The New York Giants are 0-2 again. But are they finally … watchable?

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/york-giants-0-2-again-070056959.html

When Fox analyst Greg Olsen noted that this week’s version of Russell Wilson was “unrecognizable from Week 1,” he could have referred to the entire New York Giants team.

Limping into Dallas after their dismal opening loss to the Commanders, the Giants picked up where they left off – with a lot of stupid mistakes. Offensive tackle James Hudson III stole the limelight as he somehow amassed four consecutive penalties on New York’s first possession. Hudson was duly benched but the Giants’ penalties kept coming – they gave away 160 yards’ worth on Sunday.

And yet … despite the penalties, the Giants we saw on Sunday in Dallas were nothing like the hapless team we saw last week – and for large parts of the last decade. This squad showed fight, moxie, and an offense at its best. Wilson was sensational, proving his critics wrong by, simply put, producing one of the best games of his career. His 450 passing yards and three touchdowns were the result of his command of the offense, smart decision making, improved offensive line play, and a special connection with Malik Nabers.

Nabers, once again, reminded us that he’s superhuman. Wilson connected with Nabers time and again, including on a jaw-dropping 48-yard moonball touchdown to take a 37-34 lead – one of five lead changes in the fourth-quarter – with 25 seconds remaining. Nabers clasped his hands together in a night-night pose, Wilson reached his arms out to thank the heavens. But the celebrations were premature.

New York’s lax defense on the ensuing drive allowed Dallas to line up for a 64-yard game-tying field goal. For many kickers, this distance would be out of reach. Cowboys phenom Brandon Aubrey made it look like a chip shot. This thrilling back-and-forth continued into overtime. Wilson threw an interception – his one serious mistake on the day – that led to Aubrey’s 46-yard game winner. Not too shabby from Aubrey, a professional soccer player turned software engineer turned USFL kicker turned Cowboys star.

It was a thrilling win for Dallas and a heartbreaking loss for the G-Men who fall to 0-2. But something changed in this game. The Giants were entertaining. Stars emerged. It felt like progress, like we are witnessing a watchable squad.

In addition to Wilson and Nabers, rookie offensive left tackle Marcus Mbow fortified the line and looks like starting material moving forward. Fellow rookie Cam Skattebo, preformed like a competent running back. Wan’Dale Robinson proved to be a vertical threat, hauling in 142 receiving yards (Nabers had 167). The defensive line dominated for much of the day. Even backup quarterback Jaxson Dart saw action on a few trick plays.

This is a game that the Giants unquestionably win without the dumb penalties. Until they prove otherwise, the Giants should be expected to make sloppy mistakes. It’s their hallmark in recent years with Brian Daboll at the helm. At 0-2, the Giants’ playoff hopes are slim. It’s their seventh 0-2 start since 2015, and with the Chiefs, Chargers, and Eagles looming in three of their next four games, the road only gets rougher. From a win-loss standpoint, another painful year may be ahead.

But despite the painful loss to Dallas, something feels different. With Wilson under center and so much promising young talent, the Giants, are dare I say, watchable. If there are more thrilling games like this, overflowing with highlights, the Giants may even deliver their fanbase that most precious of things – hope.

MVP of the week

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts. Is that Peyton Manning? Andrew Luck? Um, no that would be Danny Dimes, who has led the Indianapolis Colts to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2009, when Manning took them to the Super Bowl. Before the Colts were 2-0, for a split-second, they looked like they would be 1-1. They were down 26-28 to the Broncos, when Spencer Shrader missed a 60-yard field goal as time expired. Denver celebrated but the Broncos were penalized 15 yards on a controversial leverage penalty that will be widely discussed this week. Shrader then nailed the 45-yarder to give the Colts the 29-28 win. Jones was sensational for the second time in two weeks, he went 23 of 34 for 316 yards and two touchdowns, one with his feet. To lead the Colts to three field-goal scoring drives in the final minutes against one of the NFL’s best defenses is quite the statement. Given the murmurs and disgust when the Colts named Jones starter, not to mention his tumultuous time in New York, his success is quickly becoming one of the great narratives of this season.

Video of the week

Here’s Puka Nacua’s 45-yard rushing touchdown. What can’t the wide receiver do? The Rams dialled up a sneaky call on fourth and one in the first quarter, shifting Nacua in front of rusher Kyren Williams. Nacua took a clean handoff from Matthew Stafford to the house, forcing multiple missed tackles on the way, looking like a natural running back. Nacua’s score set the tone for Los Angeles’s 33-19 win over Tennessee, which takes them to 2-0 on the season. Add in new toy Davante Adams, who was good for 106 receiving yards, and OC Mike LaFleur, and Rams head coach Sean McVay should have plenty of fun with the offensive playbook. Nacua was also productive Sunday as a receiver, finishing with eight receptions and 91 yards.

