The New York Giants are so back, and no longer winless. After three weeks of up-and-down, inconsistent football, fans finally saw what this team was capable of in a gutsy 21-18 win over the previously undefeated Los Angeles Chargers.
Welcome to the Jaxson Dart show. The rookie quarterback made his first NFL start and instantly injected life into an offense that had looked flat for most of the year. After the Russell Wilson experiment flamed out, head coach Brian Daboll turned to his hand-picked rookie, and the results spoke for themselves.
There’s still a long road ahead, but this was the kind of win that could change everything. Here are four winners and two losers from the Giants’ first victory of the season.
4 winners (and 2 losers) from Giants' improbable Week 4 win vs Chargers
Winner No. 1: Jaxson Dart
One game up, one game down. Jaxson Dart is undefeated in his NFL career, making him a clear winner. It wasn’t always the prettiest, but it never looked like the moment was too big for him — even in a tight game against a playoff-caliber team.
The stat sheet isn’t going to blow anyone away, but 13-of-20 for 111 yards, one touchdown through the air, along with 10 carries for 54 yards and a rushing touchdown, is nothing to scoff at either. A win is a win, and with Dart officially the guy moving forward, seeing him come out hot and deliver Big Blue its first win of the season at home makes him a huge winner.
Winner No. 2: Brian Daboll's hot seat
New York’s head coach desperately needed a win. Coming into the game 0-3, and having lost 14 of his last 15, coming away with a victory was the only way the seat would remotely cool down. Well, there you go.
While this was a nice, hard-fought win, Dabs isn’t off scot-free just yet. He’ll need to prove he can lead this team to more wins down the stretch, but beating the Bolts with his hand-picked rookie quarterback definitely cools things off a bit.
Winner No. 3: Giants' pass rushers
Finally. It’s been talked about all offseason: The Giants’ pass rush will be elite in 2025. Well, through three games, that hadn’t been the case. Turns out, they were saving that juice for the rookie’s debut.
The Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Abdul Carter trio made Justin Herbet's day difficult from kick-off to the final whistle. The three combined for 20 quarterback pressures and two sacks. Carter alone — the other first-round rookie — had nine pressures and five quarterback hits.
With the two first-rounders finally unleashed, this could be a turning point in a season that already felt like it was slipping.
Winner No. 4: Big Blue Nation
It’s been six-plus seasons since the Giants had a real franchise quarterback. They’ve shuffled through Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito, Davis Webb, Colt McCoy… you get it. It hasn’t been great. So when the cornerstone hopeful shows up and earns the team its first victory of the season? That’s massive.
And Giants fans deserve this one. They’ve waited long enough. Here’s to hoping Dart sticks.
Loser No. 1: Younghoe Koo's redemption
Veteran kicker Graham Gano has been battling a groin injury, prompting the team to sign former Falcons fan favorite Younghoe Koo. But despite the signing, it was another kicker who got the call Sunday: Jude McAtamney.
McAtamney beat out Koo in practice last week and proved he was the right choice, hitting both of his field goal attempts and an extra point. With Gano now on IR and McAtamney going perfect, Koo’s time with the team looks like it’ll be short-lived.
Loser No. 2: Giants' offense moving forward
The thought of losing Malik Nabers for the season with a torn ACL is devastating. He’s the most explosive playmaker on the roster. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported the 22-year-old likely tore his ACL, ending his 2025 season after just three-plus games.
The Pro Bowl wideout finishes the year with 18 catches for 271 yards and two touchdowns. Replacing that production is going to be a challenge. Nabers was supposed to be the security blanket for Dart, and now fans won’t get to see that connection develop until 2026 at the earliest.