Nov 23, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (17) celebrates a touchdown with New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) in the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Jameis Winston Believes This is Holding the Giants Back

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated Nov 24, 2025 10:00 AM ET

It’s not a matter of talent or coaching that has been holding the New York Giants back this season.

Rather, according to quarterback Jameis Winston, the problem lies much deeper.

“Honestly, I think it’s more of a spiritual thing than an X’s and O’s thing. I think that we have to dig deep and continue to exhibit unwavering faith in not giving in to an energy of denial or doubt,” he said about the lack of execution in clutch moments.

Winston is certainly closer to the situation than most. Still, the simple fact that the Giants have been competitive in almost all their games this season certainly doesn’t point to a lack of confidence or faith, even as the injuries pile up and the losses eat away at those who lay it all on the line every week.

But Winston believes there is a deeper problem that manifested in this week’s performance.

“Today, we left some doubt out there,” he said. “We were on the 3-yard line with the chance to put the freaking nail in the coffin. And I missed (Giants TE) Theo Johnson on the quick flat. That is the details. That is the execution that is required to win tough NFL games.”

The problem this week wasn’t so much the offense, which, despite the missed attempt on that fourth-down conversion, did enough to win by twice giving the team two 10-point leads at different junctions in the game.

It’s that the defense, as banged up as it is, has been unable to do its part in putting the nail in the coffin, which has been the same old story for this team this year.

Interim head coach Mike Kafka disagreed.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the same old story. I think we had an opportunity at the end of the game,” he said. “Took a really good team to overtime. We’ve got to find a way to finish those games.”

But how? It’s not as though the team doesn’t work at it. Is it a talent deficiency? A coaching issue? Bad luck? A combination of all of the above?

“I really believe in our players. I believe in our coaches. They’re battling their hearts out for us,” Kafka said.

“Just continuing to have that mentality, that aggressive mentality, and continue to ramp it up come practice time this week. That’s the only thing we can look at right now, where can we get better, where can we improve?

“Take those little things and let’s really work on them. Let’s detail them out and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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