The New York Giants were going to be in the bottom half of NFL Week 8 power rankings regardless of what happened Week 7 against the Denver Broncos. Still, it is no surprise that the Giants took a bit of a tumble after Sunday’s seemingly impossible 33-32 loss.
ESPN | No. 27 (Down from No. 25)
Unsung nonstarter/role player: S Dane Belton
The fourth-year safety gets used in certain weekly packages on defense and has become a special teams standout. Belton is tied for second in the NFL with 12 special teams tackles. He also forced a fumble last week on defense and made a key fourth-down tackle near the goal line against the Broncos while filling in for injured starter Jevon Holland. Belton has continuously produced game-changing plays when given the opportunity on defense throughout his career.
NFL.com | No. 26 (Down from No. 25)
Blowing a 19-point lead with six minutes to go and giving up 33 points in the fourth quarter is just … I mean, there are no words. This team has gotten a spark from rookie QB Jaxson Dart, but that collapse was pretty close to a fireable offense for the head coach.
Pro Football Talk | No. 24 (Down from No. 23)
With a trip to Philly coming, there’s no time to sulk over the loss in Denver.
CBS Sports | (No. 26)
Blowing a big lead in the loss to the Broncos will sting. But they have their quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart.
Yahoo! Sports | No. 25 (Down from No. 24)
The Broncos’ comeback was a great story, but the Giants’ collapse was a big story too. How could the Giants blow that game? It seemed impossible. The good news is Jaxson Dart continues to look very good, though his fourth quarter interception was a massive turning point Sunday.
USA Today | No. 24 (Down from No. 23)
Bad as Sunday’s loss in Denver was, let’s not lose sight of how well this young offense performed for three quarters against what’s perhaps the league’s preeminent D.
Bleacher Report | No. 24 (Down from No. 23)
There are no moral victories in the NFL, especially for a team that could easily have been within a game of .500 instead of having a record that smacks of a tomato can.
The Giants blew Sunday’s loss in Denver. The defensive debacle that was the fourth quarter was mind-bending. New York quarterback Jaxson Dart was certainly struggling to wrap his head around it in the post-game presser.
Let’s be real, though. The Giants weren’t going to the playoffs this year, anyway. What this team needs is progress. Tangible momentum to build on, both for the rest of the season and the offseason that follows.
Going into Denver and dominating a good Broncos team for three quarters is progress—at least relative what the Giants were a month ago.
The question for the next 11 weeks will be whether enough of it can be made to save Brian Daboll’s job.
The Ringer | No. 25 (Down from No. 24)
If I’m general manager Joe Schoen I’m probably not all that bothered by losing on the road to Denver — even after an epic collapse in the fourth quarter. New York seems to have found an answer at quarterback with rookie Jaxson Dart. Even if Dart isn’t an elite passer, he’s showing he’s good enough to make the Giants competitive. And for the first time in a while, there are no obvious holes on the roster for Schoen to fill. But, if I were head coach Brian Daboll, I’d be freaking out over Sunday’s result. Every loss is being laid at his feet—not the GMs, and not the QBs.
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