The New York Giants ended their dismal 2023 season on a high note, demolishing the Philadelphia Eagles, 27-10, at MetLife Stadium in Week 18.
The final score wasn’t indicative of just how dominant the Giants were on Sunday as they caused the Eagles to quit at halftime and pull their starters. It was Big Blue’s biggest win over their NFC East rivals since 2012.
With the win, the Giants end the season with a record of 6-11 and will select sixth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
Whose stock is up and whose is down after the Week 18 win? Let’s take a look.
Stock up: Xavier McKinney
In his final game of the season and with free agency on the horizon, safety Xavier McKinney went off. In what was arguably the best performance of his career, the 2020 second-round pick recorded six tackles (two solo), three passes defensed, and two interceptions. Now, he says, it’s time for the Giants to pay up.
Stock down: Tre Hawkins
With Deonte Banks inactive due to injury and other injuries in the secondary piling up, rookie Tre Hawkins was thrust into a larger role on Sunday. He did not respond well, missing at least two tackles while surrendering the Eagles’ lone touchdown of the afternoon.
Stock up: Wink Martindale
It was an up-and-down year for the Giants on defense but they really turned things around late and finished strong. That was capped off with a dominating performance against an Eagles team that was the best in the business through the first 11 weeks. Wink Martindale had Philly’s number and pounded the Eagles so thoroughly that they packed it in at halftime.
Stock down: Mason Crosby
This placement may seem harsh since Mason Crosby connected on his first two field goal attempts and all three of his point-after attempts (PAT), but they were all chip shots — and even some of those didn’t come easy. Then, late in the game, he missed a 45-yard attempt, finishing the season 1-3 from beyond 40 yards.
Stock up: Wan'Dale Robinson
Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson led the Giants with five receptions for 85 yards on Sunday and likely would have had more if they weren’t intent on getting Sterling Shepard involved. He improved steadily down the stretch and established himself as a foundational building block for the franchise. Robinson is everything the team hoped Kadarius Toney would be.
Stock down: Jalin Hyatt
Rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt vanished down the stretch and saw his season end with a dud. He failed to come down with a 50-50 ball and then left the game with an injury after registering just one reception for five yards. Hyatt showed a lot of promise but the lack of consistency was glaring.
