Several notable takeaways emerged from the New York Giants' 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The highs and lows of the so-called Jameis Winston experience were, for better or worse, the most striking.
Winston wasn't perfect in Week 4 — far from it, frankly. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, and also took four sacks. The volatility that has defined his decade-plus-long career was perfectly encapsulated in one contest, and we mean that in the best way.
As highlighted above, Winston's up-and-down nature is nothing new; he's predictably unpredictable. His erratic style has been the Giants' best source of offense, though, and they should lean into it.
Giants might be better off relying on Jameis Winston and the passing attack
Star wide receiver Malik Nabers and stud tight end Isaiah Likely are clearly the Giants' top two playmakers. The former is only getting stronger as he learns to trust his knee again after an ACL and meniscus tear. Meanwhile, the latter was signed to a three-year, $40 million contract in March to be a pass-catching weapon, and Winston should pepper them with targets.
While New York head coach John Harbaugh craves smashmouth football, that's just not happening right now. They've prevailed despite their rushing attack, not because of it. Some of their scoring unit's finest moments against the Cardinals came when Winston, Nabers and Likely made something out of nothing.
Nabers and Likely accounted for over half of Big Blue's total yardage (178 of 319) in their third consecutive victory. They generated multiple explosives through the air, largely because of Winston's willingness to take chances. The trio is doing everything it can to offset a struggling ground game.
Winning aside, running the ball isn't working as well as John Harbaugh hoped
Unfortunately, the Giants just flat-out aren't getting the job done running the ball. Their insistence on pounding the rock and keeping the ball out of Winston's hands would make more sense if it were producing efficient results. But that's hardly been the case through roughly a quarter of the 2026 campaign.
Starting running back Cam Skattebo looks like he's moving in mud (granted, the bell cow suffered a gruesome ankle injury less than 365 days ago). Offseason addition Najee Harris may have erased the goodwill he earned with a fourth-quarter fumble versus Arizona. They don't trust arguably their most explosive rusher, Tyrone Tracy Jr.
New York is 3-1 and has sole possession of the NFC East for the first time in years, so the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" logic argument is fair. However, there's more meat on the bone if Harbaugh's open to venturing out of his comfort zone and relying on Winston's arm.
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