Without a doubt, it has been a tough week for the New York Giants and their fans after losing star quarterback Jaxson Dart to an unfortunate injury. Dart tore his MCL and PCL, which led to Friday surgery in New York City. As many of his teammates said, it was a gut-wrenching outcome that landed the young quarterback on injured reserve for the rest of the season.

But the Giants still had a game to play against the struggling 0-2 Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee came in after losing a tough battle against the Philadelphia Eagles, a game in which head coach Robert Saleh said there were “no moral victories.” The Titans then had to get on a plane the following week and fly into a stadium where many of their staff members and players had played or coached the year before. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was the head coach of the New York Giants for 3 ½  seasons before being fired midway through the 2025 season.

It was a brutal day for football with the wind and rain swirling, with some fans calling it “football weather.”

Tennessee got the ball first, but Pro Bowl return specialist Chimere Dike fumbled on the return after Giants linebacker Zaire Barnes punched the ball out. That gave the Giants and new quarterback Jameis Winston good field position, but New York could only turn the opportunity into a field goal, with rookie kicker Dominic Zvada putting the Giants up 3-0.

Through the first half, the Tennessee Titans did not look like an NFL team.

Cam Ward had plenty of time to throw, but the Giants’ pass rush—which was one of the biggest offseason storylines surrounding this team—continued to struggle to make an impact. Through three games this season, that dominant pass rush has not lived up to the expectations, and it was another quiet performance on Sunday.

Ward struggled to get the football moving, and that became the kryptonite for the Titans early in the game.

I wish I had a more exciting recap for you, but honestly, there wasn’t much excitement for most of the first half. Rookie kicker Dominic Zvada continued to do his job, knocking through three field goals and giving the Giants a 9-0 lead heading into halftime Zavada added a 4th later in the game  which was all the offense for the Giants. 

Cam Ward and the Titans came out of the locker room looking like a completely different team.

Tennessee finally got on the scoreboard when Ward found former Giants wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson for a four-yard touchdown. Robinson, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal in the Music City, cut the Giants’ lead to 12-7.

The fans who stuck it out through periods of torrential rain were now chewing their fingernails.

The Titans had an opportunity to take the lead after a Giants punt gave Tennessee the ball with a chance to drive down the field and win the game.

With under a minute remaining, Cam Ward drove the Titans all the way down to the Giants’ eight-yard line. Tennessee was thinking about punching it in, stealing a victory in the Big Apple and potentially ruining what had already been an emotional week for New York.

Then came the play that decided the game.

Ward rolled to his left and threw toward the end zone, but he did not see Giants safety Jevón Holland sitting right in the path of the pass intended for former Stanford standout wide receiver Elic Ayomanor.

Holland picked it off, saving the day for the New York Football Giants.

It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t an offensive masterpiece. But the Giants found a way to win.

New York heads into its matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at 2-1, while Tennessee falls to 0-3. The Giants also continue a notable stretch at home, having started 2-0 at MetLife Stadium for the first time since 2009.

Sometimes, especially on a rainy Sunday like this one, surviving is all that matters.