Giants keep hopes alive
Win over Philadelphia keeps N.Y. in running in crowded NFC race
A year ago, the New York Giants got off to a 1-7 start and remained in the playoff race all season because they played in the weakest division in the NFL — the NFC East.
Their postseason hopes ended in the finale when Washington (7-9) beat Philadelphia in a game in which the Eagles lifted starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter trailing by three points. New York (6-10) finished a game behind in the division.
Things haven’t changed much this season. Joe Judge and the Giants got off to another bad start (1-5) and they are now 4-7 after Sunday’s 13-7 win over the Eagles.
Winning the NFC East will be tough. Dallas (7-4) is in first place with a three-game lead.
Hold on though, the NFC as a whole is weak this season. Six teams have winning records: Arizona, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Dallas, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco. The Niners at 6-5 are at the bottom rung of that group.
Then comes the NFC’S seventh playoff berth, the last of the three wild cards. The Giants are a game out of the seventh spot along with almost everyone else in the conference except Detroit (0-10-1).
The Giants have six games left to make a run at their first playoff berth since 2016. It’s a long shot, especially because the offense isn’t doing much and the O-line is banged up and not playing well. Wide receivers
Sterling Shepard, Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney have been in and out of the lineup with injuries, and running back Saquon Barkley is still finding his way coming off last year’s ACL surgery.
For the Giants to make it to the playoffs, the defense would have to continue its run of keeping the team in games and taking away the ball from opponents. Not likely, but who knows?
The bottom line is New York, embarrassed the previous Monday by the Buccaneers, has a shot in the weaker conference.
“We needed it bad, obviously,” safety Julian Love said. “But not just for a win in the column, but to just set a standard for who we are as a team.”
Vikings: Running back Dalvin Cook’s availability this week for the game at winless Detroit is in doubt because of an injury to his left shoulder, but coach Mike Zimmer stopped short on Monday
of confirming a long-term absence.
Cowboys: The NFL suspended Dallas defensive tackle Trysten Hill for two games for confronting Las Vegas offensive lineman John Simpson and throwing a punch after the Raiders’ 36-33 overtime win on Thanksgiving. Also, Dallas coach Mike Mccarthy tested positive for COVID-19. The second-year Dallas coach is out for Thursday night’s game in New Orleans, and will be among six coaches and staff members not making the trip because of positive tests. Right tackle Terence Steele also is out against the Saints after testing positive.
Lions: Winless Detroit may be without its best player against Minnesota. Detroit coach Dan Campbell said that running back D’andre Swift’s injured shoulder is still sore, adding it’s hard to envision him playing on Sunday.
Browns: Right tackle Jack Conklin will undergo surgery after suffering a season-ending right knee injury on Sunday night at Baltimore.
Panthers: Christian Mccaffrey, Carolina’s often-injured running back, will miss the remainder of the season with an ankle injury, the team announced.