Giants thankful for shot to play in the spotlight
LANDOVER, Md. — It is the kind of week when this kind of chatter could be heard inside the Giants locker room:
“My all-time favorite is ham,’’ Landon Collins said. “The ham is the best part, with the pineapples on top. But the best part is baking sweet potato pies with my mom.’’
Home for the holidays is not going to happen for the Giants, not this year. The thought of Giants at Redskins, on Thanksgiving night at FedEx Field, no doubt looked like an enticing matchup when the 2017 NFL schedule was compiled. Now? Not so much. The Giants (2-8) have labored to compete all season. The Redskins (4-6) are, well, the Redskins, doing just enough to keep everyone interested and not enough to be taken seriously.
Getting things right has been one misadventure after another for the Giants, on and off the field. They did not win any games in September, won one in October and thus far one in November. Beating the Chiefs 12-9 in overtime Sunday offered a rare release in this tightest of seasons and allowed for at least some good cheer at this time of year.
“That’s a great reminder around Thanksgiving,’’ Eli Manning said. “There are so many blessings in my life from my family and friends and health and being able to play this great game of football, my teammates and this organization and fans. So there are too many things to count to be thankful for, and I’m thankful to be playing on Thanksgiving Day.’’
Every team is assigned a Thursday night game, the Giants’ happens to be on Thanksgiving.
“I think it’s a great tradition for the league,’’ coach Ben McAdoo said. “Thursday is obviously a quick turnaround. Some players like it. Some players don’t. I’m sure they like the time that they get off after the game.’’
Both teams will feel the wear and tear of playing without the normal or needed rest. The Redskins are actually more banged up than the Giants.
“It’ll be a special evening and when the Giants come to town, you see their blue helmets and it’s quite the rivalry,’’ Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. “Being on Thanksgiving with everybody watching, I think it’ll be a great treat for everybody involved.’’ The Giants would like to think so. “Everybody’s watching that game, it’s Thursday Night Football,” Collins said. “You’re representing this organization and at the same time you’re representing yourself and you don’t want to get embarrassed in those type of games.’’