WDHA’s 2-Minute Drill – Giants/Jets Somehow Still In the Playoff Hunt

You wake up on a Friday morning, look at the NFL standings and realize that somehow, even after everything that has gone wrong this season, the Giants and Jets are still in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito started the season on the practice squad and living with his parents in Cedar Grove. He's still living at home, but he has also led the Giants to a 3-game winning streak.

Zach Wilson was supposed to be in watch-and-learn mode this year as Aaron Rodgers' backup. Forced into a starting role after Rodgers went down with an injury in Week One, Wilson didn't even want to play last Sunday, and yet here he is leading into the game against the Dolphins this Sunday.

JIM MONAGHAN - Two-Minute Drill time here in the WDHA Morning Jolt. Jim Monaghan along with Chris Swendeman as usual. And Swendeman, here we are with a pair of 5-8 teams, the Jets, the Giants, and they head into this weekend, believe it or not, both of them still in the playoff hunt. How the heck is that possible?
CHRIS SWENDEMAN - Well, Jim, that's why they call it the most wonderful time of the year. I mean, anything can happen, and this is proving it. If somebody would have came to us at the start of the year and said, guys, by December you two are going to be talking about Zach Wilson starting for the Jets and a guy who is living in his mom's basement eating chicken cutlets off the practice squad for the Giants being the starting quarterback and being the new face of the franchise and being a conversation piece, not for the Giants, but across the country, we would have laughed at them. And here we are in December. And what are we talking about?

JM - Chris, not even the beginning of the season. You go back a week ago, Zach Wilson didn't even want to play.
CS - No, he didn't. He was hesitant about taking the reins back under center and now he's the AFC offensive player of the week. It's a good country. What can I tell you?

JM - So the Giants have the Saints this weekend. If the Giants win this game, their records are identical, but then they have to face the Eagles, the Rams and the Eagles again. The jets, on the other hand, I've got a tough one against the Dolphins. I don't see them winning. But if they do, the Commanders, the Browns and the Patriots, and if Aaron Rodgers comes win, they could run the table.
CS - Yes, they could. If they get past this, if they figure out somehow to beat Miami and slow down that juggernaut offense of theirs, they could very well make some noise and jump back into this. The Giants have a much tougher road. But I'm telling you right now, Jim, if Tommy Cutlets beats the Eagles once, I can't even think of twice, you might as well erect the statue outside of MetLife Stadium now for him, because it's over. It is over. I'm calling it. Game, set, match, done.

JM - Well, his agent will be all over that. The agent, by the way, Sean Stellato, looks like somebody at a central casting and some kind of an extra on the Sopranos.
CS - It's somewhere between the Sopranos meets the new version of Jerry Maguire, and they found a way to meet in the middle. I mean, this kid has literally taken. We're just talking about Tommy Cutlets and all of a sudden now we're talking about his agent. His agent? The two of them together are national news.

JM - Amazing. Giants-Saints this weekend, Jets-Dolphins this weekend. Who knows what happens? And that's this morning's Two-Minute Drill here at 105.5 WDHA on the Morning Jolt. Thanks, Swendeman. Enjoy the games this weekend.
CS - You too, Jim. Talk to you next week.

Well, this has certainly been a nightmare season for the New York Giants so far. The harsh reality is that Daniel Jones is out for a full year with a very unfortunate knee injury. Now, we are left with pondering what the possible quarterback scenarios for the Giants could be in 2024.

2023 was expected to be a year of growth, with a playoff push seeming like a very reasonable goal. We had a revigorated Saquon Barkley, the reigning coach of the year Brian Daboll, and a now $40-million-a-year franchise guy in Daniel Jones.

To put the first half of this season in perspective, after nine games so far, the stars of the team Barkley and Jones, only played two games together. The team has been crushed with injuries. This includes the best offensive lineman on Big Blue, Andrew Thomas. Big number 78 has barely played.

It's unbelievable the difference ten weeks makes. In late August, there were NFL analysts who suggested the GMEN could challenge the Philadelphia Eagles for the top spot in the NFC East. Now, we are wondering who the quarterback will be moving forward.

Right now, we are dealing with an open wound. We are a few emotional days removed from the news that Daniel Jones tore his ACL in Las Vegas vs. the Raiders. Furthermore, the poor guy was just returning from a neck injury. However, there are serious questions as to whether or not Jones will ever wear #8 for the Giants again.

This upcoming NFL draft features one of the best quarterback classes of the past ten years. In addition, these players each have unique skill sets that differentiate themselves from their competitors. The NFL is a QB-driven league. In fact, without a solid, healthy quarterback on your roster, your chances are limited.

The only week on the upcoming schedule that looks favorable is the bye week. Two games still remain vs. the NFC champion Eagles as do road games vs. the Cowboys, the Commanders, and the Saints.

Still, there are three general scenarios the Giants could be faced with at quarterback for 2024. One of them includes Jones, one of them does not, and the third is somewhere in between. So, in no particular order, here are the three possibilities.

The front office has believed in Jones since they drafted him sixth overall in the 2019 draft. Just eight months ago, the Giants rewarded Jones with a four-year $160 million contract. That means three years are remaining. Yes, that is a big commitment to still have on your hands, but the the fact is, that is more of a short-term running back contract as opposed to a franchise quarterback. However, has Jones really had a fair chance yet? It's a question worth considering, given that Jones has yet to play with an offensive line where he doesn't have to run for his life. The Giants can very well want to give Jones another shot (with solid weapons around him). Jones will be 27-years-old in May.

On ESPN's Get Up this week, many NFL analysts suggested this could be the last season Justin Fields is the quarterback of the Chicago Bears. Fields is still on his rookie contract. Can the Giants afford both Jones and Fields? No, probably not long-term. For one year, they might be able to get creative, however. Fields could challenge Jones (once he returns) to see who is really the guy under center for Big Blue. Where this really gets interesting is that the Bears and Giants may own three of the top five picks of the 2024 NFL draft. The Bears own the Carolina Panthers' pick from the 2023 draft trade. The Bears are 3-7 and the Panthers are 1-8. The Giants also have an additional second-round pick as a result of the recent Leonard Williams trade. So, there are pieces to play with here.

Caleb Williams (USC), Drake Maye (UNC), Michael Penix Jr. (Washington), J.J. McCarthy (Michigan). That's the cream of the crop of a 2024 class that is deep and full of exceptional talent. Those four QBs may very-well be four of the first five picks in the next draft. Only the Panthers don't need one, having just taken Bryce Young first. What's even more intriguing here, is this upcoming draft class also includes guys like Bo Nix (Oregon) and Jordan Travis (Florida State) who can be available later in round one or on day two. At least one of these major talents will be there on the draft board when the Giants are on the clock come April. It will be hard to pass on any of them.