Big Blue fans should focus on winning, not draft position
You didn’t really think the NFC East would be decided a week early, did you?
Fittingly, there will be Sunday afternoon drama in the Meadowlands as the Giants (5-10) host the Cowboys (6-9) in a finale that will send the winner to the playoffs if Washington loses to the Eagles in primetime. Washington (6-9) wins the division with a victory, while the Eagles (4-101) are already eliminated.
It’s remarkable that the Giants could be drafting anywhere between the third and the 19th pick next April depending on Sunday’s outcome. They can’t pick higher than 19th if they win the division, while just how much lower they draft depends on a variety of outcomes.
But you know what’s even more remarkable? The Giants can become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after starting 0-5. In fact, only one 0-4 team — the 1992 San Diego Chargers — has even managed to do so.
That would be more of a testament to the historic weakness of the 2020 NFC East, as it’s not as though rattling off a 6-6 record in the final 12 games is anything extraordinary.
Still, consider the context. The Giants had the NFL’s worst record from 2017-19 (12-36), never winning more than five games in any of those seasons. And the fact that the Giants began 0-5 this year speaks to the boundless roster deficiencies that head coach Joe Judge inherited.
So for Judge to right the ship, win six games in his first season and give these Giants a taste of the playoffs would be a momentous step for the franchise. But no matter what happens Sunday, Judge has already proven he’s more cut out for the job than predecessor Pat Shurmur.
“I think there are a lot of things in terms of what we set out to accomplish this year that no one game is going to go ahead and define the season,” Judge said. “I’m proud of the culture and the foundation we’ve laid and the work ethic and urgency we’ve instilled in these players going forward. That being said, there are a lot of things we need to do better as an organization across the board going forward. We have to keep building this thing in the right direction.”
Obviously a big part of building involves the draft, but it would be silly for fans to root for draft position over a division title. The Giants have had five top10 picks in the past six years, and where has it gotten them?
The draft has always been a crapshoot, so why split hairs over exactly where the Giants select? It’s more important that a young roster gains invaluable playoff experience. When the time comes for drafting, the key will be making the right choices and maybe trading back to accumulate more picks — whether that’s with Dave Gettleman or a new general manager.
The goal Sunday should be all about beating the Cowboys, if not to ultimately win the division than at least end the season on a high note.
Plus, the Giants have lost seven straight to Dallas, so ending that long skid just as they finally beat Philadelphia again in November would be another sign that the organization is moving in the right direction.
It’s a difficult game to predict given that the Giants have lost
three straight since their fourgame winning streak that included a huge upset in Seattle.
“I think everybody is going to have a heightened level of intensity going into this game, but I think the biggest thing we need to do and do a better job than we have been doing — because we have been very intense lately — is we’ve got to execute. I think it comes down to execution,” said defensive back Logan Ryan, who recently signed a three-year contract extension. “At the end of the day, you can be the most rah-rah guy, but if you’re not on your assignment it doesn’t matter who you are, anybody can run by you in this league if you’re not where you’re supposed to be, so it’s really about executing and being able to execute in those moments.”
The Giants will certainly need to execute better on offense. Daniel Jones’ 3-yard touchdown pass to Sterling Shepard last Sunday in Baltimore ended the team’s streak of nine consecutive quarters without a touchdown, but keep in mind this a stepdown in competition from the Cardinals, Browns and Ravens.
The Cowboys are one of three teams allowing at least 30 points per game this season, and the Giants had their most success offensively in their 37-34 Week 5 loss in Dallas.
The Cowboys had franchise quarterback Dak Prescott for most of that game prior to his gruesome ankle fracture in the third quarter. Andy Dalton, a more traditional pocket passer, hasn’t been nearly as effective, but he did have his best game against the Eagles last week with 377 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Still, it’s a reprieve for the Giants’ defense after lining up
across three of the NFL’s top running quarterbacks in the last month: Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson.
The defense was forcing turnovers, limiting teams on third down and forcing field goals in the red zone during the winning streak, so the Giants need to get back to that.
“We have to prepare to make it difficult on Andy Dalton to figure our defense out and just make it tough on him because when you don’t, he’s really efficient, and he was really efficient last week,” Ryan said. “That comes back down to what I do best and what I love to do: disguise, communication, checks, playing a game with the quarterback, so it’s really going to be a huge load on the secondary that we’re preparing for on Sunday. That’s what I love: great receiving corps and how to combat them and take them away.”
Meanwhile, quarterback Daniel Jones looks ready to make plays with his feet again after being a full participant in practice all week. He had only one rushing attempt in Baltimore but appears to be fully recovered from his hamstring and ankle injuries, so that should give the Giants a boost as offensive coordinator Jason Garrett schemes against his former team.
“I certainly haven’t been as involved in the run game, certain areas of getting out of the pocket, scrambling, things like that,” Jones admitted. “But I feel good. I feel a lot better, and I’ll continue to work with the trainers and improve.”