After the New York Giants blew out the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Giants fans were rightfully frustrated to see a seven-game losing streak come to an end, as Big Blue no longer possesses the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and will need significant help to be the first team on the clock in April.
The 34-10 road win saw the G-Men give the Raiders the belt, and likely a chance to draft Fernando Mendoza. But for as frustrated as the fanbase is, Giants legend Tiki Barber revealed he sees the fact they easily disposed of the most inept team in the NFL as a positive development, not a negative one.
"Beating up a bad team is exactly what this Giants team needed to do, and I don't care what the repercussions are, draft wise. It feels good to get a victory."Tiki Barber
He may be in the minority in the fanbase right now, but Barber confessed that the win was a benefit. The Raiders look like a legit disaster, especially without Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby, so losing to them would have been far worse, even if it helped the No. 1 draft pick come home to New York.
The Giants losing to the Raiders would have been far worse for their future
In the blowout win, Jaxson Dart finally looked like the long-term answer we saw earlier this season. The first-round rookie completed a career-high 73.3% of his passes, and added two rushing touchdowns, which was aided by a season-high 11 receptions from receiver Wan'Dale Robinson.
The 22-year-old has struggled since returning from his concussion, and even started to lose confidence amid all of the losing and ineptitude, so Barber's point almost certainly relates to Dart. So knowing that he bounced back and the Giants were able to win is better than picking one pick earlier.
The Ole Miss product impressed, but so did rookie pass-rusher Abdul Carter, who logged a staggering nine pressures. Yes, it came against a Raiders team with a horrible offensive line while missing several starters, but he's finally playing like the top-three pick Giants fans were expecting.
The victory also marked Mike Kafka's first since being named interim head coach, and it was one of the most cohesive performances from this team in years. The defense picked off Geno Smith twice and sacked him three times and Kenny Pickett once, while the offense surpassed 300 total yards.
Given this locker room is clearly fractured and fan support is waning, a victory that gave a glimpse of the future. Unfortunately, like the three-time Pro Bowl running back said, fans are letting the loss of that top pick overshadow a huge silver lining.