NFL power rankings, Week 4: Giants continue to fall

Even though the New York Giants lost 30-12 to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3, the consensus among most writers here at Big Blue View was that there were at least a few positives to take away from the game.

The national media does not agree. The Giants have officially plummeted to the bottom of most sports outlets’ power rankings after hanging in the middle of the pack throughout a disappointing first two weeks.

The Giants dropped from No. 19 to No. 27 in Bleacher Report’s rankings. Pro Football Talk moved them from No. 13 to No. 26, declaring that “last year is officially over.” Most other writers offered similar sentiments.

The Giants play a winnable game at home against the Seattle Seahawks this Monday, and knocking off a 2-1 team would likely restore New York’s status at least somewhat. But if they lose, things could get dire with a tough upcoming schedule.

Aggregate ranking: 26

Last week: 22

NFL.com (29)

With two humbling losses sandwiching a miraculous comeback win, the Giants require some soul-searching ahead of more tough games. The road back to the playoffs was always going to be rumbly, but I can’t imagine the G-Men went into the season thinking it would be quite this laborious. The Giants have been making it tougher on themselves with poor tackling and a -5 turnover differential. It looked like multiple Giants missed tackles last Thursday, and they have yet to force a turnover this season. That won’t play against lesser teams, much less against a dangerous 49ers squad. The offensive issues are pretty stark, but the defensive inefficiency is nearly as disturbing.

CBS Sports (25)

That showing against the 49ers on the road was terrible. The offensive line is a disaster with injuries and poor play.

USA Today (26)

Going back to last season’s playoffs, they’ve trailed by double digits at halftime in four straight games, the combined score at intermission in that stretch 91-6 in favor of New York’s opponents. Yes, they’ve faced Philadelphia, Dallas and San Francisco in that stretch … though that’s another way of saying the Giants are no better than NFL welterweights.

ESPN (23)

Offensive efficiency: 26.4 (25th)

Biggest issue on offense: Offensive line

So much to pick from but it starts with the always-changing offensive line, which is yielding pressure on 39.4% of Daniel Jones’ dropbacks. It’s hard for the Giants and Jones to produce consistent offense if they’re using extra bodies to pass protect and still allowing pressure. This isn’t to say that Jones has played well — he didn’t against San Francisco, completing 22 of 32 passes for 137 yards and an interception. It’s also impossible not to factor in the absence of left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and running back Saquon Barkley (ankle). They are the two best players on this offense. — Jordan Raanan

Yahoo (26)

The Giants’ next three games are against the Seahawks, at the Dolphins and at the Bills. If the Giants can’t beat Seattle this weekend, this could turn into 1-5 in a hurry. And the one win was a miraculous comeback against the Cardinals.

FOX Sports (28)

The Giants were on the road, on a short week against one of the best teams in the league with several starters missing from the lineup. They were supposed to lose in San Francisco. But it doesn’t change the fact that this team has looked largely uncompetitive.

Bleacher Report (27)

With each passing week, it’s getting harder to believe that the New York Giants won a playoff game last season.

Granted, the Giants were facing one of the best defenses in the league Thursday without star running back Saquon Barkley. However, they managed only 150 total yards and 10 first downs. Quarterback Daniel Jones struggled mightily for the second time in three weeks, throwing for just 137 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.

As bad as the offense has been, the defense has been that much worse. The Giants surrendered 441 yards of offense to the Niners and have given up at least 28 points in all three games this year,

Sportsnaut (27)

Regression has come for the New York Giants. While we might not’ve agreed with the decision to extend Daniel Jones with that lucrative contract, he stands no chance of performing behind this offensive line and with these wide receivers. What makes the Giants one of the worst NFL teams in 2023 is the fact that their defense is just as bad as the offense.

Pro Football Talk (26)

Last year is officially over.

The Ringer (22)