John Harbaugh wasted no time in making his presence felt in the NFC East. The New York Giants have emerged as the early division frontrunner, and their overtime victory over the Houston Texans represented another massive statement of intent.
And they are already running laps around the Washington Commanders.
The mood in New York has changed. Harbaugh completely legitimized the project, and even though general manager Joe Schoen was retained, this is the coach's show now.
Commanders are already playing catch-up to John Harbaugh's Giants
He controls everything from scheme and strategy to personnel. Things aren't perfect yet, but it's night and day compared to the moribund franchise that's languished among the bottom feeders for years.
And the Commanders' project under head coach Dan Quinn is struggling to keep up.
Granted, the Commanders could have beaten the Giants in Week 5, had it not been for an inexplicable clock-management issue in the tie.
But that's precisely the point.
The Giants are better organized. They are a well-oiled machine despite encountering setbacks. They believe anything is possible with Harbaugh leading the charge, and they have developed a steely resolve to execute when it counts.
Again, they still have problems to work out. But considering where the Giants stood before Harbaugh's arrival, their start has been immensely encouraging.
Like the Commanders, the Giants have also been dealt some troubling injury problems. And you could even say that the G-Men have it worse.
They lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season. Star edge rusher Brian Burns is also out for the year with a torn ACL. But instead of using it as an excuse, they've only gotten stronger.
Commanders have made excuses while the Giants have found solutions
The Giants have everything in front of them, while the Commanders' fortunes hang by a thread. And unlike Quinn, Harbaugh has already proved with the Baltimore Ravens that his instant success can be sustained.
Players are still fighting for Quinn, which is perhaps his one saving grace. The Commanders also have an easier schedule in the coming weeks, which could help them get their season back on track.
But momentum is everything. And there is no denying the Giants have a ton more of it than the Commanders right now.
Aggression has played a part, too.
After losing Dart, the Giants did not accept their fate. Harbaugh wasn't willing to throw in the towel. He traded for J.J. McCarthy, and the signal-caller was instrumental in their success over the Texans as the new QB1.
The Commanders have stood pat. Even amid concerns and potential flaws, general manager Adam Peters has barely lifted a finger in comparison, eager to save money for upcoming extensions as Jayden Daniels' rookie contract window starts to close.
Harbaugh's impact has already been lasting. He's laid down the law, but he's also a teacher. Running back Cam Skattebo didn't get a touch in Week 6 after another error-prone outing against the Commanders. He responded by spearheading the Giants' triumph in Houston.
This is the sort of leader everyone gets behind.
And the novelty hasn't worn off.
Quinn is going the other way.
He's starting to lose his grip, and results over the last two years have been terrible. Majority owner Josh Harris hasn't made changes yet, and he is unlikely to do so in-season.
But if the downward spiral continues, he'll have no other choice.
Harbaugh doesn't have any such problems. And after just seven games of his tenure, the Commanders are already playing catch-up.
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