The New York Giants finally ended their 10-game losing streak and did so in dramatic fashion. Not only did they defeat the Indianapolis Colts, but they also had their best offensive performance since their wild 2015 game against the New Orleans Saints with a 45-33 victory.

This game will have long-term effects. So what can we take away from the Giants win right now?

This could be a very expensive victory

The Giants picked up their third win of the year and avoided a historic 0-9 record at home. However, this may have cost them something in the long run.

The Giants currently hold the third overall pick, which could become the fourth overall pick if the Cleveland Browns lose. The New England Patriots replaced them at the top of the draft order and currently hold the first pick. The Giants’ need for a quarterback is obvious, and the draft could be their only chance to find a franchise quarterback as reports suggest the Minnesota Vikings could use the franchise tag on Sam Darnold.

The Giants offered their 2024 and 2025 first-round picks (plus additional picks) to the Patriots in exchange for Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. The Pats declined the offer so they could sign Maye themselves, but the need for a quarterback no longer exists.

However, the Las Vegas Raiders have another pick in the top 100 and could outbid the Giants before having to resort to future picks.

The Giants have no choice but to begin rebuilding in earnest this offseason, but may have to do so without their first-round pick in 2026 — and perhaps even more. That the Patriots could get their guy in Maye and potentially still complete a trade with the Giants for several valuable picks is a clear win for them.

The Giants defense is still playing hard

The Giants have not been good this year and have been shorthanded for most of the season. But no one can say he doesn’t play hard.

That’s actually pretty impressive considering the Giants have suffered major blows to their leadership, losing Andrew Thomas, Dexter Lawrence and Bobby Okereke to injury, while Daniel Jones has requested his release. Still, both sides of the ball have played hard this year, and that goes double for the defense. The Giants defense focuses on the football and plays well above their overall draft position.

That was evident in the first half, when the Giants held the Colts to 13 points, forced a turnover and limited Jonathan Taylor to just over 3 yards per carry. The Giants did a good job of pressuring Flacco, and while the Colts were able to move the ball between the 20, the Giants’ defense largely stiffened in the red zone. It was far from a perfect performance, but the Giants looked much more like the team fighting for a postseason berth than the Colts.

The Drew Lock Experience

The Giants got the full Drew Lock experience in Weeks 16 and 17. Last week, Lock threw two pick-sixes that played a big role in the Giants being defeated by the Atlanta Falcons. He was indecisive at best and showed poor decision making and accuracy at worst against Atlanta. Games like these were why the Broncos gave up on him and were happy to trade him to the Seahawks.

This week, Lock showed off his arm strength and athleticism. He had a career day against the Colts, winning at both point guard and offensive lineman. It was a better version of the type of games he had in his two starts for the Seahawks. This game also showcased the potential that Lock has shown since his time at Missouri and that has captivated coaches ever since. This is the type of play the Giants were hoping for when they signed Lock from the Seahawks when Daniel Jones’ status was in doubt early in the season.

It will be interesting to see if the Giants extend Lock as a backup — or perhaps even a starter — for 2025.

The Giants find explosive plays

The Giants’ best game of the year was defined by explosive plays. Massive plays from Malik Nabers, Tyrone Tracy, Wan’Dale Robinson and Ihmir Smith-Marsette all either scored touchdowns or directly contributed to the Giants’ 45-point outburst.

Granted, the Giants were helped by some really bad tackling from the Colts defense. However, this was something of the offense the Giants had been hoping for since 2022. Brian Daboll insisted after games that the team had opportunities for explosive plays or that they needed to create chances for them. It was pretty clear that the offense as a whole was focused on stressing the defense with explosive plays to create space underneath for their quick play and RPO concepts.

We finally got a look at the offense the Giants have been trying to build over the last three years, and it was a lot of fun. We probably can’t expect this offense to be consistent until the Giants are able to get consistent play at the quarterback position. But at least we know the potential is there and they have the weapons to score points in a variety of ways.