There were roars when Odell Beckham Jr. came charging onto the field, the first Giants player introduced. The volume increased when Malik Nabers — who added some drama to the proceedings before it became official that he would suit up — and Jaxson Dart were the last two Giants to come through the tunnel.
There was no such pomp and circumstance for the most important Giants employee in the building. The head coach does not get celebrated so emphatically on game day. Yet John Harbaugh was the main reason Sunday night represented hope and renewal for a franchise that spent most of the past 14 years in the NFL wilderness. He was hired to win and win big and to allow the disgruntled and disgusted fanbase to believe again.
A few days before he was to make his debut with the Giants, Harbaugh embraced the challenge and pressure that was to come.
“There’s smoke in front of us,’’ he said. “Let’s run into it full speed and take on whatever’s in there waiting for us.’’
