Giants’ Darius Slayton Shines Despite Loss to Bears
CHICAGO — In a game that saw the Giants relinquish a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, ending with a 24-20 defeat to the Bears at Soldier Field, it was easy to overlook some standout performances, including Darius Slayton’s impressive four receptions for 89 yards.
Nonetheless, this match was significant for Slayton, particularly given the challenges of his 2025 season thus far. It came just a week after he missed a potential touchdown in a loss to the 49ers.
After a rather lackluster first nine games, Slayton seemed to finally find his rhythm. Prior to this game, he had only caught 19 passes for 254 yards—not nearly enough, especially after the team lost Malik Nabors earlier in the season. Slayton was expected to step up as Nabors’ replacement, yet his performance hadn’t hinted at that potential until Sunday’s game against Chicago.
His breakthrough moment came with an acrobatic, one-handed catch for 31 yards on the last play of the first quarter. Following that, he caught a 38-yard pass on the first play of the second quarter.
These plays contributed to the Giants’ first touchdown, leveling the score at 7-7. “I felt like I was rolling,” Slayton remarked, reflecting on the game. “Ironically, I was rolling around in the snow in 30-degree weather. Why did I wait for these conditions? I don’t know. But I had a great day.”
When asked if he felt responsible for his previous performance, he responded, “No, not really. That had nothing to do with today. I came here today and played well. But how I played today won’t change anything for next week.”
“Sure, I’m glad we played well, but the ultimate goal is winning, and we missed that today,” he added, capturing the mixed emotions of the day.
