The New York Giants return home Sunday afternoon facing a very different reality than the one they envisioned when the 2026 season began.
Just two weeks into the season, the Giants have already been forced to turn the page at quarterback.
Jaxson Dart is out for the remainder of the 2026 regular season with a knee injury, and veteran Jameis Winston will take over as the Giants’ starting quarterback. Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed the change this week after Dart suffered the injury during the Giants’ 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Now, with 15 games remaining, the Giants return to MetLife Stadium Sunday to host the 0-2 Tennessee Titans.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS. The Giants enter at 1-1 following their Week 1 victory over Dallas and last week’s loss to Los Angeles.
The Jameis Winston Era Begins
There is no replacing what Dart brought to the Giants’ offense, but the Giants don’t have the luxury of dwelling on it.
Winston is now the man in charge.
The 12-year veteran has appeared in 109 NFL games with 89 starts and enters Sunday’s game with 24,903 career passing yards, 156 touchdowns and 114 interceptions.
Winston already saw significant action against the Rams after Dart went down. He completed 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards and an interception in the difficult circumstances of a game that ultimately ended in a 28-6 Giants loss.
But Winston has experience stepping into the starting role for New York.
Last season, he started back-to-back games against Green Bay and Detroit, throwing for 567 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while also contributing a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown.
Now he’ll have the benefit of an entire week to prepare as the starter.
Matt Nagy’s offense will have to make whatever adjustments are necessary to put Winston in the best position to succeed. Harbaugh has already described the change as a “lane change” for the offense rather than a complete overhaul.
Malik Nabers Is Ready to Go
One of the biggest pieces of good news for the Giants is the status of Malik Nabers.
Nabers was limited Wednesday with a shoulder injury but returned to full participation Thursday and Friday. He is not listed with a game-status designation on the final injury report.
That’s important for Winston.
The Giants need their playmakers to help make the quarterback transition as smooth as possible, and Nabers gives Winston a dynamic target capable of changing the game with the ball in his hands.
The Giants will also need to establish a strong running game, particularly with a veteran quarterback stepping into a new starting role.
Can the Giants Get Cam Skattebo Going?
The running game could become an even bigger component of the Giants’ offensive identity.
With Winston now running the offense, getting the ground game established can help control the tempo, keep Tennessee’s defense from focusing exclusively on the passing game and reduce the pressure on the veteran quarterback.
That puts additional importance on Cam Skattebo and the Giants’ offensive line.
The Giants don’t necessarily need Winston to recreate Dart’s style of play. They need the offense to play to Winston’s strengths while finding ways to make the entire unit more efficient.
The Defense Has Its Own Questions
The Giants aren’t entering Sunday at full strength defensively, either.
Brian Burns, Deonte Banks and Tyler Nubin are all listed as questionable. Burns did not participate in practice during the week, while Banks and Nubin were limited throughout the week.
Burns’ situation is particularly significant after he suffered an ankle injury against the Rams.
If he can’t go, the Giants will have to find other ways to generate pressure against the Titans.
There is positive news elsewhere. Greg Newsome II, Nic Jones, Micah McFadden, Francis Mauigoa and Jermaine Eluemunor all finished the week as full participants.
Tennessee Comes In 0-2 — But Not Without Fight
The Titans have opened the season 0-2, but their record doesn’t tell the entire story.
Tennessee lost its opener to the Jets, 23-10, before taking Philadelphia deep into the fourth quarter in Week 2. The Eagles eventually scored a late touchdown to escape with the victory.
The Titans are coached by Robert Saleh, who is in his first season with Tennessee. The Giants’ game notes list Saleh’s career regular-season record entering the matchup at 20-38.
There is also a fascinating Giants connection on the Tennessee sideline.
Former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is now Tennessee’s offensive coordinator. Several former Giants players are also on the Titans roster, including Cor’Dale Flott, Wan’Dale Robinson and Daniel Bellinger.
That adds another layer to Sunday’s matchup.
A History That Favors New York — With One Big Exception
The Giants lead the all-time regular-season series 7-6.
The last meeting came in 2022, when New York defeated Tennessee 21-20 in Nashville. But the Giants haven’t defeated the Titans at home since 1991, when the Titans were still the Houston Oilers.
That’s a remarkable piece of history considering how much has changed between the two franchises since then.
The Giants have won the last meeting, but Sunday represents an opportunity to finally end that long home drought.
Five Things to Watch
1. Jameis Winston’s first start of 2026
This is the biggest storyline. How quickly can Winston establish himself within Nagy’s offense?
2. Malik Nabers’ impact
After practicing fully Thursday and Friday, Nabers is positioned to play.
3. Brian Burns’ availability
Burns remains questionable after missing all three practices this week.
4. The running game
A productive ground attack would take some pressure off Winston and help the Giants control the game.
5. Can the Giants respond?
The Rams game was a difficult night for New York. Sunday is the first opportunity to see how Harbaugh’s team responds to adversity.
A New Chapter
The Giants’ season changed dramatically Monday night in Los Angeles.
Dart’s injury ended his 2026 regular season and forced the organization to immediately adjust its plans.
But the NFL doesn’t stop.
The Giants still have 15 games left on their schedule, and Sunday begins the next chapter.
Winston gets the opportunity.
Nabers is ready to return.
The defense will have to deal with some significant injury questions.
And the Giants have a chance to put the Rams loss behind them in front of their home crowd.
The 2026 Giants were built with expectations. Now we’ll find out how they respond when the plan changes.
Giants and Titans. Sunday at 1 p.m. at MetLife Stadium.
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