EAST RUTHERFORD – Among all the insights from John Mara’s final interview with reporters during the season, there was one comment that deserved more attention than it received.

“I’m fed up with seeing teams move back and forth across the field against us,” the New YorkGiantsCo-owner and team president made a witty remark, expressing support for general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, while also urging a change in attitude and mindset.

The Giantshave experienced excessive pressure from both offensive and defensive sides.

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Although Mara’s statement mentioned the defense, the same sentiment also applied to the offense.

The Giants focused on creating a team that stands up to intimidation, as highlighted in back-page headlines and on banners flown by planes above MetLife Stadium.

That was going to involve transforming a locker room that had to not only set a new standard for expectations and outcomes, but also address what was necessary to alter mindset and performance.

Last season’s three-win season was centered on sleepless nights for Mara, as his Giants faced constant ridicule over the Saquon Barkley decision and its consequences, resulting in Barkley and the oppositionEaglesVictory in the Super Bowl held in New Orleans.

This remarkable Giants’ 34-17 win against the Eagles on Thursday night was all about making a comeback, and no one embodies that determination more at the moment than Mara, who has openly shared his continuing struggle with cancer.

In presenting Mara with the game ball in the post-game locker room, Daboll said: “There’s a real tough individual in here. His name is John Mara.”

Given how his Giants reacted against the defending Super Bowl champions, just four days after a poor turnover-filled loss to theSaintsthere were some calls for the end of this regime, yet Mara certainly had a good night’s sleep.

The transformation must begin somewhere, and perhaps, just perhaps, the Giants are finally on the right path.

Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo showcased that Thursday night, shedding the old conservative approach of the Giants, which had become dull due to years of poor performance in this area.

The Eagles, the Cowboys, and the Commanders, since last year, have repeatedly dominated the Giants, ridiculing their presence, despite the four Vince Lombardi trophies displayed in the lobby of their training facility.

This time, the Giants responded. They did not remain silent, recognizing the image surrounding the team that recently turned into a weak link in the NFC East and beyond.

No more, the Giants announced under the lights with a national audience tuned in.

First and foremost, we can’t be naive about everything. We listen to what people are saying,” Dart stated, referring to the negative comments aimed at the Giants after their defeat in New Orleans, including forecasts of how badly the Eagles would humiliate them. “It definitely fuels our motivation. … I believe we’re simply striving to establish a level of intensity every single day.

We discuss the formation of identity, and for many years—especially during the recent decade of hardship—the Giants have been eager to appropriate that from their history, rather than developing a fresh approach to defining themselves.

Schoen and Daboll aim for the team’s identity to revolve around its mindset. There needs to be a determination not to allow opponents to impose their will on the Giants, which has occurred far too frequently. Indeed, when this leadership took charge three years ago, the base was established on being Smart, Tough, and Reliable. It remains the standard here.

But the strength must originate from the athletes themselves, and it’s not just about desire. Some players are naturally built that way, and to compete with theEaglesand the Commanders, the Giants were not going to be competitive until they could match that advantage not just with skill, but in their spirits and thoughts.

The Giants are determined to play with a strong mindset, and they have done so. They aim to strike you forcefully, and if they face a challenge, they are tough enough to respond with equal or greater intensity. For many years, the Eagles have embodied this approach, and it has been reflected in their scores and rankings—particularly against the Giants, who haven’t secured a victory in Philadelphia since 2013.

If the Giants intend to contend at that level, they need to change the mentality—both the football and the internal approach—starting from within.

They conveyed their message with their actions,” a league source said to NorthJersey.com and The Record this spring following the draft. “It’s been a long time, but they’re no longer willing to be treated that way.

Abdul Carter, a pass rusher, is a game-changing force who competes with intense aggression. His impact has definitely played a role in Brian Burns’ remarkable rise, as he recorded two more sacks against the Eagles, bringing his total for the season to an NFL-leading seven.

Dart is intense and makes it clear to his teammates what the expectations and standards are, leading the way without hesitation. Rookie defensive tackle Darius Alexander is determined to go after opponents, stating that his passion for the game stems from “taking away my opponent’s will and watching them head to the sideline without knowing what to say to the coach,” and he has kept on developing.

Skattebo is obsessed with physical contact. He has never known any other way to exist, and this has been his approach since he began playing football at the age of six. He would wear his older brother’s shoulder pads, head out into the street, and run into telephone poles, just to demonstrate his strength.

On the day Saquon Barkley unveiled his documentary, which in part rekindled old pain for the Giants, Skattebo took to the same field as Barkley and scored three touchdowns while gaining 98 yards. He overwhelmed the Eagles’ defense with the tenacity of Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, and Jeremy Shockey combined into one rookie who wasn’t intimidated by anyone, no matter the expectations.

Awakening to Skattebo and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, shirtless, engaging in a postgame interview on the Amazon Prime stage with Dart impersonating Mean Gene Okerlund holding the microphone, was an experience that was both surprising and appreciated by Giants fans across the board.

I mean, physical play is definitely infectious,” Skattebo said. “If someone gets tackled, it energizes the others and gets them moving.

The boldness of Carter asking, just two days into his time with the Giants, to speak with Lawrence Taylor about the No. 56 jersey that he made legendary, without fear of the response, is what should have drawn the franchise’s focus. The newest Giants vowed they would not take on the identity of the past, but instead reshape a mindset and the franchise in their own image.

This was only a single game, yet the consequences could disrupt the core of an organization in need of a major cultural transformation.

We need to keep progressing from here — we’re still 2-4,” Skattebo stated. “We still have to go out and win the next game, then the one after that, and the one following. So, I’m looking forward to what’s ahead and can’t wait.

For the first time in a long time, the Giants have a reason to think they are part of the competition.

With Dart and Skattebo at the forefront, following Thursday night, this franchise might finally be capable of winning some games in the near future as well.

This piece first was published on NorthJersey.com:With Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo at the helm, the NY Giants showed they are prepared to compete.

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