New York Giants fans are justifiably frustrated with how the New York Giants’ Week 5 matchup against the Washington Commanders ended in a tie. Even so, the tie revealed three key takeaways about the Giants’ offense, quarterback situation, and defense that matter for the rest of the season and beyond.

Despite the tie, the Giants still sit atop the NFC East. I’m not ready to predict that New York wins the division this year. However, the NFC East looks up for grabs with how poorly the rest of the division is playing. The gap in coaching quality between the Giants and the Eagles, Cowboys, and Commanders is blatant, especially after Washington dropped a game it frankly should have won.

Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely made history for the Giants

Whether Jaxson Dart was available or not, the main focus this season was establishing how this team can win and what its identity will be. That’s especially true on offense, which has delivered disappointment after disappointment over the past three coaches.

Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely’s production against the Commanders is extremely notable, and it isn’t a fluke. Per Next Gen Stats, Nabers and Likely became the sixth teammate duo in NFL history to each record at least 11 receptions and 90 receiving yards in a game. They’re also the second wide receiver-tight end duo to accomplish the feat.

This wasn’t simply two players having a good afternoon. What they did is statistically anomalous.

Nabers’ ability to attack deep downfield, along with Jameis Winston connecting with him over the middle, opens up a lot for this offense. It will also create opportunities for Malachi Fields and especially Likely.

Likely’s role keeps catching my attention. New York’s creative use of him is turning him into one of the most dynamic tight ends in the NFL, and he’s still incredibly overlooked. In my eyes, he’s a top-5 tight end. Meanwhile, Nabers looks more like a top-10 wide receiver as he returns to full form, or at least a top-15 receiver if we’re being conservative.

When Dart returns in 2027, the Giants will have that duo plus Fields as a third receiver. The Giants now have a clear vision for what this offense can accomplish through the air. Winston’s success proves the Giants can stretch the field and play aggressively, rather than slowing the game down like they did against the Cowboys in Week 1.

The Giants should not turn to JJ McCarthy

I didn’t feel this way initially. I was frustrated watching Winston early on, but he has broken through. More importantly, the coaching staff appears to have figured out how to activate his risk-taking, gunslinger mentality. I don’t know how repeatable that is over the rest of the season. Still, at the very least, New York can’t hand the job to McCarthy.

I’d go even further. Winston should start the rest of the year until he has a complete meltdown game, which is entirely possible. It’s Jameis Winston, after all, and he has done it throughout his career.

Additionally, Matt Nagy shouldn’t call those rushing packages anymore for McCarthy. The Giants were moving the ball well, and those packages derailed the offense’s flow early in the game. The same concept showed up nearly every time: a zone read with a built-in jet sweep. The intention was obvious.

If Winston gets hurt or strings together multiple bad performances, then give McCarthy the job, though that would likely signal a lost season. For now, the Giants have shown they can survive offensively without a quarterback run game, and forcing one into the plan is way too clunky.

Sending heat gives the Giants a blueprint against the Saints

Over the past two games, I’ve emphasized how impactful it has been for the Giants to send pressure more relentlessly. Their blitz rate has climbed significantly, and they added a new wrinkle against Washington.

Dru Phillips blitzed seven times from the slot. Per Next Gen Stats, all four of the pressures he produced came in under 2.5 seconds. That pressure helped limit Jayden Daniels as a passer and freed up players like Abdul Carter, who had a strong game, and Arvell Reese, who also played well. Phillips is now one more player opposing offenses must account for.

That matters for the upcoming matchup against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are coming off a brutal performance against the Minnesota Vikings, and Minnesota laid out the blueprint for flustering Tyler Shough. Under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Vikings are one of the NFL’s most aggressive blitzing teams. When Minnesota blitzed Shough in Week 5, he went 11-of-16 for just 68 yards and an interception.

The Giants need to match that level of aggressiveness. Living by the blitz means occasionally giving up big plays, like the long touchdown run Daniels ripped off against New York. Going after Shough is far easier than chasing Daniels, though, and the path to another win is clear.