The Giants left MetLife Stadium on Sunday night staring at a familiar number: 0–3. The difference was the feel. The defense fought, the run game churned, but the offense never located the knockout punch. Against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, that’s no way to live. Kansas City survived its own mistakes, leaned on a stingy defense, and did just enough in the second half to grind out a 22–9 win.
“It was a battle all the way,” quarterback Russell Wilson said afterward. “We just needed one or two more plays. Unfortunately, they didn’t come our way.”
A Plan Gone Sideways
The night’s first twist came before the anthem. Veteran kicker Graham Gano strained his groin during warmups, leaving Daboll to scrap his special teams plan. Instead of three points on the opening drive, the Giants rolled the dice on fourth-and-three from the Chiefs’ 28. Wilson’s throw was swatted at the line by linebacker Nick Bolton.
“Graham got hurt during the defensive introductions,” Daboll explained. “He was out there kicking and got a groin so he couldn’t go first half. Then he said he could kick from a certain distance in the second half. That changes everything—you’re dialing up fourth-down calls instead of field goals.”
The absence of stability in the kicking game haunted New York the rest of the night.
A Return, and Then a Collapse
Andrew Thomas, the Giants’ All-Pro left tackle, returned for the first time since a foot injury ended his 2024 season. On a 25-play pitch count, Thomas looked sturdy before giving way to rookie Marcus Mbow.
“We were going to give him 25 plays and so that’s what we gave him,” Daboll said. “He came out from what I understand just fine. So that was the next step for the ramp-up for him. Hopefully we’ll be able to get more this upcoming week.”
But when Thomas left, protection slipped. Wilson threw his second interception before halftime, forcing a ball to Malik Nabers in the end zone. “I was trying to give him a chance at it,” Wilson said. “They made a good play. I thought we had one there, and that changes the game if we hit it.”
Skattebo Steps Up
With Tyrone Tracy Jr. sidelined after a shoulder injury in the first quarter, rookie Cam Skattebo became the offensive heartbeat. He led the team in rushing (10 for 60) and receiving (six for 61), including a 13-yard touchdown.
“I thought Skattebo had a great game,” Wilson said. “He’s battling, some really good plays. He’s got a great demeanor to him. I thought he did a really good job.”
Daboll agreed: “Cam is a tough competitor. Thought he ran hard and did a good job in the passing game when he got the ball in his hands. He’s a good young player.”
Wilson added: “If Tracy can’t go, I think Skatt’s done a great job picking up the offense. Motor (Devin Singletary) is doing well too. But obviously Tracy is tough as nails. He’s going to do everything he can to get back.”
The Struggles Through the Air
After a breakout in Dallas, Nabers was blanketed. He didn’t record a catch until the fourth quarter and finished with just two receptions for 13 yards.
“They played a fair amount of split safety,” Daboll admitted. “We certainly got to do a better job with that.”
Wilson elaborated: “I tried to take a shot in the red zone. They made a play. I tried to make a shot to him, they made a good play. Obviously we always want to try to find ways to get him the football. He’s a tremendous player. But give them credit—they did a good job covering.”
Wan’Dale Robinson, the star of Week 2, was also quiet. Wilson’s first interception came targeting him deep: “Right down the middle to Wan’Dale, took a shot, they made a good play.”
A Defense Fighting for a Break
Brian Burns said the defensive front “got after Mahomes” but lamented missed chances. “We did well. Not good enough. Missed some ball opportunities, a couple picks, a fumble that got away from us. It really comes down to about four or five plays.”
Asked about starting 0–3, Burns bristled at panic. “Optimism doesn’t go away just because of three losses,” he said. “Every Sunday is its own Sunday. It takes one game to turn this season around. I still see guys fighting and feeling like we still can win the game. That’s different from last year.”
Chiefs Survive, and Advance
Andy Reid didn’t sugarcoat it: “The second quarter was hard to watch. The third and fourth, I thought our guys really came together.”
Bolton was everywhere with 14 tackles. Mahomes steadied after a shaky first half, finishing with clutch completions to Tyquan Thornton. “It was just about buying time,” Mahomes said of the first big gain. “I wish I could’ve got it further and made it an easier catch. But a tremendous catch by him.”
Even his mistakes showed effort. On one bizarre play, he admitted: “Yeah, I can’t throw the ball backwards. That’s not good. But I will say it was a great tackle by myself. I’m not going to try to do that again.”
Reid praised Mahomes’ all-in approach: “That was big. That’s how he rolls. He’s 100 miles an hour. The guys know he’s all in. It’s not like he’s just throwing the ball back. He’s going to do whatever it takes.”
The Quarterback Question
As boos rained and chants for rookie Jaxson Dart echoed, Wilson stayed composed: “There are highs and lows. You got to have thick skin, you know what I mean? You got to know who you are, the player you are. Obviously I’ve been able to show that throughout my career.”
Daboll didn’t fan speculation: “Look, Jaxson is progressing well. We’ll continue to work with him. I got a lot of confidence in him. But everybody has to be better. We’re not going to put this on one person.”
Still, Daboll admitted the frustration: “I’d be booing, too, to be honest with you, in terms of not being good enough, not scoring, not finishing. I understand that. That’s the nature of it. We’ve got to do better.”
Bottom Line
Three games, three close calls, three losses. The Giants’ defense has shown grit. Their run game looks functional. But in a league where explosive plays and third-down conversions decide everything, New York hasn’t delivered.
“We’ve been in all the games with a chance,” Wilson said. “That’s what you want. Obviously what we really want is to be able to win them.”
The Chargers, unbeaten and coming to town, await in Week 4. The Giants don’t have the luxury of waiting for the offense to “find it.” They need it now.
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