’s superhuman. Wilson connected pinch Nabers clip and again, including connected a jaw-dropping 48-yard moonball touchdown to return a 37-34 lead – 1 of 5 lead changes successful nan fourth-quarter – pinch 25 seconds remaining. Nabers clasped his hands together successful a night-night pose, Wilson reached his arms retired to convey nan heavens. But nan celebrations were premature.

New York’s lax defense connected nan ensuing thrust allowed Dallas to statement up for a 64-yard game-tying section goal. For galore kickers, this region would beryllium retired of reach. Cowboys phenom Brandon Aubrey made it look for illustration a spot shot. This thrilling back-and-forth continued into overtime. Wilson threw an interception – his 1 superior correction connected nan time – that led to Aubrey’s 46-yard crippled winner. Not excessively shabby from Aubrey, a master shot subordinate turned package technologist turned USFL kicker turned Cowboys star.

It was a thrilling triumph for Dallas and a heartbreaking nonaccomplishment for nan G-Men who autumn to 0-2. But thing changed successful this game. The Giants were entertaining. Stars emerged. It felt for illustration progress, for illustration we are witnessing a watchable squad.

In summation to Wilson and Nabers, rookie violative near tackle Marcus Mbow fortified nan statement and looks for illustration starting worldly moving forward. Fellow rookie Cam Skattebo, preformed for illustration a competent moving back. Wan’Dale Robinson proved to beryllium a vertical threat, hauling successful 142 receiving yards (Nabers had 167). The protect statement dominated for overmuch of nan day. Even backup backmost Jaxson Dart saw action connected a fewer instrumentality plays.

This is simply a crippled that nan Giants unquestionably triumph without nan dumb penalties. Until they beryllium otherwise, nan Giants should beryllium expected to make sloppy mistakes. It’s their hallmark successful caller years pinch Brian Daboll astatine nan helm. At 0-2, nan Giants’ playoff hopes are slim. It’s their seventh 0-2 commencement since 2015, and pinch nan Chiefs, Chargers, and Eagles looming successful 3 of their adjacent 4 games, nan roadworthy only gets rougher. From a win-loss standpoint, different achy twelvemonth whitethorn beryllium ahead.

But contempt nan achy nonaccomplishment to Dallas, thing feels different. With Wilson nether halfway and truthful overmuch promising young talent, nan Giants, are situation I say, watchable. If location are much thrilling games for illustration this, overflowing pinch highlights, nan Giants whitethorn moreover present their fanbase that astir precious of things – hope.

MVP of nan week

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts. Is that Peyton Manning? Andrew Luck? Um, nary that would beryllium Danny Dimes, who has led nan Indianapolis Colts to a 2-0 commencement for nan first clip since 2009, erstwhile Manning took them to nan Super Bowl. Before nan Colts were 2-0, for a split-second, they looked for illustration they would beryllium 1-1. They were down 26-28 to nan Broncos, erstwhile Spencer Shrader missed a 60-yard section extremity arsenic clip expired. Denver celebrated but nan Broncos were penalized 15 yards connected a arguable leverage penalty that will beryllium wide discussed this week. Shrader past nailed nan 45-yarder to springiness nan Colts nan 29-28 win. Jones was sensational for nan 2nd clip successful 2 weeks, he went 23 of 34 for 316 yards and 2 touchdowns, 1 pinch his feet. To lead nan Colts to 3 field-goal scoring drives successful nan last minutes against 1 of nan NFL’s champion defenses is rather nan statement. Given nan murmurs and disgust erstwhile nan Colts named Jones starter, not to mention his tumultuous clip successful New York, his occurrence is quickly becoming 1 of nan awesome narratives of this season.

Daniel Jones was superb precocious successful nan crippled for nan Colts. Photograph: Michael Conroy/AP

Video of nan week

Here’s Puka Nacua’s 45-yard rushing touchdown. What can’t nan wide receiver do? The Rams dialled up a sneaky telephone connected 4th and 1 successful nan first quarter, shifting Nacua successful beforehand of rusher Kyren Williams. Nacua took a cleanable handoff from Matthew Stafford to nan house, forcing aggregate missed tackles connected nan way, looking for illustration a earthy moving back. Nacua’s people group nan reside for Los Angeles’s 33-19 triumph complete Tennessee, which takes them to 2-0 connected nan season. Add successful caller artifact Davante Adams, who was bully for 106 receiving yards, and OC Mike LaFleur, and Rams caput coach Sean McVay should person plentifulness of nosy pinch nan violative playbook. Nacua was besides productive Sunday arsenic a receiver, finishing pinch 8 receptions and 91 yards.

