Barkley, Manning lift Giants to win

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Crazy as it may sound, the New York Giants are starting to believe they have a chance to make a run at the playoffs.

It’s amazing what a couple of wins can do for a team after a 1-7 start.

Saquon Barkley ran for a careerhigh 142 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Giants held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-35 on Sunday to win consecutive games for the first time since December 2016.

“I think there is some excitement going around,” said Eli Manning , who hit 17 of 18 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns. “It is good. It is a good feeling to have in the locker room and you see some growth. You see the improvement.”

What the Giants (3-7) are doing is making plays and finishing. The running game has picked up and it’s opened up the passing game, and the defense is forcing turnovers. The group intercepted four passes in sending the Bucs (3-7) to their fourth straight loss with linebacker Alec Ogletree returning one 15 yards for a touchdown.

“I just know that we’re playing better and I just love to see these guys in here after the game with smiles on their faces,” said receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who had four catches for 74 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. “We just put it all together, so it’s always a lot more fun when you win.”

“We did a lot of good things and responded when the game got close,” Manning said after the Giants gained 359 yards and did not have a turnover. “We needed points and good drives and we were able to get them.”

Playing in the NFC East also helps increase the belief the Giants are not dead.

Washington, which fell to Houston and lost quarterback Alex Smith for the season to a broken leg, leads the division with a 6-4 record. No other team has a winning record.

“We’ve got a long way to go, there are a lot of things we’ve got to get better at, but if we can just keep battling and fighting, who knows?” coach Pat Shurmur said.