The New York Giants' hiring of head coach John Harbaugh brought on a wave of optimism that the franchise hadn't seen in years. With second-year breakouts from Jaxson Dart and Abdul Carter potentially looming, Big Blue quickly entered playoff conversations.
FanSided's Mark Powell is ready to put an end to that optimism. He included the Giants in a recent list of ten NFL teams that he's ready to eliminate from Super Bowl contention before the season starts.
Powell wrote, "John Harbaugh should use his first season in charge to evaluate everyone. Is Dart really the QB of the future in New York? What of this defense, particularly the young pieces in Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese? And can Malik Nabers stay healthy long enough to be a true No. 1 on the outside? All of these will eventually be answered, but not at once. The Giants aren't a Super Bowl contender just yet, though they do have some promising talent."
It's only preseason, and John Harbaugh's Giants are already being counted out
The Giants are no strangers to life as the underdog. Entering the 2011 season, the G-Men were 21st in the NFL in Super Bowl odds, according to Pro Football Reference. They were 18th in preseason Super Bowl odds in 2007. Of course, they went on to defy those odds.
Entering the 2026 season, Big Blue is 23rd in Super Bowl odds, according to ESPN. Harbaugh's team is undoubtedly a few tiers below the top contenders in the NFL, but it's still too early to count them out completely.
The Giants have made massive changes this offseason. Beyond the staff moves, they've traded away Dexter Lawrence II, made two first-round picks, and spent the seventh-most money in the league in free agency.
If all of those moves click in the way that New York hopes they do, the G-Men will be a legitimate Super Bowl threat. Sure, it's unlikely, but there's still a chance before the season starts.
Not only did Powell count the Giants out, he also predicted that Harbaugh will question Dart as New York's long-term answer at quarterback, a much more alarming possibility. If Big Blue has to start over at quarterback again, the timeline for contending will be set back by years.
Dart showed flashes of talent in his rookie season that should warrant optimism from Giants fans. While there are areas of his game that need tidying up, his dynamism with the ball in his hands separates him from recent first-round busts at the position.
Dart and the Giants are set up to prove their doubters wrong in a big way this season.
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