The Aporia · What’s behind 11 of the NFL’s biggest surprises: comeback QBs, mystery selloff and yes, the Giants

What’s behind 11 of the NFL’s biggest surprises: comeback QBs, mystery selloff and yes, the Giants

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APA MLA Chicago

Dunleavy, R. (2026, October 9). What’s behind 11 of the NFL’s biggest surprises: comeback QBs, mystery selloff and yes, the Giants. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2026/10/09/sports/biggest-nfl-surprises-giants-eagles-selloff-bryce-young-contract/

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Quick Summary

The article highlights several surprising performances in the NFL during the early part of the season, focusing on quarterbacks and head coaches leading unexpectedly successful teams. It mentions Kirk Cousins, Deshaun Watson, and Jameis Winston as key players behind three teams that are performing better than expected at 3-1 despite their past struggles or negative reputations. Additionally, it draws attention to first-time head coaches Todd Monken, John Harbaugh, and Klint Kubiak for similarly surprising results with their respective teams.

Written by AI on 2026-10-09, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The NFL is experiencing several unexpected turnarounds this season, with three teams standing out at an impressive 3-1 record despite having key players or coaches who faced significant challenges previously. For instance, Kirk Cousins, who had a career-high 25 interceptions in 2020, is leading one of these surprising squads for the Washington Commanders this season. Similarly, Deshaun Watson and Jameis Winston are quarterbacks on teams performing better than expected, despite recent controversies or lackluster performances. Additionally, coaching changes have contributed to unexpected success; Todd Monken, at 63 years old, is one of the oldest first-time NFL head coaches ever hired, while John Harbaugh is trying to regain his Super Bowl-winning form after being abruptly fired from Baltimore Ravens, and Klint Kubiak has faced instability with frequent organizational changes over the past five seasons.

Written for “NFL Surprises” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

John Harbaugh’s Giants changes are taking hold where it counts Different event

New York Post

Hedges 0 of 5 claims Outlet record 66/100

“The articles discuss general changes under John Harbaugh's leadership and do not refer to a single specific incident or game.”

Giants’ first-place dream becoming more real with every gritty game Different event

New York Post

Hedges 0 of 3 claims Outlet record 66/100

“Article A discusses multiple NFL surprises including the Giants' quarterback while Article B focuses specifically on the identity and performance of the New York Football Giants under John Harbaugh.”

Why John Harbaugh’s track record may separate the Giants from the rest of the NFC East Different event

New York Post

Hedges 0 of 7 claims Outlet record 66/100

“Article A discusses several NFL surprises and mentions John Harbaugh briefly among others, while Article B focuses specifically on John Harbaugh's reaction to a particular game involving the Giants.”

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

0 of 2 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

66/100

New York Post's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Sports

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Ryan Dunleavy

72 article(s) here · 0 carrying a prediction

🔮 “I got hit on one of the touchdowns and didn’t know that Jalen [Nailor] scored, but I could hear our Raiders fans,” Cousins added.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · Raiders fans flip MetLife Stadium into ‘road’ game for Jets: ‘Have to handle it’

🔮 Under different circumstances, the career-best performances by Braelon Allen and Adonai Mitchell could be celebrated as the Jets developing playmakers to complement Garrett Wilson.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · Jets see no moral victory after wasting career days by Braelon Allen and Adonai Mitchell

🔮 Tanking would make sense — if the Colts hadn’t previously traded their first-round pick to the Jets.

2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Who’s buying, who’s selling and who’s trying to figure things out at NFL trade deadline

🔮 If John Harbaugh were picking between two Michigan-bred quarterbacks this week, the Giants would start J.J. McCarthy over Tom Brady.

2026-10-24 · assertive framing · John Harbaugh makes Tom Brady reference for J.J. McCarthy — but it’s not what you think

🔮 Edmunds will go from logging every defensive snap in the first six games to missing every snap in the final 11, The Post confirmed, after he was injured late in last week’s game against the Saints.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Tremaine Edmunds out for season in crushing Giants injury blow

🔮 Maybe it’s time for the NFL to change its logo to include a player’s hand punching at the football that sits atop the shield.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · How ‘Peanut Punch madness’ has running backs spooked, coaches flummoxed and fumbles flooding the NFL

🔮 “Maybe now 20 percent of that 30 that was gone is back,” Nagy said before Thursday’s practice.

2026-10-23 · assertive framing · Giants’ Matt Nagy ready to open up playbook for J.J. McCarthy’s first start

🔮 McCarthy’s last pass — on fourth-and-1 from the 14-yard line with 12 seconds remaining — fell incomplete or else the Giants would’ve had a chance to win the game or send it to overtime despite trailing 34-10 when the quarterback change was made with 11:36 to go.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Giants to start J.J. McCarthy against Texans in massive QB shakeup

🔮 tRY IT NOW“I would love for us to be in that kind of a circumstance,” Harbaugh said.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · John Harbaugh waiting for ‘Saquon Barkley circumstance’ in Giants’ embattled running back room

🔮 If J.J. McCarthy was guaranteed to throw for 943 yards, rush for 104 yards and lead 12 scoring drives in his next start, then the Giants wouldn’t have a quarterback controversy on their hands.

2026-10-19 · assertive framing · The questions and stats looming over Giants’ Jameis Winston-J.J. McCarthy decision

Also by Ryan Dunleavy

Raiders fans flip MetLife Stadium into ‘road’ game for Jets: ‘Have to handle it’

2026-11-02 · New York Post

Jets see no moral victory after wasting career days by Braelon Allen and Adonai Mitchell

2026-11-02 · New York Post

Minkah Fitzpatrick calls it ‘Jets being Jets’ after defense gets embrassed by Raiders

2026-11-01 · New York Post

Who’s buying, who’s selling and who’s trying to figure things out at NFL trade deadline

2026-10-30 · New York Post

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 72 articles by Ryan Dunleavy →

Claims (2 extracted, 0 hedged)

One led the NFL in interceptions two years ago, one is only on his team’s roster because of the implications of the worst contract in NFL history and one had eight wins over the previous six seasons. asserted

one → lead → seasons

One is a sexagenarian among the handful of oldest first-time NFL head coaches ever hired, one is trying to rediscover his Super Bowl-winning touch after an unceremonious firing and one has been with five different organizations in the past five seasons. And yet Todd Monken, John Harbaugh and Klint Kubiak, respectively, are the coaches of surprise 3-1 teams. asserted

Monken → hire → teams

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Articles to 4 Nov 2026

What’s behind 11 of the NFL’s biggest surprises: comeback QBs, mystery selloff and yes, the Giants

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Claims (2 extracted, 0 hedged)