New York Giants: Beating the Eagles opens door for playoff push

The New York Giants play the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday. On the surface, the game seems like a battle between two struggling teams. However, a win opens the door for a Giants playoff push. I am not kidding.

The New York Giants, for the first time in what was way too long, head into an NFL Regular Season game on a winning streak.

The Giants will arrive in Philly on Sunday on a two-game winning streak. The Giants beat the 49ers on the road. Then just a week ago, they beat the Buccaneers at home.

Granted, those are two terrible teams, but still two games we have seen the Giants lose over the last few seasons, so the wins don’t exactly mean nothing.

More from Empire Writes Back

The real reason why two wins in a row mean a lot is what happened in the time since then.

The Eagles, who the Giants play, failed to pull away from the Giants in the standings.

The Eagles are actually coming off of two losses. They are far from the team that won the Super Bowl. They are far from the team that beat the Giants earlier this year.

The division leaders for most of the year, the Redskins, are coming off some poorly played games, which now includes their loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

But, they lost Alex Smith for the year.

So, when looking at the Giants’ two wins, what is significant is the timing of them.

The only team that didn’t suffer any ill-fate was the Cowboys, but the Giants still play them in a few weeks, so right now, they are out of the picture.

Let us picture it for you. Look at the NFC East Standings, this is what the standings would look like if the Giants win this game on Sunday in Philly.

Dallas Cowboys 6-5

Washington Redskins 6-5

New York Giants 4-7

Philadelphia Eagles 4-7

That would put the Giants right back in the mix. If the Giants win it brings them to within two wins, record-wise of first place.

However, a loss would put them three games out record wise of first.

That is a massive swing in direction.

Two games out, with what would be two division games and an easy schedule left, is much better than three games out and only two division games left.

Of course, the Giants still would not control their own destiny, but the Giants could manage two games this late into the season.

So, although the playoffs are still unlikely with a win, a Giants loss this week would mean it is time to start thinking about April’s draft.

If the Giants win, the climb to the top of the very, very fragile NFC East becomes easier.

The Giants have time to turn this around. The Eagles are struggling and are injured.

#Eagles injury report: Five players ruled out in Week 12 | How their absences impact matchup vs. #Giants https://t.co/aI4Yac0Stm
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) November 24, 2018

The Giants’ toughest game left, at the time of this writing, looks to be their game vs the Chicago Bears next Sunday.

That means, if all else comes to reality, and the Giants take advantage of their remaining games, could go 8-8, ideally 9-7.

Both of those records could be enough to win the Division. At the very least, a win could mean the Giants at least remain in the playoff picture heading into December.

Either way, the fate of their season will become crystal clear after the game in Philly.

Will the Giants win and stay alive in the playoff race? Or will the game go poorly and verify what we already know, that the Giants are done for?

There is no middle. Win and stay alive or lose and be done for. Let’s hope for the former in that statement.

Home/New York Giants