The Giants' playoff hopes are all but extinguished midway through the season
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants have hit the so-called halfway point of the season needing a miracle finish to make the playoffs.
After their fourth straight loss, a 27-22 setback on Sunday to Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, the Giants are 2-7 with eight games left. They probably need to win them all to avoid a second straight year out of the postseason.
To their credit, the Giants play hard for coach Brian Daboll, who led them to the playoffs in his first year in 2022. They have some talented players on both sides of the ball but there is little consistency. The biggest issue has been the failure to put the ball in the end zone.
New York has scored 14 touchdowns in nine games, with none coming from the defense. That's an average of 1.55 per game. The Giants' scoring average is a pitiful 15.4 points and that's with a revamped offensive line, No. 6 overall pick Malik Nabers catching passes and a healthy Daniel Jones at quarterback.
There is frustration in the building and within the organization, even though co-owner John Mara gave Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen a recent vote of confidence.
“I don’t think anybody should be happy,” Daboll said Monday, noting everyone is still searching and working for solutions.
“There’s again a few plays here and there that we got to either make them or we don’t make them, and those are huge contributing plays to the results that you’re looking for,” Daboll said. “I’m in charge of all that. That’s what I’m going to work to do. I look forward to getting ready to go this week.”
The odds are against the Giants, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
“The Giants are struggling this season and bettors are happy to wager against them,” BetMGM trading manager Christian Cipollini said in a statement. “Only 15% of bets were on New York to cover as 4-point underdogs on Sunday. While the Giants aren’t playing their best, fans of the G-Men can get a big payday if the team rights the ship.”
He wrote on Monday a $10 bet on the Giants to win the Super Bowl would return $10,000.
Now that's a long shot.
Wh
at’s working
The pass rush. It's been the key to the Giants' defense this year. They lead the league with 35 sacks. While New York didn't get any sacks on Sunday against the Commanders, it forced Washington to get blocking help from its tight ends and running backs. Daniels stayed short with his passes, completing 15 of 22 for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Dexter Lawrence leads the league with nine sacks, while Azeez Ojulari has six and fellow outside linebacker Brian Burns has five.
What needs help
Scoring. The Giants have scored 139 points in nine games. That's the second fewest in the league, including teams that have played one fewer game. Miami has 124 points in eight games, four of them without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. For the Giants, the main problem is consistency. One week the running game is working. The next week it's the passing game. The next week, the offensive line can't block or pass protect.
Stock up
Nabers. He is having an outstanding season, although the deep-play ability he showed in training camp has not materialized. His longest reception went for 39 yards. The LSU product had nine catches Sunday for 59 yards, and he has 55 receptions for 557 yards and three touchdowns in seven games. He joins Puka Nacua of the Rams (58 receptions last year) as the only players in NFL history with at least 50 catches in their first seven games.
Stock down
Deonte Banks. The 2023 first-round draft pick was expected to be the Giants' shutdown cornerback after a solid rookie season. He has struggled. He was benched during the second half of a loss at Pittsburgh on Oct. 28. He returned to the starting lineup Sunday and had the coverage on Terry McLaurin on his two TD catches. The first was a 1-yard slant. The second was an 18-yard corner route that started with 18 seconds left in the first half, and Banks was clearly beaten.
Injuries
LT Andrew Thomas, OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, K Graham Gano and backup K Greg Joseph are among the starters on injured reserve. Thomas, the team's best lineman, is out for the season following foot surgery. Thibodeaux (wrist surgery) and Gano (hamstring) are due back. Punter Jamie Gillan has missed the last three with a hamstring injury, and Nabers missed two games after a concussion on Sept. 26.
Key number
1 — The number of NFL teams that started the season 2-7 and made the playoffs. That was Washington in 2020. All four teams in the NFC East finished with losing records that season, and Washington won the division with a 7-9 mark.
What’s next
Three of the Giants' final eight opponents currently have winning records: the NFC South-leading Falcons (6-3), Lamar Jackson and the Ravens (6-3) and a season finale at Philadelphia against Saquon Barkley and the Eagles (6-2), who manhandled them on Oct. 20.
At least next weekend they have a chance against Carolina (2-7) in Munich.
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