A long time ago, I learned a pretty simple cliche I apply to everyday life: you learn something new every day. It’s corny, but I really believe it.
This week, I realized it had 12 years since the last time the Yankees, Jets and Giants all won on the same day.
Think about that for a minute, there’s a whole lot of football Sundays in September, but this town still couldn’t coordinate a winning day with the Yankees and both football teams for over a decade?
A simple nugget of futility like this one speaks to the sad state of affairs with both the Jets and the Giants over the last few seasons.
Look, one Sunday isn’t going to transform the football landscape to sunshine and lollipops, but it’s also okay to acknowledge that last Sunday was one hell of a day.
The Giants, who have been good enough to lose way too often over the last few seasons, flipped the switch. They were able to overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half to defeat the New Orleans Saints in overtime.
Daniel Jones delivered the best performance of his young Giants career, leading his team on a game-tying and game-winning drive in succession.
It was the game you dreamed about as a Giants fan back in July. Daniel Jones was the at top of his game, Saquon Barkley was on the field making defenders miss, and Kenny Golloday and Kadarius Toney were making play after play on the outside at receiver.
It wasn’t just a picture perfect Sunday for Giants fans. The Jets also found a way to win their first game of the season, also in dramatic fashion.
For weeks, the questions have hovered around young quarterback Zach Wilson. When will this offense finally wake up?
The second half of Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans is precisely the game that will infuse life and energy into a much-maligned fan base. Wilson was confident and made some “wow” plays that should have you excited for more.
The Jets offense came to life, but so did the pass rush, sacking the Titans quarterback six times. Robert Saleh’s defense has played hard for the first month of the season, but this was finally a Sunday when results were obvious.
Both the Jets and the Giants had their share of drama and excitement last Sunday. They both found a way to their first win, but now the real challenge begins.
Can the two beleaguered football teams start finding success, or was Sunday simply a major mirage?
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