Tyrod Taylor has a major opportunity ahead of him.
He was named the Giants’ starting quarterback on Wednesday for the team’s Week 17 clash against the Rams, and unless he gets injured or it goes disastrously, presumably for the team’s final game against the Eagles as well.
Taylor can now perfectly set up his looming free agency. He is not expected to be back with the Giants next year, but he can demonstrate what would have plenty of suitors seeking his services.
The 34-year-old Taylor has long been one of the best backup options in the league, perhaps even a fringe starter in the 30-40 range of an overall quarterback ranking.
But his susceptibility to injury (he was sidelined for weeks after suffering a rib injury against the Jets) and his brief inability to beat out undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito — who said “it’s part of the position” after being demoted to No. 2 on Wednesday — this season likely would have limited his market this offseason.
Now, in these last two games, Taylor can reestablish his stature.
There has perhaps been no NFL season to better demonstrate the need for a quality backup quarterback. Top signal-callers all across the league went down with injuries — starting in New York with the Jets’ Aaron Rodgers and then Giants starter Daniel Jones — and teams’ abilities to make do with backups has defined much of 2023.
There is the Browns, who have surged to a 10-5 record since they signed Joe Flacco, the team’s fourth different starter this year, by winning three straight. There is the Colts, who sit in the final playoff spot in the AFC at 8-7 with backup Gardner Minshew starting the past 10 games. There is the Bengals, who have stayed alive for the postseason after replacing Joe Burrow with Jake Browning, who owns a 3-2 record as the starter.
Then there is the Jets, whose season quickly unraveled without any competent backup behind Rodgers on the roster.
Several other teams have opted for late-season switches to their backups. The Commanders on Wednesday announced Jacoby Brissett will replace Sam Howell as Ron Rivera attempts to somehow save his job.
It came just moments before the Broncos stunningly benched Russell Wilson and gave the final two starts of the season to Jarrett Stidham.
It’s become as clear as ever: Having a quality backup quarterback can make or break a team’s season.
Flacco, Minshew, Browning and Brissett are all set to be free agents after the season, meaning there will be heavy competition for Taylor on the open market to secure top backup money.
“As a quarterback, you are literally one play away,” Taylor said Wednesday. “Your preparation shouldn’t change, your attitude shouldn’t change. The quarterback is the leader, whether they want to be or not, so a lot of people look towards us during down times to see how we respond. Obviously, when everything’s up, everyone’s happy, but in down times, you look towards your leaders to see how you respond. So, that would be my message to any young player dealing with it. I’ve been through enough — not enough, I’ve been through a lot. I’ve had a chance to learn from each situation. …
“I think that’s just who I am. I try to stay as level as possible, through the highs and the lows. Life is a roller coaster. How you endure the storms and how you endure the ups and downs I think speaks to your character.”
The first step for Taylor was winning his job back from DeVito. Now the next step is proving himself for his next job next year.
Today’s back page
The scoreboard: ‘Not a fan’ edition
Bucks 144, Nets 122: A shocking white flag of a game for the Nets (15-16) — at home, in front of their fans! — in the second leg of a back-to-back and fourth game in six days. Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton didn’t suit up to rest. Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale and Cam Thomas were shut down after the first quarter. Bridges’ streak of 423 consecutive games was preserved, but he wasn’t happy with Nets executives’ approach. “Didn’t like the choice and whatever that was,” he said. “Definitely was not a fan.”
Thunder 129, Knicks 120: Not a Christmas hangover, per se. Jalen Brunson had 24 points and seven assists (with five turnovers), Julius Randle scored 25 points and Immanuel Quickley added 22 as the Knicks fell to 17-13, seventh in the East. It’s just: The Thunder (20-9) are gooood. They were led by Jalen Williams’ career-high 36 points. The Knicks’ three-game road swing continues Friday in Orlando.
Rangers 5, Capitals 1: The Rangers (24-8-1) got payback for an early-December shutout loss with a dominant showing at MSG. Two goals from K’Andre Miller, a power-play snipe from Artemi Panarin and a goal apiece for Braden Schneider and Alexis Lafrenière. But there is concern for captain Jacob Trouba, who left with the dreaded “upper-body injury” following a collision with the notorious Tom Wilson.
Penguins 7, Islanders 0: Avert your eyes. A total meltdown by the Islanders (16-9-9), their worst loss in nearly seven years. Six goals allowed in the second period alone.
— Jonathan Lehman
From Bad Boys to just bad
The Texas Rangers have won a game more recently than the Detroit Pistons.
The MLB season wrapped up nearly two months ago.
The Pistons have now lost 27 straight games, the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history. They came close to snapping it Tuesday night against the Nets, but close didn’t prevent them from making unwanted history with a 118-112 loss.
