EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — This year isn’t one for New York Giants supporters to feel disheartened about losing the first overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft.
Expectations may not be as high, as it appears there isn’t a franchise quarterback available for selection on April 24 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The choice may not carry the weight of notable names like Joe Burrow, Jared Goff, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Andrew Luck, or Matthew Stafford, who have the potential to revitalize this franchise.
With their victory over the Indianapolis Colts at 45-33 on Sunday, the Giants managed to put an end to a franchise-worst 10-game losing streak.
However, this win resulted in a drop from the top pick to No. 4 in the draft order, trailing teams such as New England, Tennessee, and Cleveland as the season concludes.
Despite this shift, the Giants are still positioned to select a promising young talent, which does not necessarily have to be a quarterback.
Although finding a quarterback remains a priority, it is often wiser to make a selection at a more strategic moment rather than acquiring a player who’s unprepared for the demands of the NFL.
The most recent top selections—Caleb Williams from the Bears and Bryce Young from the Panthers—haven’t yet made the same impact as Jayden Daniels of the Commanders, who was the No. 2 pick in 2024.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll opted not to address whether the team sacrificed a higher draft pick by winning.
He emphasized their focus on preparation and performance for each game, stating, “We can control what we can control.”
Daboll also refrained from commenting on the possibility of introducing a draft lottery for non-playoff teams, similar to the systems used in the NBA and NHL.
Outside linebacker Brian Burns, who joined the Giants through a trade with the Panthers in the offseason, acknowledged the ramifications of the situation.
“That’s more of an upstairs thing,” he said regarding the decisions about the draft picks. “They’ll figure out however they want to play those cards.”
The offense shone in this match, showcasing its best performance of the season.
It recorded five touchdowns, amassed 389 total yards, converted 7 of 13 third downs, and produced six significant plays exceeding 30 yards, with three of those scoring touchdowns.
This statistic excludes a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Ihmir Smith-Marsette that began the second half.
Conversely, the secondary remains a concern as it permitted six plays of 19 yards or more, with a notable 49-yard completion from Joe Flacco to Alec Pierce.
However, there was a bright spot with safety Dane Belton and rookie cornerback Dru Phillips both intercepting passes, lifting the team’s total to five for the season.
Drew Lock’s performance stood out positively. Following a rough game where he threw two interceptions against the Falcons, Lock bounced back by completing 17 of 23 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, achieving a career-high passer rating of 155.3.
He also added a 5-yard rushing touchdown, while previous Giants quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Eli Manning have each achieved similar accolades only a few seasons back.
On the other hand, cornerback Deonte Banks, a first-round draft choice in 2023, has struggled after a promising rookie year, gathering two pass interference penalties against the Colts that cost the team a hefty 63 yards.
His total this season accounts for five penalties worth 111 yards, four of those being for pass interference.
Injury news includes defensive lineman Armon Watts, who sustained a knee injury in the first half, and two players—center John Michael Schmitz (ankle) and inside linebacker Micah McFadden (neck)—who missed the game due to injuries.
A noteworthy statistic is that the Giants scored 45 points, marking their highest output since a 52-49 defeat against the New Orleans Saints in 2015.
As the disappointing season wraps up, the Giants will face Philadelphia on Sunday.
One potential moment of drama could be witnessing former teammate Saquon Barkley make history by eclipsing Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards from 1984; Barkley needs just 101 yards to accomplish this feat.
