Jason Leach
The New York Giants home opener on Sunday Night Football ended with a dud as they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs 22-9. This marked the third consecutive home opener where the team failed to score double-digit points.
Although 14 games remain on the schedule, and some might say it’s too early to write the team’s obituary, the team is clearly heading towards another losing season. Four of their next six games are against currently undefeated teams, and the Giants lack the talent to string together victories against top-tier competition.
The team showed flaws in multiple areas Sunday night. Here are the three biggest takeaways from the game.
Last Week’s Offensive Explosion Against Dallas Was Aberration
Against the Cowboys, New York had 506 yards of total offense, and Russell Wilson threw for 450 yards, the second-most of his career. But that performance spoke more to Dallas’s defensive struggles than a coming-out party for the Giants offense.
Against the Chiefs, Big Blue managed just 281 yards, and Wilson completed 18 of 32 passes for 160 yards with two interceptions. Worse yet, New York couldn’t get their best player, Malik Nabers, involved. Nabers had just two receptions for 13 yards, the lowest output of his two-year career.
The offense also lacked creativity, and Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo stayed two steps ahead of Giants head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka all night.
The offense looked as ineffective as it did in Week 1 when they managed 231 yards. If you needed confirmation that last week’s performance was an aberration, just look at the 31 points the Bears scored against Dallas earlier in the day.
Giants Need to Find Reliable Kicker
Kicker Graham Gano wasn’t listed on the team’s injury report, but he hurt his groin during pregame warmups and didn’t play until the fourth quarter. His absence was felt immediately.
On the opening drive, the team moved the ball to Kansas City’s 28-yard line. Instead of attempting a 45-yard field goal on 4th and 3, they were forced to go for it and failed on a Wilson pass attempt to Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Then, following a Cam Skattebo 13-yard touchdown run that tied the game with 1:44 left in the second quarter, punter Jamie Gillan was brought in to attempt the extra point, and it was blocked. Gano entered the game in the fourth quarter and converted a 25-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 16-9, but was in obvious pain after the kick.
Although he made his lone field goal attempt, the damage was done. The offensive game plan was compromised in the first half, keeping points off the board. This was reminiscent of the Giants’ 21-18 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 2 of the 2024 season, when Gano was injured during the opening kickoff and missed the remainder of the game.
In football, there’s a saying: “Your best ability is your availability.” With the margin between victory and defeat so thin, the team needs to find a kicker who’s reliable in both accuracy and health.
Time for Jaxson Dart Era to Begin
Even the most optimistic Giants fan has to realize the team is in for another losing season. However, just because 2025 will be disappointing doesn’t mean it has to be a lost season — Jaxson Dart needs to be inserted as the starter so he can develop as a quarterback.
The four-play sequence at the end of the fourth quarter showed Wilson isn’t the answer. With the Giants at the Chiefs’ four-yard line, Wilson was called for intentional grounding and threw two other passes that were nowhere near a receiver.
Dart was brought in for a few plays but didn’t attempt a pass. The fans wanted him to play more, as “We want Dart” chants echoed throughout the night.
Next week, the team hosts the Los Angeles Chargers before traveling to New Orleans to take on the Saints. Ideally, you’d want your rookie to debut at home so he won’t have to deal with crowd noise from the opposing fan base.
Dart will certainly go through rookie pains, but this will pay dividends for years to come as he gains valuable experience. The franchise only has to look at the last time they groomed a rookie quarterback from Ole Miss in Eli Manning.
Manning struggled mightily in 2004 but took his lumps and guided the team to the division title the following year. The hardship he experienced as a rookie helped mold him into an eventual two-time Super Bowl champion.
There’s no guarantee that Dart’s career will mirror Manning’s, but it’s time to find out if he can ignite a spark in the franchise.
