New York Giants: Only Week 5 or not, a Giants loss to the Panthers means no playoffs

The New York Giants head down south for what feels like the 500th time this season, but this time, a loss to any extent does not mean progress, it means no playoffs and another wasted season.

The New York Giants head into their matchup vs the Carolina Panthers sitting at a very unpleasant 1-3 record.

Could things be worse?

Yes, things could be worse for New York’s blue football team, they have yet to get truly blown out and still have stars on their team that are massive draws for attention.

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But, once the Giants Week 5 game vs the Panthers begins at 1 o’clock Sunday on FOX, a non-blowout loss will not suffice this time.

You don’t need me to tell you that 1-4 is not going to make the playoffs. You also don’t me to tell you that this Giants team is playing horribly right now.

Yes, the 2016 playoff bound Giants started 2-3, but that team was nothing like this one. Those Giants found a defense that was elite.

That Giants team had an offensive line that were not basically complete strangers to each other.

This Giants team is heavily invested in a broken offensive line. This Giants team has a much older Eli Manning at QB.

So, that is although an easy comparison for optimists, it is a comparison that is not relevant right now.

This Giants team could still start 2-3, but it doesn’t mean anything.

Against the Panthers, a loss would put them at 1-4. More importantly, a loss would knock them well out of the playoff dream.

The Giants do have an impressive road win, but it was against a non-conference team. The Giants losing to the Panthers would put them at three conference losses. That is already three out of the 12 this year.

That includes a division loss already. They lost to Dallas in Dallas. In what is tuning out to be a wide-open division, they are already behind the ball.

Perhaps, the verdict is already out on the Giants. Maybe it is obvious that a loss in Carolina means a guaranteed Top 26 draft selection.

But, no matter how many times it has been said, or how loud the writing on the wall is screaming, the Giants must play with a sense of urgency, urgency they have never experienced before.

This game will get off to a slow start. It will be sloppy and the Giants defense will be able to hold on for a while.

The Giants offense will likely struggle to move the ball and the first quarter or so will be spent going wire to wire.

But, there will be a point where the Panthers start to emerge as the better team. Cam Newton will make things happen with his feet and Eli Manning will have to match it by fighting pressure to make a big throw.

The Giants have not played for style points all season and should not start now. They do not need to use a road game in Carolina to end their lack of 30 points streak.

Would it be nice? Yes, but if it comes at the expense of the defense and a loss it is not worth it.

The key for Giants in this one is simply to play for their lives.

Eli has already been running for his life, but the rest of the offense can do the same. Saquon Barkley is great. He makes plays.

But, for the Giants to win in Carolina, one of the toughest places, it is not going to take big plays. The Panthers do not rely on big plays to win either.

The Giants are going to have to flex their muscles and get just enough production from everyone. Odell Beckham will need another 100 yard game. Saquon will need another TD and more than two yards per carry.

Rhett Ellison will have to keep filling in admirably for the Giants.

As good as the Panthers are, Cam Newton is known for losing games where defenses make plays against him and offenses keep him off the field.

This bodes the Giants well. The Giants have a sturdy enough defense to fluster Cam, but not a durable enough offense to keep him off the field, at least that is the verdict now.

But, at big a game as the Cowboys one was, the Giants are playing with a more massive chip on their shoulder for this one.

They could afford the Week 1 loss to the Jaguars who are a great team. But after another home loss and letting a winnable game slip away in Dallas, they find themselves in a rare situation for Week 5 of an NFL Season, needing a win.

Can they win?

Probably not. They have not shown enough talent or played well enough to give me any reason to think they can win this game

But, they have also not faced this type of desperation. They have not faced a schedule that is as tough as their next four games.

So, to kill the every game is “must win” in the NFL, the Giants actually face a much win. Because 1-4 with a division and three conference losses is a helluva lot different from 2-3 with a conference win and mostly home games left.

Next. Biggest Questions as the Devils season begins. dark

So, yeah, it is only Week 5. But, Week 5 is crunch time now, the Giants set themselves up for that.

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