(Editor’s note: This is excerpted from Albert Breer’s takeaways of Sept. 28, 2026.)
The Giants just made it through a brutal week, coming out with a win
The team didn’t even get back to New Jersey, after last week’s loss to the Rams on Monday Night Football, until about 7:30 a.m. ET, and it was near midday before they got wind that Jaxson Dart was likely out for the year.
John Harbaugh responded the next day, to his players, with transparency.
“The team was upset because Jaxson is our leader and everybody wants to see him out there and playing. He cares so much,” safety Jevon Holland told me. “Harbs summed it up when he said he woke up Tuesday and he heard that Jaxson wasn’t gonna be playing, he was out for the season, and it sucked, like it’s the end of the world. And then you wake up on Wednesday and you have to still do your job. And that's the reality of the situation.”
Four days later, the Giants would do just that, with Holland picking off Cam Ward in the end zone with 17 seconds left to ice a 12–7 win over the Titans.
The reality is there was nothing spectacular about it. The game was played in a Nor’easter in front of a lot of empty seats. Jameis Winston did enough. Cam Skattebo had 100 scrimmage yards, fueling the run game with 60 of those yards on 20 carries. The defense shut out the Titans for three quarters, with rookie Arvell Reese playing a starring role.
But surviving, this week at least, was enough, and did plenty to shed some light on the program building Harbaugh’s done.
“Everything is a testament to Harbaugh,” Holland said. “A team takes the personality of the coach, and Harbs is a calm … he’s a calm psycho. I mean, he loves the game, and he explains the game and the mindset for the game in such a unique way, but so clear to the fellas that we’re able to tangibly apply the things that he wants us to do. It’s building this football war machine, so that no matter what the circumstances are, we’re able to come out on top.”
Which is to say they didn’t have much time to recover from last week. But it was enough, and that it was enough does say something about the Giants.
MORE NFL FROM SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
- The Giants’ Trade for J.J. McCarthy Is a Galaxy Brain Move That Goes Too Far
- Why the Raiders’ 3–0 Start is For Real, But the 49ers’ May Not Be
- We Didn't Jinx the Texans: The Problem Is Much Simpler
- Where Has the Old Drake Maye Gone?
- Albert Breer on Denver’s Big Win, Sam Darnold and Patriots’ Blowout Loss
