The New York Giants’ disastrous 2024 campaign went international on Nov. 10 as they lost in overtime to the 2-7 Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany. The G-men now sit at 2-8 on the year, firmly at the bottom of the NFC standings, and their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, has been released.
The list of inept moments from this season is anything but short. Losing 28-6 in the season opener, a 0-5 home record and scoring only seven points against a bottom-tier defense, losing a game in which they scored three more touchdowns than their opponent. It’s been nothing short of torture for the New York faithful.
Nevertheless, Giants fans can feel some solace. This stems from two realities about the team that spell a positive future.
The first is talent.
New York’s star running back Saquon Barkley finally left for — quite literally — greener pastures and a decline in backfield production was all but guaranteed at the start of the year.
Amid the uncertainty came a revelation in the form of Tyrone Tracy, who’s currently top 10 in yards per carry. Due to his efforts, the rushing attack is producing at a higher rate than last season.
The receiving core has newfound promise as well. First-round draft pick Malik Nabers has seen a decrease in production since the first few weeks of the season, but his talent cannot be denied.
And of course, Dexter Lawrence. He’s arguably been the best defender in all of football this year and racked up nine sacks through 10 games, an otherworldly total for an interior defensive lineman. Add that along with his eight tackles for loss, a tie for first among defensive tackles. It’s no surprise that he’s ranked second in PFF’s defensive tackle rankings.
The abilities of these three are undeniable, but despite all of this, they still sit at a 2-8 record. And with how stacked the NFC is, the season is unsalvageable.
However, the main two reasons why the team has bottomed out this season could both be addressed as soon as next year.
The second reality that suggests a positive future for the team is the possibility of a coaching change and a quarterback change.
Daniel Jones is gone, but Tommy Devito surely doesn’t invoke much optimism. And while Brian Daboll’s reputation is still up for debate, as the team won a playoff game under his leadership two years ago, and he’s far from the worst coach in recent Giants history.
A switch in the position would be best to fully separate from this disappointing era for the team.
Replacing Daboll wouldn’t be too hard, due to the abundance of strong offensive and defensive coordinators the league churns out every year. And in terms of the quarterback situation, let’s say the team has been doing the work already. If the G-men keep performing as they did on Nov. 10, the number one overall pick and direct access to a top quarterback prospect should be within reach.
This process takes time, and it may not happen as soon as fans may want. But the team’s strong foundation of rising stars, potential coaching changes and a new quarterback on the horizon could finally seal the deep-seated wounds this iteration has.
The 100th season might be lost, but a new century of play could usher in a brighter future for the New York Football Giants.
