Halloween will have come and gone by the time the Giants hit the field again.
asserted
Giants → come → field
Thanksgiving arrives before you know it, and the Giants will be in it.
asserted
Giants → arrive → it
And, based on what we know and suspect about the NFC East, this is a team that should be in the thick of the division race at Christmas and on into New Year’s.
asserted
that → base → Year
These holidays on the calendar so often were depressing landmarks for a franchise that won a total of 13 games the past three seasons.
asserted
that → win → games
Dealing with possible coaching changes for Christmas and well into the upcoming draft before the new year rolled in.
asserted
year → deal → draft
The John Harbaugh impact is real, and it has spread its wings quicker and more forcefully than anticipated.
asserted
it → spread → wings
This has been achieved despite the crushing loss of emerging quarterback Jaxson Dart, top defender Brian Burns and, more recently, leading tackler Tremaine Edmunds.
asserted
This → achieve → Dart
With Dart, most of the forward-thinking predictions had the Giants somewhere about the break-even point (8-9, 9-8) in Harbaugh’s first season, as he weeded out the roster and instilled his demanding culture into the building.
asserted
he → think → building
The postseason was considered too much, too soon for this group.
asserted
postseason → consider → group
Those prognostications are in need of revamping.
asserted
prognostications → revamp → revamping
This team and its fanbase are reaching for higher goals.
asserted
team → reach → goals
“I’m happy where we are,’’ general manager Joe Schoen said.
asserted
Schoen → ’m → ?
“I really like the team.
asserted
I → like → team
I like the makeup of the players, the grit.
asserted
I → like → players
Just the resilience of the players, the way we performed late in games in the fourth quarter and overtime.
asserted
we → perform → quarter
Losing a young, vibrant starting quarterback with 15 games remaining in a season can wobble and drop many teams.
asserted
Losing → lose → teams
The Giants found a way through, first with Jameis Winston and now with trade addition J.J. McCarthy.
asserted
Giants → find → McCarthy
Rookie first-round draft pick Arvell Reese is a force and often a beast with his hard-hitting tendencies, and third-round pick Malachi Fields is emerging as a productive wide receiver.
asserted
Fields → hit → receiver
Harbaugh thus far has been worth every penny of the five-year, $100 million contract the Giants were so eager to give him.
asserted
Giants → give → him
He is understanding and positive, and yet demanding and unwilling to accept players who fail to get the job done.
asserted
job → understand → players
“I am appreciative of the fact that everybody in the building made it about what’s important, which is the football,’’ Harbaugh said.
asserted
Harbaugh → make → building
“That’s what we have to continue to do, and we will continue to do that.
asserted
we → ’ → that
We’ve all seen it be successful.
asserted
it → see → ?
We have a long way to go.
asserted
We → have → way
We have a lot of work to do.
asserted
We → have → work
We’re going to be playing some really tough games coming up here in the next few weeks — really physical, violent, tough games that are going to require our best football, our best execution.
asserted
that → go → football
We’re going to have to be at our best.
asserted
We → go → best
November football is in front of us, and that’s what we’ve got to be pointing towards.
asserted
we → ’ → what
The Giants enter November atop their division and in the playoff picture.
asserted
Giants → enter → picture
Away we go.
asserted
we → go → ?
A case can be made for Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely, but since those two pass-catching weapons can feed off each other, we will go in a different direction.
asserted
we → make → direction
Who does Abdul Carter get to feed off?
asserted
Carter → get → Who
It was supposed to be Brian Burns, but he tore his ACL in Week 3, leaving the defense with Carter as the only edge rusher to keep offensive tackles up at night.
asserted
he → suppose → night
The eye-test is needed with Carter because his raw data — two sacks, 18 tackles, seven quarterback hits — are nothing special.
asserted
data → need → Carter
What is special is his endurance — his 388 snaps are 88 percent on defense — and his ability to infiltrate the pocket.
asserted
snaps → infiltrate → pocket
Carter grades out third among 113 edge rushers by Pro Football Focus, and he is among the NFL leaders in pressures, pressure rate, pass rush-win rate and quick pressures.
asserted
he → grade → pressures
He is also emerging as a team leader whose voice is heard.
asserted
voice → emerge → leader
“He’s always believed he can be that kind of player,’’ Harbaugh said.
asserted
Harbaugh → believe → player
“You see it starting to happen right now.
asserted
it → see → ?
It’s been happening.”
asserted
It → happen → ?
…and 44 more, not listed.
The Aporia
