Man, that 36-24 score for the NFC East-leading Giants over the Cardinals on Sunday? Don’t let it fool ya. That game was a white-knuckle ride, way closer than those final numbers tell, and it showed a ton about what that team is hoping for and what’s still got ’em on edge. It’s Week 4, and we’re seeing some real stuff emerge, both good and bad, for a team trying to find its footing.
Dennard Wilson Finally Uncorks the Defensive Fury
Okay, so Dennard Wilson, the Giants’ defensive coordinator, rolled into town with a rep for being this aggressive mastermind, a complete flip from the passive Shane Bowen. But for the first three games, where was it? The defense only broke up five passes. Total! Then Sunday hit, and things got wild. Jacoby Brissett was carving up their D in the first quarter, 14-3 Cardinals, and it felt like this one was gonna be a blowout before the popcorn was gone.
But Wilson finally leaned into that aggressive playbook. He ended up blitzing Brissett on a whopping 20 of his 39 dropbacks. Yeah, not Brian Flores-level crazy, but still a ton. And guess what? When Wilson sent the heat, Brissett was just 5 of 17 for 43 yards. When they played it safe and didn’t blitz? Brissett went off, 16 of 18 for 123 yards. After that first quarter scare, the Cardinals only put up 10 points for the rest of the game. And the defense? They broke up six passes today, more than the first three games combined. That’s a massive shift right there and it absolutely changed the game’s entire vibe.
Jameis Winston and the Nagy Offense: Still a Head Scratcher
Remember last season when Jaxson Dart got concussed and Jameis Winston stepped in? The Giants’ offense, even without Dart’s legs, barely missed a beat. Dart threw for 433 yards and two TDs in his two games. Winston, in his two starts against Green Bay and Detroit, dropped 567 yards and two TDs. Sure, Jameis comes with his share of picks, but the offense didn’t look awkward.
This season? Completely different. Winston looks like a fish out of water in this Nagy offense. He’s hesitating after dropping back, bailing the pocket way too fast. Sunday was peak Jameis, the good and the bad: three TD passes and 250 yards, which is solid, but also two interceptions and four sacks. He just looks unsure back there. We all know the Giants want to run more this year than under Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka, no surprise there. But with Winston as the starter, you gotta wonder if Nagy can actually cook up something that’ll click against the real defenses coming up. Or, is Winston’s starting gig just a placeholder until J.J. McCarthy gets up to speed? That’s a huge question mark hanging over the team.
Deonte Banks: Is This the Comeback Story Nobody Saw?
Coming into training camp, the coaching staff was saying all these nice things about Deonte Banks. Me? I was totally taking that with a grain of salt, honestly agonizing over how the Giants’ pass coverage would look with Cor’Dale Flott gone and no clear replacement on the roster. Yeah, they signed Greg Newsome (who gave up six receptions Sunday but did snag an interception) and drafted Colton Hood (who, as far as I know, didn’t even hit the field Sunday), but none of that really built my faith.
Fast forward to Week 4, though, and we’re finally seeing a glimmer of hope. Banks didn’t look bad at all in the opener against Dallas, then missed the next two games. But the fact that he’s showing signs of life? After all that worry about the secondary, you gotta pay attention to that.
The Giants managed a win, leading their division, but between the defensive adjustments that *finally* showed up and the continued questions swirling around Jameis Winston and that offense, there’s still a ton to figure out. It’s early in the season, but every game is a learning experience, and these guys are definitely still in school.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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