It’s not exactly how Giants fans would’ve dialed it up, but apparently winning ugly is becoming a bit of a specialty for the New York Giants. We'll take winning any way we can get it, anxiety and all.
One week after surviving a rainy 12-7 slop-fest against the Tennessee Titans, Big Blue found an entirely different way to make everyone’s Sunday unnecessarily stressful. After a slow start against the Arizona Cardinals, the G-Men eventually got their act together and did just enough to come away with a 36-24 Week 4 win.
Head coach John Harbaugh probably wouldn’t mind one of these games not coming down to the wire, but 3-1 is 3-1. New York is now sitting alone atop the NFC East, and after everything that’s already gone sideways through the first four weeks, there are plenty of worse problems to have.
6 winners and 2 losers from the Giants' 36-24 Week 4 win over the Cardinals
Winner: Deonte Banks
Noah's Ark? I raise you the Deonte Banks Redemption Arc. With Arizona threatening from the Giants’ four-yard line late in the fourth quarter, Banks was hit with a pass interference penalty that gave the Cards a fresh set of downs and four more chances to steal a win. Harbs called the flag “crazy” after the game, and Banks apparently agreed enough to take matters into his own hands.
On the final play of the game, the 25-year-old jumped Jacoby Brissett’s pass at the goal line and took it 98 yards to the house to call "game." Banks finished with four passes defensed and turned what could’ve been a throw-the-clicker-through-the-television ending into easily the biggest play of his career.
Winner: Arvell Reese's DROY odds
Another week, another Arvell Reese takeover -- welcome to 2026. The 21-year-old rookie linebacker followed up his breakout performance against the Titans with nine tackles, one tackle for loss, three passes defensed, and the first interception of his career. He also helped create another pick from Greg Newsome by drilling Brissett as he was mid-release on a deep ball.
Reese was already working his way into the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation before Sunday, and Week 4's performance certainly won't hurt his chances. Even Giants legend Lawrence Taylor, who happened to be in attendance for the 1986 championship team’s 40th anniversary celebration, came away impressed.
Getting a “he's playing great” from LT feels like a pretty successful afternoon.
Winner: Home-field advantage
MetLife Stadium hasn’t exactly been a hard place for opposing teams to play in recent years. Suddenly, the Giants are 3-0 at home for the first time since 2008, already matching their entire home win total from last season.
Harbs also became the sixth head coach in franchise history to win his first three home games in his first season with the G-Men.
Winner: The Jameis Winston experience
Talk about the good, the bad, and the Jameis. Winston completed 18 of 29 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns, finally ending New York’s nine-plus-quarter touchdown drought with a 12-yard strike to rookie WR Malachi Fields before tossing two more to Malik Nabers and Theo Johnson.
He also threw two interceptions because, well, that’s the price of admission. Famous Jameis is never going to make this particularly relaxing, but he’s now 2-0 as the starter and did enough in Week 4 to keep recently acquired J.J. McCarthy on the sideline. Harbaugh said afterward that McCarthy wasn’t particularly close to entering the game, so the rollercoaster keeps running for at least another week.
Winner: Malik Nabers
Welcome back, superstar. After totaling just 96 receiving yards through his first three games back from last year’s season-ending ACL injury, Nabers exploded for six catches and 112 yards on seven targets against Arizona, more than doubling his season total in one afternoon.
There was a brief scare after he came down hard on his shoulder following a 39-yard grab on New York’s opening drive, but he missed only three plays before eventually returning. Nabers later hauled in his first touchdown of the season, and if Sunday was any indication, Nabers is finally feeling like himself again, which should be all the reason Winston needs to keep feeding him.
"We hungry." - Roman Pearce - Malik Nabers (probably).
Winner: Malachi Fields
Malachi Fields only caught two passes on Sunday, but he made both of them count. His 12-yard touchdown in the second quarter was the first of his NFL career and finally ended a Giants touchdown drought that had gone on for nine quarters too long.
The 23-year-old later hauled in a 40-yard pass after Famous Jameis escaped the pocket, giving the two another big connection after the original play broke down. The former Notre Dame standout hasn’t gotten a lot of opportunities yet, but he’s made the most of the few that have come his way.
Loser: Turnovers
The Giants apparently weren’t interested in my personal well-being on Sunday. Winston threw two interceptions, Najee Harris lost a fumble, and three giveaways helped Arizona hang around much longer than it probably deserved after New York finally settled into the game.
Fortunately, the defense returned the favor by intercepting Brissett three times, including Banks’ game-ending house call. Harbaugh can live with some ugly football when it ends with a win, but repeatedly asking the defense to clean up the offense’s mess isn’t exactly a sustainable or fun-to-watch game plan.
Loser: Running backs not named Cam Skattebo
Second-year running back Cam Skattebo didn’t exactly light up the box score, grinding out 58 yards on 18 carries, but things were horrifically less inspiring whenever anyone else touched the football out of the backfield. Harris managed 30 yards on nine attempts and added the costly fumble, while Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s lone carry went for one yard... the other direction.
Devin Singletary was a healthy scratch, so Harris and Tracy were the guys Harbaugh trusted to spell Skattebo. Neither did much to reward that decision, and through four weeks, the Giants’ crowded backfield is starting to look a whole lot more like Skatt (who isn't taking the world by storm himself) and everyone else.
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