Is this the most aggressive tank we’ve ever seen, or are the Pistons just that bad?
The Pistons don’t play a New York team until Feb. 26, when they host the Knicks. Imagine if they still haven’t won again by then? Soccer-style relegation might be in order.
Fans at Little Caesars Arena were loud throughout Tuesday’s loss, chanting for new ownership and begging their team to just give them a damn win. The Pistons visit Boston on Thursday before returning home to face the Raptors on Saturday and then begin a four-game road trip.
If the losing continues, how loud will fans be when they return home on Jan. 9 against the Kings? Will they be even louder, or begin to ignore this team altogether?
Former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham has been an extremely rare bright spot, averaging 23 points and seven assists per game. In a player-driven league, could all this losing get to him and lead to a trade demand? Could the Pistons even be eager to cash in and recoup significant draft capital for their lead guard because they can’t win with him anyway?
And what does this debacle say about Monty Williams, hired before this season to the biggest coaching contract in league history (six years, $78.5 million)? Has his team already begun to tune him out?
Ringing in the new year
New year, new fights.
Boxing fans have plenty to look forward to in the new year.
One of the most anticipated planned fights for next year, however, went up in flames this past weekend. Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder each fought on Saturday’s star-studded “Day of Reckoning” card in Saudi Arabia, planning to fight each other next if both heavyweights won. Joshua beat Otto Wallin via TKO, but Wilder was thoroughly dominated by Joseph Parker and lost via unanimous decision.
Could Joshua now face Parker? Perhaps.
Here’s a look at the big fights that are already set for early 2024:
Jan. 13: Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith
Beterbiev, one of the most feared fighters in the entire sport, owns a perfect 19-0 record with 19 knockouts. The Russian-Canadian owns three of the four belts at light heavyweight as a unified champion, and will put those WBO, WBC and IBF titles on the line in the bout. Smith (29-1) has emerged as one of the top contenders in the division.
If Beterbiev wins, it could set up a heavily anticipated fight against Dmitry Bivol, who owns the WBA title, for the undisputed championship.
Jan. 20: Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer
Mayer was handed her first career loss in 2022 by Alycia Baumgardner, and has since been working her way back to the top. A former super featherweight, the American moves all the way up to welterweight for this bout for Jonas’ IBF title. There will be an interesting clash of styles: Jonas is a big puncher, and Mayer is more of a tactician.
Feb. 8: Teofimo Lopez vs. Jamaine Ortiz
Lopez has long been a lightning rod, constantly teasing potential retirement and demanding extremely high paydays. After relinquishing the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight titles in his stunning first loss to George Kambosos in 2021, the Brooklyn-born Lopez has established himself at super lightweight. He defeated Josh Taylor in June to win the WBO super lightweight title, and makes his first defense in this bout. Ortiz, whose only loss came in 2022 against Vasiliy Lomachenko, moves up for his first world title shot.
Feb. 17: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk
The one we’ve all been waiting for, to decide the undisputed heavyweight champion. Fury (34-0-1) has accomplished nearly everything in his Hall of Fame-worthy career except for ever being an undisputed champion. He owns the WBC title; Ukraine’s Usyk (21-0) owns the WBO, IBF and WBA titles.
This bout has been teased over and over before falling apart at the last second, and recently prompted Fury to engage in a crossover fight with MMA star Francis Ngannou. Fury, 35, looked extremely vulnerable in that bout and barely won by split decision.
The undisputed heavyweight championship is one of the most lauded accomplishments in all of sports. We finally get a chance to crown a new one.
What we’re reading 👀
🏀 Fascinating column from The Post’s Stefan Bondy about the cold war between the Leon Rose-run Knicks and NBA superagent Rich Paul. It’s in the Knicks’ interests to find a detente, especially with Dejounte Murray — a Paul client — looming as a potential trade candidate.
🏒 The Post’s Larry Brooks on K’Andre Miller, who was critical of his own game in the morning then went out and lit up Broadway in the Rangers’ win.
⚾ Kyle Higashioka reflects with gratitude on a 16-season run with the Yankees, which ended with the backup catcher’s inclusion in the Juan Soto trade. “That’s the organization that made me the player that I am,” he told The Post’s Mark W. Sanchez.
🏈 Jets defensive back Ashtyn Davis doesn’t get a lot of snaps, but he has a nose for ball, as teammates tell The Post’s Mark Cannizzaro.
⚾ Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who won Yankees fans back over in 2023, landed a $15 million contract from the Blue Jays.
🏀 Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (dog bit his face) is out indefinitely. Don’t see that one every day.
⚾ Cops in the Dominican Republic are closing in on Rays star Wander Franco.
⚾ Yoshinobu Yamamoto reveals he was in the bag for the Dodgers.
🏈 No Caleb Williams for USC? Hello, Miller Moss!