The New York Giants are flying high after a 21-18 Week 4 upset win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Not only did it prove to be a get-right game for the defense, but rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart officially announced his candidacy for Big Blue’s open franchise quarterback role. And he won the race by a mile.
After back-to-back games at MetLife, the G-Men are hitting the road for some Bourbon Street action against the winless New Orleans Saints. With Dart Sharpied in as the starter from here on out, Game 2 will be a great test to see if he’s actually up to the task.
Funny enough, there was draft-day chatter that NOLA was interested in the 22-year-old with their ninth pick. They passed on him and took Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. Dart hasn’t forgotten, so there’s no time like the present to take that frustration out on the team that left him hanging. Not only is this the Revenge of the Dart game, but cornerback Paulson Adebo will look to prove the Saints wrong for letting him walk. It’s bound to be a good one.
Second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler will be under center for the black and gold, and his job looks a little easier with New York’s first injury report of Week 5.
Giants’ injury report sets the stage for a classic trap game in New Orleans
Below is the Giants’ Week 5 injury report:
Did Not Participate in Practice:
- DL Dexter Lawrence (Illness)
- S Tyler Nubin (Groin)
- RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Shoulder)
- G Greg Van Roten (Not Injury Related – Rest)
Limited in Practice:
- S Dane Belton (Shoulder)
- DL D.J. Davidson (Foot)
- DL Chauncey Golston (Ankle)
- S Jevón Holland (Neck)
- C John Michael Schmitz (Ankle)
- DL Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr. (Foot)
Full participant:
- QB Jaxson Dart (Hamstring)
- RB Cam Skattebo (Knee)
- QB Russell Wilson (Ankle)
The safety group being completely decimated sticks out like a sore thumb. Belton and Holland were limited, while Nubin missed practice entirely with a groin issue. The G-Men are only carrying four safeties, meaning Beau Brade is the only one heading into the matchup unscathed. And that’s tough, since he’s almost exclusively a special teams play.
As for the rest of the group, it’s great seeing the offensive rookie duo of Dart and Skattebo at practice. The offense would quite literally go nowhere without them being available.
Additionally, Michael Schmitz Jr. is the other name to keep an eye out for. If his health won’t keep him out of the game, his play just might. Through four weeks, the fourth-year center is playing his way onto the bench. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s performing like the 45th-best center in the league… out of 48 candidates.
Of course, fans should take this initial report with a pinch of salt — there’s still plenty of time for these guys to get fully healthy. But still, this game reeks of a trap game. When the 2025 schedule first came out, a lot of people felt this was the only matchup they could win in the first half of the season.
All signs point to this being a classic letdown spot — coming off an emotional win, hitting the road, and limping into a game most assumed they’d win from the jump. If the Giants take this one lightly, the Saints have just enough talent to make them pay... maybe.