Stat of the week

2-0. The Bengals have won their opening two games of the season for the first time since 2018. Most NFL teams with lofty expectations expect to be 2-0 after being gifted Cleveland and Jacksonville to open the season. But for the Bengals in the Joe Burrow Era, this is new territory after an odd win over the Jaguars. What started with Burrow, who left with a toe injury in the first half – he is expected to miss several weeks with strained ligaments, although that could rise to three months if he needs surgery – ended with an improbable hero in his backup, Jake Browning. Browning threw three interceptions before going 9-for-10 on the final drive and jumping over a pile of players for a tush-push, game-winning touchdown. Browning summed up his mindset for the game neatly: “Be delusional.”

The extent of Burrow’s injury isn’t official, but as he sat on the ground pointing to his foot, a collective “not again” rippled through Cincinnati. Lacking even a gator cart, the Bengals had him hobble away on a foot scooter. Have the team’s decision-makers learned nothing from their offensive line’s toll on him, most notably the knee injury that ended his rookie year? Since their 2022 Super Bowl appearance, this franchise has drifted back into mediocrity. Despite boasting a franchise quarterback in Burrow and elite receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, they’ve repeatedly dropped close games and failed to retain key defensive talent.

So, yes, the Bengals are in an odd position with this 2-0 thing, not to mention the fact that enjoy sole possession of first place in the AFC North. Browning is a solid backup but is, of course, no Burrow. The schedule gets nasty in Weeks 5 and 6 with the Lions and Packers on the schedule. If Burrow doesn’t recover quickly, prospects for the Bengals as a season-long powerhouse don’t look good. But the Bengals should still savor being 2-0 – it’s been a while.

Elsewhere around the league

• The Super Bowl rematch arrived on Sunday, and it won’t be much comfort to the Chiefs that their 20-17 defeat to the Eagles was less one-sided than February’s game. As was the case last time, the Eagles defense was at its formidable best and, aside from a beauty of a touchdown pass from Mahomes, the Eagles stifled the Chiefs. Kansas City are 0-2 for the first time since 2014, which is also the last time they failed to make the postseason. They should still make it this season, and the Giants should provide relief next week, but next after that is a tricky meeting with the Ravens.

• There are regular rookie mistakes, then there is the catastrophic kickoff return by the Steelers’ Kaleb Johnson. Early in the fourth quarter, after Seattle took a three-point lead, Johnson let the ensuing kickoff bounce through his hands and settle in the end zone. It appeared Johnson did not understand the kickoff rules which state that the ball is live if the returning team does not possess it. Seattle recovered the ball for a touchdown, putting them up 24-14. The Seahawks would eventually win 31-17. “If I wasn’t sure [of the rule], if I was sure, it doesn’t matter,” said Johnson after the game. “I still got to do what I got to do, and I still got to go in there and execute the way it needs to be executed.” Welcome to the NFL, poor rookie.

• Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit did not quite go as he planned. An extra motivated Lions squad took it to Johnson’s Bears, winning 52-21. Jared Goff tore up Chicago’s defense with a whopping 82% completion rate, five touchdowns, and 334 yards. The Lions came in motivated – eager to knock off their former offensive coordinator and desperate for a rebound after their Week 1 loss to Green Bay. They did both. For Johnson, though, two weeks in Chicago have underscored the vast gulf between being a successful coordinator and a being a head coach, even for the so-called wunderkinds.

• An ESPN report surfaced over the weekend claiming that the Baltimore Ravens had intended to pick Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of this year’s draft. But Sanders let it be known that he did not want to be stuck behind a superstar like Lamar Jackson. Well, looks like Cleveland are the perfect situation for Sanders. The 40-year-old Joe Flacco continued to look his age in Cleveland’s 41-17 loss to the Ravens. Not only did Flacco throw an interception and had a fumble returned 60 yards that led to a touchdown, his throws lacked zip and his mobility was nonexistent. Second-stringer Dillon Gabriel made his NFL debut late in the game; Sanders saw no action. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Flacco will remain the starter as the Browns prepare to play Green Bay next week. But the leash has to be getting shorter.

• Pity Panthers fans (if you didn’t already). After trailing Arizona 27-3, Carolina mounted a legitimate comeback on Sunday, but fell short in their 27-22 loss. Bryce Young and the offense need a complete four quarters, which is a challenge given Carolina’s offensive line issues and lack of elite skill players. Aside from Chuba Hubbard and an emerging connection between Young and Hunter Renfrow, the Panthers are desperate for playmakers. Xavier Legette was certainly not that guy on Sunday. The Panthers wideout ended the game with -2 receiving yards on eight targets. Per ESPN’s Ben Solak, Legette’s “performance” is only the second game in NFL history when a receiver has recorded negative yards on eight or more targets. Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles had -6 yards on eight targets in 2013.

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/york-giants-0-2-again-070056959.html