New York Giants: 3 Giants wins this year that impacted the NFL playoff picture
Giants put the final nail in the Redskins’ coffin during Week 14.
This one has to be least to do with the Giants and their role of playing spoiler in the playoff seedings, but has to be the most bittersweet for them anyway.
Although it is easy to realize that the Redskins’ season ended when Alex Smith‘s did, the Giants put the final nail in the coffin of their rivals.
The Redskins led the way in the NFC East for most of the season, then Alex Smith went down and the mediocre defense caught up to them.
Any team that needs to rely on Mark Sanchez in 2018 probably has bigger issue to worry about, but this blowout loss to the Giants ended their season.
The Redskins could finish the year 7-9 and are officially out of the playoff picture, but the loss to the Giants came at the worst time.
The Giants were the team that knocked them well out of serious consideration. If the Redskins won, they could be at 8-7 right now, and playing for something like the final Wild Card.
At the time, that win could have kept them in the NFC East race.
Instead, the Redskins matchup during Week 17 vs the Eagles can only possibly help the Eagles get into the playoffs.
If the Giants could not make the playoffs, it is great to see they tried to take the rest of the NFC East with them.
This is not the one game swing for the Redskins like it is to the Bears or the Texans, but it was an ill-timed loss to a foe.
Yes, there are plenty of other games throughout the NFL season that impacted the playoffs and where teams stand.
However, the Giants beating some great teams, or winning at opportune times, really could end up being the game that took away a playoff spot, or seed for their opponents.
That is why Giants fans can enjoy Week 17 this year. The Giants could watch their previous wins help dash hopes or they could sit back and once again stop a division rival from winning another game.
Either way, the Giants were right in the thick of things when playing great teams. Only real wins and losses count, but it must feel pretty good to have some of these moral victories.
Next. Where do the Giants rank in the latest EWB Power Rankings?. dark
It turns out, the Giants played the ultimate spoiler in 2018.