How the New York Giants could benefit from a Titans-Steelers AFC Championship Game
By Sean Dyer
After going 3-13, the New York Giants are watching the NFL Playoffs at home. Big Blue could benefit, however, from the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers winning this weekend.
When a team goes 3-13, the only “benefit” is supposed to be the top draft pick that comes with such an awful season (second overall in the case of the New York Giants). The Giants, however, could benefit from a pair of playoff results this weekend.
Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots
When the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Giants fans should be decked out in Titan gear, rooting for Marcus Mariota and company.
Sure, the Bill Belichick to the New York Giants rumors are likely just rumors, however, a home playoff loss to the Titans could make the Patriots reevaluate some things.
Although the Patriots deny the tensions between Tom Brady, Belichick, and Robert Kraft, a report like this doesn’t make it to the public without some sort of validity to it.
It makes sense too. Belichick is a no-nonsense guy who does not put any one player above the rest of the team. That includes Tom Brady.
Brady, however, uses his own trainer instead of the team doctors and seems to have gotten his backup traded when Belichick believed Jimmy Garoppolo was the future in New England. So what if Brady thinks he can play another five years? Very few players realize when the end is coming.
Kraft is reportedly on Brady’s side in this situation. Could he use an upset loss to Tennessee as an opportunity to cut ties with his legendary head coach? Doing so after a Divisional round exit certainly seems more likely than if the Patriots win another Super Bowl.
The New York Giants also need Belichick to leave New England sooner rather than later if they want him as their next head coach. If Belichick takes the Patriots back to the Super Bowl, the earliest he would be available would be early February. If the Giants wait around for Belichick until February and then he stays in New England (which he expects to do), they will miss out on the other top head coaching candidates.
However, if Belichick and the Pats part ways in the coming weeks, the Giants could pursue him while still having a fall back plan if things don’t work out.
The Giants can’t put all of their eggs in Belichick’s basket, no matter how many Lombardi trophies are in that basket.
Belichick to the Giants is unlikely but not entirely out of the question. If it’s going to happen, however, New York needs the Patriots to lose to the Titans on Saturday.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers
The New York Giants will also have someone to root for on Sunday. When the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1:05 p.m. ET, Giants fans should trade their Mariota jerseys in for a Ben Roethlisberger jersey and a Terrible Towel.
Eli Manning is still a Giant but Big Blue’s quarterback situation is as up in the air as it’s been in 14 years. New general manager Dave Gettleman has given Eli support but has not guaranteed anything moving forward.
If the Giants are moving on from Manning, they’ll look to trade him. The most likely suitor? The Jacksonville Jaguars. With Tom Coughlin entrenched as the executive vice president of football operations, the match seems to make sense.
The only thing standing in the way of reuniting Manning and Coughlin is Blake Bortles. I know it sounds crazy that Bortles could stand in the way of a two-time Super Bowl MVP but Bortles is undefeated in his playoff career after last Sunday.
Sure, Bortles was 12-for-23 with just 87 passing yards and a touchdown, but a win is a win. He added 88 yards on the ground and did just enough to lead his team to victory.
If Bortles pulls off the upset over the Steelers at Heinz Field this Sunday, the Jaguars may be forced to keep him around next year.
Jacksonville has a defense built for the playoffs and a stud running back in rookie Leonard Fournette. Bortles does not have to do much in order for them to win games. (Sound familiar Jets fans?)
However, if Bortles becomes a turnover machine like he was against the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans in Week 16 and 17, the Jaguars won’t be able to compete with Pittsburgh and the Jags could be looking for a new quarterback next season.
AFC Championship: Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
If the Patriots and Jaguars both lose this weekend and decide to look for a new head coach and quarterback, respectively, here’s how the New York Giants could benefit:
New England parts ways with Bill Belichick and trades him to the Giants for a 2018 second round pick. New York loses the 34th pick in the draft but acquires the greatest coach in NFL history.
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Jacksonville decides it’s had enough of Blake Bortles and that it needs a win-now quarterback while the defense is playing at such a high level. The Giants trade Eli Manning to the Jags for their 2018 second round pick.
With the 59th pick that the Giants acquire from Jacksonville, Belichick works his magic and finds the next Jimmy Garoppolo (who better to find the next one than the man who found the last one). Perhaps New York drafts Ryan Finley out of NC State.
While Davis Webb and Finley battle it out for who can develop faster, the Giants can bring in Alex Smith or Case Keenum to start in the short-term.
Next: If the Giants aren’t drafting a QB, they need to trade back
The second overall pick can then be used to draft Saquon Barkley or the Giants can trade back with a quarterback-needy team and draft an offensive lineman later in the first round.
Who knew the playoffs would have such an impact on the New York Giants?