Defeating the previously unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers to get their first victory of 2025 has given the New York Giants a boost in Week 5 NFL power rankings. Let’s take a look.
The Athletic (No. 23 | Up from No. 30)
Rookie spotlight: Cam Skattebo
Sure, second-round rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart made his first NFL start Sunday (and got a win with an efficient 165-yard day), but this is a Skattebo space. The fourth-round bowling-ball back had 25 carries for 79 yards Sunday, and he’s fourth among rookie rushers with 48 carries for 181 yards. First-round edge rusher Abdul Carter looks like he’s going to be good, too.
ESPN (No. 27 | Up from No. 30)
Biggest issue on offense: Red zone offense
Nobody has been worse in the red zone this season than the Giants, in part because their offensive line can’t get any push at the line of scrimmage. It’s an extension of last season, when the Giants were also ranked 32nd in the league at 43.2%. Amazingly, it’s only gotten worse. The Giants have converted just 26.7% of their opportunities in the red zone into touchdowns this season. “A work in progress,” coach Brian Daboll said recently. The hope is that new starting quarterback Jaxson Dart and his legs can help.
USA Today (No. 26 | Up from No. 30)
One way to protect QB Jaxson Dart as he gets his professional bearings? Keep him off the field for lengthy stretches … by allowing a league-high 96 first downs.
Yahoo! Sports (No. 27 | Up from No. 29)
What a range of emotions Sunday, from the excitement of Jaxson Dart’s first start, the devastation of Malik Nabers’ injury and the elation of a fantastic win over the Chargers. Dart should have started from Week 1 on; the Giants wasted three weeks.
New York Post (No. 24 | Up from No. 29)
The Jaxson Dart Era started with a bang. The rookie quarterback ran for a touchdown and threw for another in his first start, sparking an upset of the Chargers. Dexter Lawrence II and Dru Phillips returned interceptions inside the 5-yard line, and the trio of Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns and Abdul Carter totaled 20 pressures and 12 quarterback hits.
FOX Sports (No. 25 | Up from No. 30)
The Giants began the Jaxson Dart Era with an impressive upset against a Super Bowl contender. The real reason New York beat the Chargers, though, was because of its swarming pass rush. If that keeps up, the G-Men might not be as bad as everyone thinks.
CBS Sports (No. 27 | Up from No. 28)
Jaxson Dart to the rescue. He brought life to the offense. The bad news is he will be without receiver Malik Nabers (torn ACL) the rest of the way.
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