Giants' latest loss reflects poorly on ownership, sorely lacking trust and support
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Giantsinsist they don't want change. They believe stability -- not constant turnover -- is the foundation of sustained success.
That belief is why, even after dismissing coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, the organization has remained committed to general manager Joe Schoen. Internally, the Giants view the failure as one of coaching, not roster construction.
But the results aren't getting better. The fan base isn't any less rabid. The Giants fell to the Commanders, 29-21, on Sunday, dropping to 2-12. They have lost eight straight games and are 0-4 since Daboll's dismissal. They have not won since mid-October.
The Giants want to stay the course, but for them to do so, they need victories -- and quickly.
When ownership cleaned house four years ago, firing general manager Dave Gettleman and coach Joe Judge, the franchise believed it was starting from a talent wasteland. Internally, that is no longer the assessment.
Team officials point to what they believe is a young, improving core and a modernized approach to scouting and player evaluation as evidence that the program is trending upward.
That belief is central to Schoen's job security. The Giants credit him with building a nucleus that did not exist previously: Rookie receiver Malik Nabers, wideout Wan'Dale Robinson, tight end Theo Johnson, a retooled offensive line, edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and rookie linebacker Abdul Carter, among others.
In their view, the roster is better. Much better.
But better has not translated to wins.
Sunday's loss was the Giants' sixth defeat this season by one possession. Five times, they have lost games in which they held a fourth-quarter lead. The organization viewed that as evidence of progress -- proof the Giants are competitive rather than overwhelmed, unlike recent seasons.
It was also a driving force behind the decision to fire Daboll and Bowen. Close games, ownership believed, are decided by coaching. The Giants felt they were losing those margins because of the men on the sideline.
The change has not produced results. A troubling development, considering arguably the team's biggest bright spot is quarterback Jaxson Dart.
The Giants finished 6-11 in 2023 and 3-14 last season, results largely attributed to instability and ineffectiveness at quarterback. Daniel Jones struggled when healthy and then was injured. Tyrod Taylor, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito failed to provide legitimate production. Fix the quarterback, the thinking went, and the rest would follow.
Dart, who took over as the starter in Week 4, is completing 64 percent of his passes. He has thrown for 1,802 yards with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding 600 rushing yards and seven scores.
Schoen called this phase of the rebuild the fun part" at his midseason news conference -- you have your rookie quarterback on a rookie quarterback contract. Only Dart hasn't made a difference.
Schoen's record is not without blemish. Early draft misses, such as tackle Evan Neal and cornerback Deonte Banks, later-round disappointments like receiver Jalin Hyatt, questionable free-agent investments, and notable departures - including Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney - remain part of the evaluation.
Until now, the Giants believed the positives outweighed the missteps. That belief was reflected in the team's public backing of Schoen following Daboll's dismissal. But there's a growing sense patience is wearing thin. The minority preferring a change are becoming more vocal and their argument backed by the lack of wins.
Sunday's game represented an opportunity -- beat the Commanders, end the season hot, keep with this process. Despite this being the first time in 13 months the Giants were favored, dating back to a matchup against the Panthers in Germany. The Commanders were without quarterback Jayden Daniels and coming off a shutout loss to the Vikings. The Giants still lost.
The schedule offers little margin for error: the Vikings, Raiders, and Cowboys remain.
When Schoen met with reporters during the bye week, he acknowledged ownership would evaluate everything" at season's end. Based on the current trajectory, that evaluation is trending in an unfavorable direction.
To redirect, the Giants must start winning.
Time is running out.