The New York Giants (5-8) are playing with reinstated confidence and swagger that didn’t appear to be present throughout the 2023 season. Some believe this is for multiple reasons, however it’s clear the Giants are playing with more energy and trust in one another. Despite their defense being ranked 26th overall, the Giants have greatly improved later in the season and continue to embrace the weekly challenge.
“We just have a great next-play mentality and have a competitive endurance and a competitive spirit we play with,” Giants star linebacker Bobby Okereke shares. “Our brotherhood is so tight that we’re ready to face any adversity presented before us.”
Factors Helping Transform the New York Giants
The New Jersey native and Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito has helped restructure the entirety of this team. The energy and confidence his teammates have instilled in him have only helped increase his production. This past Monday night, the Giants shocked the Green Bay Packers (6-7) at home on a game-winning drive led by the undrafted free agent and rookie quarterback, 24-22. In the game, DeVito managed to complete 17 of his 21 passes and throw for 158 yards with a touchdown.
“Here’s a couple plays you like, go out and rip that son of a bitch,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said when asked about the advice that was given to DeVito before the final drive.
Another factor allowing the Giants to find success is the amount of turnovers the defense is generating. In the last three weeks, the Giants’ defense has managed to create over ten turnovers and the majority of those resulted in points for the Giants. In the Packers game, the Giants forced three overall turnovers which helped turn the momentum and shift the game in their favor.
“We love and we relish in the opportunity to feed this team with juice,” Okereke continues. “We’re just excited we’re playing great complimentary football.”
Offensive Struggles Turning Into Strengths for the Giants
Although Giants star running back Saquon Barkley had a fairly quiet day on the ground, ultimately only rushing for 86 yards on the day. He still managed to be effective in the areas the Giants needed him to. For example, while 86 yards may not jump off the screen, he paired that with two red zone touchdowns that were crucial to this Giants upset. In the past, the Giant’s wins haven’t come pretty, however they’re finding ways to be effective and efficient in the moments that are most pivotal for success.
This offense is extremely inexperienced, yet they appeared to be in sync. It was on full display on the final drive of the game for the Giants that they played with confidence and trust in one another. Although DeVito is a rookie, he’s surrounded by several other young players but they remain composed and calm throughout the drive as if they’ve done this numerous times throughout their careers. This proved to be impressive and alarming for many around the league that this group has the potential to be special and build on that unique bond.
“It’s the NFL, they got good players on that side as well,” Giants rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt states about their mindset heading into that final drive. “When they [Packers] scored that touchdown in the red zone, we knew that we had to go score. The defense was playing a hell of a game, so we knew we had to go out and execute.”
“The credit goes to Tommy [DeVito] on how he executed that last drive, overall I’m proud of our execution by our offense today,” Hyatt continues.