John Harbaugh leaps into NFL Coach of the Year favorite after Giants stunning upset

With the wave of a wand, John Harbaugh has taken the Giants from laughingstock to the top of the NFC East. Following the Giants’ sensational 27-21 overtime upset of the Texans as 10.5-point underdogs, Harbaugh soared up the NFL Coach of the Year betting market, now the +330 favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook. He rose 19 percentage points at Kalshi to pass Browns head coach Todd Monken with a 24 percent market share heading into the team’s Week 8 bye. Harbaugh, who joined the Giants in the offseason following 18 seasons coaching the Ravens, opened the season as the co-favorite alongside his predecessor in Baltimore, Jesse Minter.Despite losing starting quarterback Jaxson Dart to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, the Giants have gone 3-1-1 and uncovered a promising replacement under center in J.J.McCarthy.

Since being acquired for a fifth-round pick from Minnesota, McCarthy has showcased the arm talent and playmaking that landed him as the 10th overall draft selection in 2024. In the early looks of McCarthy’s tenure under Harbaugh, he has thrived under the same physical, run-first identity that Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, ran with him at Michigan.This has allowed McCarthy to lean on play-action and protect the football rather than forcing him into high-risk passing situations. Harbaugh has reshaped the locker room culture with a strict accountability standard in which performance and discipline determine playing time, regardless of a player’s status.

Cam Skattebo was effectively benched against New Orleans after fumbling issues, while Najee Harris was released shortly after publicly criticizing the team’s rushing approach.Voters historically reward coaches who not only just outperform preseason expectations but also turn struggling franchises into contenders.It helps that the Giants’ divisional foes have had trying seasons; the Cowboys, Eagles and Commanders all hold losing records.Big Blue’s chances of winning the NFC East have climbed from 1...