NFL power rankings: Giants position improves across the board

It’s officially that time of the week: NFL Power Rankings. The New York Giants improved their position in every power ranking listed below, perhaps giving NFL writers the opportunity to write positively about a team that they expected a better start to the season from.

The biggest improvement came on Pro Football Network’s Power Rankings, which improved the Giants to 20th from 27th in the NFL.

Unfortunately for the G-Men it doesn’t get easier going forward. The team will now begin a six-week gauntlet of strong NFL teams, playing against the Cowboys, Rams, Panthers, Chiefs, Raiders and Buccaneers.

Aggregating several rankings from around the Internet, the Giants come out to an average ranking of No. 26 (last week: No. 29) in the 32-team NFL. Our figure averages all the rankings below except for DraftKings, which bases its ranking on point spread differential.

Let’s check out what outlets around the league are saying about the Giants after week 3:

NFL.com: No. 24 (was 30)

When the Giants selected Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones in back-to-back drafts, the plan was for the pair of top-10 picks to lead Big Blue for years to come. A disappointing 2020 season brought complications to that plan, but the duo performed like young stars in a stunning 27-21 road win over the Saints. Jones threw for a career-high 402 yards and commanded the offense with confidence, while Barkley scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime, and looked very much like the player who dominated the league for stretches before suffering a torn ACL last September. The Giants put themselves in a deep hole with their 0-3 start, but a closer look under the hood shows a team with the ability to get hot.

NBC Sports: No. 28 (was 29)

Both the Giants and Jets got their first wins in overtime Sunday. This is the most memorable day in New Jersey since Bridgegate.

CBS Sports: No. 25 (was 28)

That was a nice showing by Daniel Jones on the road against the Saints. Throwing for over 400 yards in an upset victory says a lot about his growth.

ESPN: No. 28 (was 29)

Biggest surprise: Defensive struggles

Why it’s a surprise: The defense was supposed to be the strength of this Giants’ team. It isn’t. It is ranked 22nd in the NFL allowing 382 yards per game. And it’s probably not going to get much better. The Giants still haven’t found answers at edge rusher and are without starting middle linebacker Blake Martinez for the remainder of the season. It’s hard to be a top defense like what was expected with a pedestrian pass rush. — Jordan Raanan

Sporting News: No. 28 (was 30)

The Giants saw something special in Daniel Jones operating a short-handed passing game and leading a big comeback road win against the Saints. He looks like more of a keeper as he plays off a Saquon Barkley who’s at full strength.

Pro Football Network: No. 20 (was 27)

It didn’t happen right off the bat, but after the first half, Daniel Jones had to sling it to bring the Giants back from the depths of an 0-4 start. He finished the game with 40 attempts and more than 400 yards after throwing the ball 12 times in the first half for 116 yards.

Don’t look now, but Jones has only 2 turnovers through four games. The fumbles still show up for Jones from time to time, but they haven’t killed him in 2021 as they have in the past.

Maybe this was just a bad day at the office for the Saints’ defense. But if Jones can play this way consistently, the Giants could surprise some people with their offensive weaponry.

Yahoo! Sports: No. 26 (was 29)

Was Sunday a turning point for Daniel Jones? Without top receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton, against a Saints defense that totally shut down Aaron Rodgers, Jones threw for 402 yards and two touchdowns. He has had some moments this season. He just needs to string a few good performances together.

New York Post: No. 28 (was 30)

The Giants are coming off their most inspiring win since 2017 – an 11-point fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Saints in overtime. Daniel Jones threw for a career-high 402 yards, Saquon Barkley looked like himself again after knee surgery and Kenny Golladay played like a No. 1 receiver. Big concerns about the defense, however.

Sports Illustrated: No. 25 (was 29)

DraftKings: No. 16 (was 21)

DraftKings has moved from subjective assessments to using spread differential. Point differential is a helpful tool for figuring out the best and worst teams. However, point spread can offer a little more context to how good or bad teams might be. Through three weeks, things are still moving a lot, but some teams are settling in up top and toward the bottom.