Big Blue View Mailbag: It’s All Quarterback All The Time

Ed Helinski asks: What’s the Giants Plan C if Jameis Winston isn’t the answer for whatever reason?

Ed says: Ed, how many times actually have a realistic Plan C at quarterback? The reality is that if you are down to your third quarterback, things are not going to go well.

There are 32 NFL teams. Even if every quarterback is healthy, there aren’t 32 good starting quarterbacks in the league. By extension, there aren’t 32 good backup quarterbacks. The truth is nobody ever wants to see their third quarterback play — that guy is a baseball cap-wearing third quarterback or practice squad guy for a reason.

That said, I’m sure the Giants will look around at practice squads, a street free agent like Jimmy Garoppolo, and trade options.

Considering how many quarterbacks have gotten hurt in the first two weeks of the season, though, how many teams are going to be willing to trade away someone they consider to be a capable backup? At this point, that’s GM malpractice.

The Giants just gave Jameis Winston a two-year, $13 milliion extension. They didn’t do that to replace him as soon as they need a backup quarterback.

Todd Graf asks: Do the OC and DC come down to the locker room at halftime or do they work the 2nd half game plan from the booth? Thought about this with Jameis taking over for Jaxson and his 1st half struggles…. And also because there isn’t much time at halftime.

Ed says: Todd, let me clarify that to my knowledge defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson works from the sideline.

To answer your question, all of the coaches who work from upstairs make a beeline for the locker room at halftime. At MetLife Stadium, that means taking the elevator from the sixth floor down to the ground floor and then hustling down the tunnel to the room for a brief interaction with John Harbaugh, players, and other coaches, then back upstairs before the second half starts.

Ted Schwartz asks: All of the cards appeared to be aligning for what would be an exciting season where I finally could watch all of the games while being surrounded by fellow fans! Alas, the football gods have struck down that excitement.

Watching the devastating injury to Dart and the massive blow it struck to this team for the season, leaves me wondering about accountability within the team. I know football is a dangerous sport and any player can get injured through no fault of their own or their teammates. But this injury appears to me to be squarely on the shoulders of the Left and Right tackle who both got beat badly on the same play and left their quarterback exposed to the vicious punishment his body received. 

Does this affect the team chemistry with some players feeling if even one of them did their job properly their quarterback would not be injured and the team would not be in this position. Dart stayed in the pocket, did not put himself unnecessarily in harms way and trusted and relied on his teammates, who failed him. Does the team discuss this as a whole, are the players spoken to individually, is there any penalty for them within the team environment or is it just chalked up as an unfortunate football injury. 

Have either of them spoken out about their role in this injury? Of course they didn’t mean for it to happen and Im sure they were trying their hardest not to let it happen. But they let their quarterback down, let their team down, and let their fans down.

Ed says: Ted, trying to assign blame to other players for a guy getting injured is not constructive, and not something teams or players do. I did not get an opportunity to speak to Andrew Thomas or Jermaine Eluemunor when I was there on Wednesday. Both guys are among the best in the league at their jobs, and are highly-respected inside that locker room. Players get beat sometimes. The guys on the other side are also professionals. It happens. This “they let their quarterback down” stuff is way over the top.

Spoken to individually? Penalty within the team? I am sure the team has looked at the film and understands why the play happened, but these guys aren’t children.

I think you are looking for some type of team divide or finger-pointing that simply doesn’t exist.

I think the video below from Chris Simms is instructive. I agree with him that this play was in “disarray” before the ball was snapped. That doesn’t mean I am blaming Dart, either. Dart’s not the first quarterback to get sandwiched by multiple defenders, and he won’t be the last.

Bob Donnelly asks: How does the loss of Jaxson Dart impact your projection for Giant’s 2026 win/loss record?

Ed says: Bob, as Big Blue View readers probably (should?) know I predicted 9-8, calling that the “most optimistic” prediction I could make for 2026.

I would think 9-8 without Dart would be a fantastic season. I think right now it would be hard to complain about seven wins.

The next three weeks — winnable games against the Titans, Cardinals, Commanders — will tell us more about what to expect.

Patrick Morris asks: The injury to Jaxson Dart is awful. His play when he has been available has been inspiring. But, the season without him is not as hopeful, and the odds of the Giants having a high draft pick have gone up. 

If the Giants end the season with a poor record, but an opportunity to draft one of the top 3 QBs in the upcoming draft class…do they take it?

Ed says: I don’t know what they would do. But, I think the answer would be no. My answer would definitely be no.

John Urbielewicz asks: The inside linebacker play against the Rams was horrible. One could make an argument that Micah McFadden is our best inside linebacker at this time. I think Arvell Reese is going to be a great player in this league, but right now with Brian Burns missing time, I would move Arvell to the end rusher and play McFadden.

Your thoughts?

Ed says: John, no. Arvell Reese is an inside linebacker. That is what the Giants drafted him to be. That is where he has practiced since the spring. That is where he is best.

The Giants align him outside occasionally to change the look of the defense and try to create desirable matchups. Maybe that happens a little more frequently with Burns out, but moving Reese to the edge and starting McFadden is an overreation.

Chris Chianese asks: Ed, in your “Ride with Winston” article it left me thinking … finally there is someone showing some common sense and reality with the Dart injury and where we are with the QB for the Gs this season. First and foremost, Harbaugh and Schoen didn’t sign Winston to an extension to move on from him if Dart got injured. I suppose a person could take issue with Winston being the backup considering he is such a different QB than Dart. So, in other words, the Gs offense will need to be revamped to accommodate Winston’s abilities. So my question is, which QBs out there that are free agents or on a practice squad, most emulate what Dart’s abilities to sign as a backup to Winston? Milton? Hooker?Or, for continuity in the 2026 season, does signing Jimmy Garoppolo make more sense as a backup to Winston since Jimmy G is more like Winston?

Ed says: Chris, I honestly don’t think emulating Dart has anything to do with it. I think the point is to find the player the Giants believe can do the best job helping them win games if he has to play. If that is a quarterback who offers the chance to use the quarterback run game, fine. If it is more of a pocket passer, fine.

John Harbaugh has succeeded with Joe Flacco, a pocket passer, at quarterback. He also succeeded with a running quarterback — Lamar Jackson.

Matt Nagy, Greg Roman, Brian Callahan have worked with both types.

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