Troy Aikman saw the New York Giants enter Monday night’s game already deep in one of their worst stretches in recent memory, sitting at 2–11 and eliminated from playoff contention. Their season only worsened with a 33–15 loss to the Patriots, their seventh straight defeat since beating the Eagles in Week 6.
Before kickoff, ESPN broadcaster and former Cowboys quarterback Aikman reflected on what the team once meant to the league. “It’s been a while since the Giants have been a good team. The NFC East is better when all 4 teams are good. The NFL is better when the Giants are a good team, so hopefully they get back to that.”
The franchise has unraveled fast, going from a 2022 playoff run under Brian Daboll to firing him on Nov. 10 after a 2–8 start. Interim coach Mike Kafka is now 0–3. As Aikman hinted, the Giants’ decline feels bigger than one bad year, it’s the absence of a team the league once relied on for relevance, identity, and big-stage moments.
The 2024 season could repeat itself for the Giants
It’s worth remembering that the Giants finished the 2024 NFL season with a brutal 3–14 record, one of their worst in the last 20 years, and 2025 is shaping up to be just as bad, if not worse. With four regular-season games still remaining against the Commanders, Vikings, Raiders, and Cowboys, New York isn’t exactly facing a soft landing.
One of the Giants’ recurring problems, both this year and in past seasons, has been the trenches. Their offensive and defensive lines continue to struggle. According to Pro Football Reference, the Giants currently rank as the 21st-worst offense this season, while their defensive line sits at 30th out of 32 teams. In 2024, the situation with both lines was virtually the same.
Aikman also addressed the Jaxson Dart situation
Recently, Jaxson Dart took a hard shot from a Patriots linebacker, a hit the young quarterback spoke about after the Giants-Patriots game. But Aikman is deeply concerned about how exposed Dart has been. “When I watch him, and this is going back, he reminds me so much of Jim McMahon. The way in which he plays. He just rallies the team… I’m worried about him… He just has to be able to protect himself a little better than he has…”