Stat of nan week

2-0. The Bengals person won their opening 2 games of nan play for nan first clip since 2018. Most NFL teams pinch lofty expectations expect to beryllium 2-0 aft being talented Cleveland and Jacksonville to unfastened nan season. But for nan Bengals successful nan Joe Burrow Era, this is caller territory aft an overseas triumph complete nan Jaguars. What started pinch Burrow, who near pinch a toed wounded successful nan first half – he is expected to miss respective weeks pinch strained ligaments, though that could emergence to three months if he needs surgery – ended pinch an improbable leader successful his backup, Jake Browning. Browning threw 3 interceptions earlier going 9-for-10 connected nan last thrust and jumping complete a heap of players for a tush-push, game-winning touchdown. Browning summed up his mindset for nan crippled neatly: “Be delusional.”

The Bengals are 2-0 but Joe Burrow near nan crippled early. Photograph: Carolyn Kaster/AP

The grade of Burrow’s wounded isn’t official, but arsenic he sat connected nan crushed pointing to his foot, a corporate “not again” rippled done Cincinnati. Lacking moreover a gator cart, nan Bengals had him hobble distant connected a ft scooter. Have nan team’s decision-makers learned thing from their violative line’s toll connected him, astir notably nan knee wounded that ended his rookie year? Since their 2022 Super Bowl appearance, this franchise has drifted backmost into mediocrity. Despite boasting a franchise backmost successful Burrow and elite receivers for illustration Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, they’ve many times dropped adjacent games and grounded to clasp cardinal protect talent.

So, yes, nan Bengals are successful an overseas position pinch this 2-0 thing, not to mention nan truth that bask sole possession of first spot successful nan AFC North. Browning is simply a coagulated backup but is, of course, nary Burrow. The schedule gets nasty successful Weeks 5 and 6 pinch nan Lions and Packers connected nan schedule. If Burrow doesn’t retrieve quickly, prospects for nan Bengals arsenic a season-long powerhouse don’t look good. But nan Bengals should still savor being 2-0 – it’s been a while.

Elsewhere astir nan league

The Super Bowl rematch arrived connected Sunday, and it won’t beryllium overmuch comfortableness to nan Chiefs that their 20-17 conclusion to nan Eagles was little one-sided than February’s game. As was nan lawsuit past time, nan Eagles defense was astatine its formidable champion and, speech from a beauty of a touchdown pass from Mahomes, nan Eagles stifled nan Chiefs. Kansas City are 0-2 for nan first clip since 2014, which is besides nan past clip they grounded to make nan postseason. They should still make it this season, and nan Giants should supply alleviation adjacent week, but adjacent aft that is simply a tricky gathering pinch nan Ravens.

Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley were understandably chipper aft Sunday’s win. Photograph: Ed Zurga/AP

There are regular rookie mistakes, past location is nan catastrophic kickoff return by nan Steelers’ Kaleb Johnson. Early successful nan 4th quarter, aft Seattle took a three-point lead, Johnson fto nan ensuing kickoff bounce done his hands and settee successful nan extremity zone. It appeared Johnson did not understand nan kickoff rules which authorities that nan shot is unrecorded if nan returning squad does not person it. Seattle recovered nan shot for a touchdown, putting them up 24-14. The Seahawks would yet triumph 31-17. “If I wasn’t judge [of nan rule], if I was sure, it doesn’t matter,” said Johnson aft nan game. “I still sewage to do what I sewage to do, and I still sewage to spell successful location and execute nan measurement it needs to beryllium executed.” Welcome to nan NFL, mediocre rookie.

Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit did not rather spell arsenic he planned. An other motivated Lions squad took it to Johnson’s Bears, winning 52-21. Jared Goff tore up Chicago’s defense pinch a whopping 82% completion rate, 5 touchdowns, and 334 yards. The Lions came successful motivated – eager to sound disconnected their erstwhile violative coordinator and hopeless for a rebound aft their Week 1 nonaccomplishment to Green Bay. They did both. For Johnson, though, 2 weeks successful Chicago person underscored nan immense gulf betwixt being a successful coordinator and a being a caput coach, moreover for nan alleged wunderkinds.

An ESPN study surfaced complete nan weekend claiming that nan Baltimore Ravens had intended to prime Shedeur Sanders successful nan 5th information of this year’s draft. But Sanders fto it beryllium known that he did not want to beryllium stuck down a superstar for illustration Lamar Jackson. Well, looks for illustration Cleveland are nan cleanable business for Sanders. The 40-year-old Joe Flacco continued to look his property successful Cleveland’s 41-17 nonaccomplishment to nan Ravens. Not only did Flacco propulsion an interception and had a fumble returned 60 yards that led to a touchdown, his throws lacked zip and his mobility was nonexistent. Second-stringer Dillon Gabriel made his NFL debut precocious successful nan game; Sanders saw nary action. Browns caput coach Kevin Stefanski said Flacco will stay nan starter arsenic nan Browns hole to play Green Bay adjacent week. But nan leash has to beryllium getting shorter.