The Big Blues
The New York Giants have officially reached football purgatory. Now at 5–8 on the season, no longer does a unified “best interest” of the franchise exist. There will be both a rose and thorn to be had with any variance of outcomes in the final three games of their season, and the conversation around these possibilities is worth having.
So we’ll start with what I feel to be the worst possible outcome for the team, as well as the least likely. If the Giants return to their week 13 glory by finding a way to topple a now proven Browns team on Sunday Night Football, parlay that victory into a win (on the road) against Lamar Jackson’s Raven’s, and cap off their season by snapping the Cowboy’s seven-game winning streak in their storied rivalry, they will likely find themselves in the playoff picture. It’s not a guarantee, as they’ll need some help from the opponents of the Washington Football Team (SEA, CAR, PHI) to capture the division, but we’ll grant the Giants that luck in this case.
Congrats! The Giants (8–8) are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016. As a division winner, they host a playoff game for the first time since their 2011 Super Bowl season. Possible opponents figure to be the Seahawks or the Buccaneers, two explosive offenses with the defensive advantage leaning the Bucs way; and two teams the Giants played fiercly during the regular season. Yet still, It would take a prolific effort from the Giants defense and Daniel Jones, who’s regressed in year two, to take out Russell Wilson or Tom Brady in the first round of the playoffs. This scenario ends with a first round elimination that would likely slot the Giants at 18th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, but also adds some clarity to the Giants immediate future.
If the Big Blue concludes their season with a postseason appearance, general manager, Dave Gettleman, is likely to keep is job. This guarantees the return of Joe Judge (HC), Jason Garrett (OC), and Patrick Graham (DC) — so long as Graham isn’t hired as a head coach elswhere — and more than likely signals that the franchise is willing to move forward with Daniel Jones. Continuity is important in the NFL, and if all of the previously mentioned circumstances play out, the Giants will be betting that another year in the same system takes Daniel Jones from Joe Flacco Jr., to Matt Ryan lite.
Now let’s look at the other end of the coin. Say the Giants drop the two upcoming tilts against the Browns and Ravens; now things get hairy. The Giants have proven themselves to be better than the Cowboys post-Dak Prescott, but it’s fair to wonder what team shows up to play in a meaningless Week 17 matchup. If they play to their capabilities they’ll likely beat Dallas, and finish with a 6–10 record that could slot them in a wide range of places for the 1st round of the 2021 draft, and none that are particularly appealing.
However, we should be cautious in expecting anything from this group. Andy Dalton will have the most to play for when the Cowboys travel to MetLife in Week 17; as he looks to convince one of the many franchises with a QB vacancy he’s worth taking a flier on. On the other hand the Giants will likely have their sights set on 2021, and while the team will say all the right things leading up to the game, it’s fair to believe that at least some of the players with long term contracts will be looking to complete the 2020 season with their health in tact. If Dallas completes the season sweep, The New York Football Giants will find themselves with a top 10 selection for the fourth straight season, but along with that could come new leadership and yet another transitional period for a fan base and franchise desperate to win.
It’s impossible to predict what happens under new leadership, and for that reason, parsing through such possibilities will have to wait until seasons’ end. Until then, the Giants will need to prove to the league, the fans, and themselves that what we witnessed in Seattle is repeatable and tangible — and that real change is happening in North Jersey.
