Access the Giants like never before

Get texts from Paul Schwartz with all the latest Giants news and insights, exclusive to Sports+ subscribers.

In this battle of two winless NFL teams, most certainly would have viewed the Giants as less likely to avoid the dreaded 0-3 start. 

They would have been correct. 

After hanging with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs for much of the first half, the Giants ultimately fell short yet again in a dreary 22-9 loss Sunday night in their home opener before an already restless crowd at MetLife Stadium. 

Only six teams since the 1970 merger — and one in the 2000s, the 2018 Texans — have reached the playoffs after dropping their first three games. 

But to invoke that legendary quote in NFL lore, “Playoffs?!” 

“It’s not the goal, certainly,” head coach Brian Daboll said about falling to 0-3. “I thought we battled defensively and made a couple of big plays. … But we fell short offensively. The passing game was not good enough, particularly on third down. 

“We didn’t get the job done this week. … Overall, offensively it just wasn’t good enough.” 

Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson managed just 39 of his 160 passing yards in the first half for the Giants after throwing for a career-high 450 in last week’s OT loss to the Cowboys. He also was picked off twice, including once in the end zone in the second quarter. 

Some fans in attendance at the home opener predictably chanted “We want Dart” late in the first half for first-round pick Jaxson Dart. The rookie got on the field for one play (a 3-yard scramble) early in the third quarter and two more handoffs in the fourth before Wilson returned to boos. 

“Everybody’s gotta be better, we’re not focusing on one person,” Daboll said. 

Malik Nabers also was a nonfactor with zero catches on two targets in the first half, and a career-low two catches for 13 yards. Fellow starter Wan’Dale Robinson also was shut out until making one late catch. 

Starting left tackle Andrew Thomas at least made his season debut following 2024 foot surgery, but running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. left the game late in the first quarter with a shoulder injury. Rookie Cam Skattebo (121 combined yards) scored the lone touchdown for the Giants. 

Kicker Graham Gano also was unavailable for much of the game with a groin injury apparently suffered during pregame warmups, but he came on for the first time to nail a 25-yard field goal for a 16-9 game with 10:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Mahomes finished with 224 passing yards and one TD to go along with three Harrison Butker field goals for Kansas City. 

The Chiefs secured the game’s first points on their first drive, settling for a 54-yard field goal with 3:45 left in the first. 

Tracy went to the locker room with a shoulder injury as the Giants’ second drive also stalled around midfield after he was hit by both Jaylen Watson and Drue Tranquill along the Chiefs sideline on a swing pass. 

The Chiefs doubled their lead with another Butker field goal in the second, a 48-yarder with 9:48 to go before halftime. 

Wilson finally targeted his starting wideouts on the Giants next drive, but he was hit on a pass intended for Nabers. He then was picked off trying to find Robinson downfield by Chris Roland-Walker. 

After Butker nailed another field goal, Skattebo accounted for 45 yards of an 8-play, 70-yard scoring drive for the Giants, including a 16-yard dump-off pass from Wilson and a 13-yard scamper up the middle for the 2025 fourth-round pick’s second touchdown in as many weeks with 1:44 remaining in the second. 

Still, the Giants failed to take the lead with Gano unavailable, as punter Jamie Gillan’s extra-point try was blocked by defensive lineman Ashton Gillotte for a 6-6 tie. 

The Chiefs were flagged for costly roughing the passer and defensive holding during that drive, but Giants nickel back Dru Phillips returned the favor and was called for two fouls — including a 56-yard pass interference on Hollywood Brown after Mahomes improvised to elude the rush to get the ball down inside the Giants 20. That set up Butker’s third field goal of the half for a 9-6 K.C. lead at intermission. 

Getting the ball to start the third, the Chiefs marched down the field with little resistance for their first touchdown of the night, capping a 74-yard drive with a 5-yard strike from Mahomes to Tyquan Thornton with Phillips in coverage to extend the lead to 16-6. 

On the ensuing drive after Gano’s field goal, the Chiefs added to their lead on Kareem Hunt’s 1-yard run with 6:03 to go. 

“It was obviously disappointing,” Wilson said. “Close game, I just think we needed to make one or two more plays. 

“Obviously I want to play a better game for us and give us a better chance to win.”