NY Giants Week 5 Storylines: Can Dart, Big Blue Deliver an Encore Showing?

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. There IS no replacing Malik Nabers, not unless the Giants can somehow find a time machine and go back to the days when Odell Beckham Jr was in his prime.

However, the reality is that the Giants will have to figure out a way to supplement the production that Nabers brought to the offense for the remainder of the year. 

The first place they’re expected to look is at their own roster, turning back the calendar to 2023 when they didn’t have Nabers on the roster. During that time, Darius Slayton was the pseudo No. 1 receiver, finishing with 770 receiving yards in the role.

The Giants in that season also had Wan’Dale Robinson (until he tore his ACL) and tight end Darren Waller. Waller, these days, is in Miami, leaving Slayton, Robinson, and Theo Johnson as the three most likely players who will combine to supplement the hole Nabers’s absence leaves in the lineup, with additional help coming from Beau Collins and Jalin Hyatt.

The Giants could also go outside of the organization for help, but their cap space of $2.267 million (last in the league) doesn’t leave much breathing room as far as what they can spend, unless they clear out some more space.

As of Tuesday, the Giants didn’t have anyone in for a workout, which would seem to indicate they’re going to roll with who they have. That said, Slayton (groin) has been on the injury report for the first four weeks, but has been able to play; we’ll see if the team sticks to its course.

Dart’s Encore

Jaxson Dart has been the toast of the town since his big NFL debut, and rightfully so, given the moxie he displayed out there. 

However, it is also worth noting that the Giants employed a more run-heavy offense in their 21-18 win over the Chargers, resulting in Dart dropping back just 25 times, which is significantly below the Giants' average of 37.3 times per game thus far this season.

That’s because the plan was for a lot of read options, a lot of short passes, and a lot of bang-bang plays.

Dart averaged just 5.6 yards per pass attempt, placing him 32nd among 38 quarterbacks who have at least 20 attempts. With the loss of Nabers, it’s fair to wonder if the Giants stick with a similar plan or if they will look to open things up a bit more with their new signal caller this week.    

Protecting “the Franchise”

The Saints' offense isn’t the only unit struggling. New Orleans is tied for fifth league-wide with 11 sacks, but per TruMedia (via Locked On Giants podcast), opposing quarterbacks have combined for a 117.8 passer rating and have only been pressured 33 times, tied for the lowest number of pressures in the league (with Carolina). 

That should be good news for a Giants offensive line that, per PFF data, has allowed 59 pressures through four games, the eighth most in the league, but last week, thanks to the full-time return of left tackle Andrew Thomas, allowed just six pressures in 29 dropbacks, a season low.