Why Giants Will Beat the Titans, Why They Won’t, and a Prediction

Despite the loss of Jaxson Dart and a brutal weather forecast, the Giants' ground game and pass rush give them the edge over Tennessee in Week 3.

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the blink of an eye, a lot of air has gone out of the New York Giants balloon.

That’s what happened when the team lost its promising-looking young quarterback, Jaxson Dart, who, seven snaps into what would indeed become a Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, suffered a season-ending knee injury.

But as has long been the case in the NFL whenever a significant injury strikes a team, the show must go on, and that’s precisely the attitude the Giants are taking as they prepare to host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in what could very well be a rain-soaked MetLife Stadium if this brutal nor’easter doesn’t let up.

While the Dart injury has been a gut punch, head coach John Harbaugh said the players have bonded together tighter than ever as they look to pick up the pieces and play for their fallen signal caller.

“I've seen it really be good,” Harbaugh said of the team’s mood this week. “They were, when walking on Wednesday for the first meeting, that was a moment, and that was challenging. They were just kind of, I think, looking to see what the plan is.

“A lot of guys had been talking, and they were in a good place, and Jaxson had talked to them, too. But they probably just wanted to know what direction we're going. But as soon as we got through the meeting and we got out to practice, they were great.”

They’ll need to keep that spirit up despite the soggy conditions promised for this game and the challenge of facing familiar faces who joined the Tennessee Titans, including former head coach Brian Daboll, receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, tight end Daniel Bellinger, and center Austin Schlottmann.

But more importantly, the Giants need to get back on track if they want to be in the postseason.

Why the Giants Will Win

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Giants are expected to lean into their running game, their bread-and-butter on offense. They showed in Week 1 that once they got the ground-and-pound machine going, they could control the tempo and dominate.

Last week, they fell away from that, probably because they fell behind. They can’t afford to do the same this week; if they can get the ground game going, it will help open up play-action, where the Titans defense is thought to be most vulnerable in the middle of the field.  

Defensively, if the Giants pass rush wakes up, that will certainly help their cause. Titans quarterback Cam Ward isn’t like Dak Prescott of the Cowboys or Matthew Stafford of the Rams in that he won't burn a defense that blitzes him.

So far through two weeks, Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has backed off the blitz because Prescott and Stafford have made blitzing teams pay. This week, expect him to go after Ward with relentlessness.

Why the Giants Will Lose

Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws against Philadelphia during the second quarter of their game at Nissan Stadium Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Backup quarterback Jameis Winston isn't the same type of signal caller as Dart, and he doesn’t pose a rushing threat.

Winston is a pure pocket passer with a cannon for an arm, and as was seen in the loss to the Rams, sometimes when he forces throws into coverage, they somehow find themselves in harm’s way.

Simply put, Winston has to play a clean game when asked to pass, and that could be a challenge against a Titans defense that picked off Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts twice last week.

The Giants defensive secondary is also another question mark. Last week, aside from safety Jevon Holland, the unit did not play that well.

This week, the expectation is for Daboll, now the Titans' offensive coordinator, to have Ward work more under center, which should help playmakers like Elic Ayomanor shake free downfield.

If the Giants are without outside linebacker Brian Burns, who is nursing an ankle and is listed as questionable this week, and their pass rush doesn’t wake up to rattle Ward, he has the tools to move the chains with his arm.  

Prediction

The Giants have had pretty good luck controlling the clock through two games, with a 3:45 time-of-possession average that puts them right in the middle of the league. The Titans, on the other hand, have not been as fortunate, ranking dead last with an average of 22:24 time of possession.

On a day where the ground game is projected to be a huge key to victory, the Giants enter this week with a healthy ground game. At the same time, the Titans have some injuries to their top running backs: Tony Pollard (ankle), who is expected to play, and Tyjae Spears (ankle), who is questionable.

The Giants have the advantage on paper, and while no one expects a scoring shootout given the weather forecast, the Giants, fueled by their collective desire to win for Dart, should come out on top in what will be a close one.

Giants 24, Titans 20

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