The New York Giants 2021 NFL season had been described as underwhelming by many Giants fans and critics through the first six games. The Giants’ record had slipped to a dismal one win and five losses on the season and the fans expected more from the storied franchise. Giants fans are bracing for another heartbreaking season, especially after their recent thirty-eight to eleven blowout home loss to the visiting Los Angeles Rams on October 17.

The Giants’ season may have become a little less disappointing from the fans’ perspective after their Sunday, October 24 home win against the visiting Carolina Panthers. The Giants defeated the Panthers on Sunday by a final score of twenty-five to three, improving their overall record on the season to two wins and five losses. The game began at 1 p.m. on Sunday in front of anxiously awaiting Giants fans at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants did not disappoint those fans with their impressive blowout victory over the Panthers.

The win, however, was not able to impress all Giants and football fans. Many people were still not satisfied with the start of the season for the Giants and the team’s overall future.

“The start is disappointing, as usual,” said Saki Mertis, a junior accounting major student at The College of New Jersey and a self-described Giants fan.

When asked what has gone wrong so far this season for the Giants and changes needed to be made, Mertis shared his opinion. Mertis directed personal changes he would make towards Giants head coach Joe Judge, Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, and other notable Giants players, like quarterback Daniel Jones and star running back Saquon Barkley.

“A new coach, the players are there, just a new coach,” Mertis suggested. “I don’t even blame Joe Judge, I blame Jason Garrett and his offensive play calling. I would even consider getting rid of Daniel Jones and Barkley.”

Other fans also shared their thoughts on the disappointing beginning of the 2021 NFL season for the Giants.

“They’re not doing so hot,” said football fan Christian Alino, a sophomore finance major student at TCNJ. “They’re going to have to pick it up in the next few weeks if they want to make the playoffs. Their offense and defense could definitely be better.”

The Giants have not qualified for the NFL playoffs since the 2016 NFL season. If the team fails to qualify for the playoffs in 2021, it would mark five seasons since the Giants were last able to make the postseason. Additionally, the Giants have the worst overall record in the NFL since the start of the 2017 NFL season.

Giants fans have unfortunately become accustomed to this recent pattern of consecutive losing seasons over the past several years.

“As a Giants fan, I’m very much used to this start to a season. It’s been quite a few years of having a terrible losing record and that is basically what I expected going into this season. I’ll admit that it’s tough to continue to root for this team, but I have to remember that this is part of being a lifelong fan,” said Giants fan Allysa Levine, a senior health and exercise science major student at TCNJ. “I expect this season to end terribly with no more than three or four wins, but at least I’m ready for it.”

Other Giants fans expressed their displeasure with the Giants’ 2021 NFL season up to this point. Many fans, however, addressed the underlying issue of injuries to players as a reason why the Giants have struggled this season.

“It’s unfortunate because of injuries,” said Giants fan Connor Cunningham, a junior civil engineering major student at TCNJ. “There’s been a lot of injuries on offense.”

Other Giants fans agreed with this sentiment.

“Unfortunately, the Giants have suffered so many injuries this season that it is nearly impossible to come back from. We’ve been in this situation before in recent seasons. We’ve just lost our star Saquon Barkley to an ankle sprain and he is who we rely on the most for our rushing offense,” Allysa Levine added. “The rest of our key players have been in and out with minor injuries, but it is so consistent and we never have our entire starting offense out on the field at once.”

The Giants were without several important offensive players in the game against the Panthers on Sunday. These inactive offensive players included running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver Kenny Golladay, wide receiver Sterling Shepard, and rookie wide receiver Kadarius Toney, the team’s 2021 first-round draft choice out of the University of Florida.

Many Giants fans were excited about the Giants’ victory over the Panthers and what the win could mean for the future of the team. Fans were also impressed by quarterback Daniel Jones’ one-handed sideline catch during the game, which graced many highlight reels after the game and astounded Giants fans everywhere.

“I am thoroughly surprised and pleased with how our offense played today. Like I said, I go into every game with very low expectations these days,” Allysa Levine commented. “My absolute favorite moment of the game was the reception by our quarterback Daniel Jones, who looked like an elite wide receiver on that sideline catch.”

The Giants defense also showed a great deal of improvement, only allowing a total of three points to the Panthers offense. The defense produced a total of six sacks during the game, along with an interception by cornerback and former Carolina Panthers player, James Bradberry.

Giants fans still wanted to remain cautious of their optimism after the win on Sunday. Many fans noted that the Giants have a difficult road ahead of them, based on the high level of competition they will face for the rest of the season.

“Unfortunately, as great as the win was, we still have two wins and five losses on the season and have some pretty tough opponents coming up these next couple weeks,” Allysa Levine remarked.