After a feel-good reprieve led by Tommy DeVito, the Giants' season is all but over
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The hope that the Tommy DeVito feel-good story recently injected into Brian Daboll's dismal second season with the New York Giants is about to be extinguished.
New York's three-game winning streak ended with Sunday's 24-6 loss at New Orleans, leaving the Giants (5-9) with a very slim chance of making the playoffs for a second straight season.
New York has three games left and needs to win them all and get a lot of help to get back to the postseason. That's unlikely with two games against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles and one against the playoff-contending Los Angeles Rams (7-7).
It seems the best the Giants can do is play spoiler. It's not a fun role.
“It’s definitely difficult,” inside linebacker Micah McFadden said. “I don’t think anybody in this building thought we’d be where we are at this point. But as far as motivation, we’re process-driven here. We stick to what we do each week and that’s just focusing on winning one game at a time.”
Beating Philadelphia will not be easy. The Eagles beat the Giants three times last season, including an embarrassing 38-7 decision in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“Every game is pretty difficult,” McFadden said. “Every team in the NFL brings it every week. It’s always going to be a difficult challenge. No doubt, we’ve definitely got a tough few games down the stretch here. Just got to go find a way to win a couple of them.”
This was supposed to be the year New York closed the gap on the Eagles and Cowboys in the NFC East. Instead, it has grown.
“We have a great culture here,” right guard Ben Bredeson said Monday. “It’s a very process-oriented mindset, that’s something that Dabs preaches all the time. We’re looking to improve from the last week and correct the mistakes and move forward to the next week and go win a game one week at a time.”
WHAT’S WORKING
When the Giants have been competitive this year, it's usually because their defense has kept the game close. On Sunday, New York limited the Saints to a first-half touchdown and trailed 7-6 at the break. The second half was a different story as New Orleans scored on its first three possessions. New York's offense was limited to 2 yards in the third quarter.
One thing that was missing Sunday was takeaways. The Giants had 12 in the previous three games.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
The kicking game. Randy Bullock pulled a hamstring kicking off following his 56-yard field goal on the opening series. Punter Jamie Gillan, who kicked a 40-yard field goal late in the first half, also visited the medical tent. Expect Cade York, who was signed off the Tennessee Titans' practice squad after Graham Gano was hurt, to take over for Bullock. Gillan's status is uncertain, although he did finish the game.
STOCK UP
Defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson had his best game since signing as a free agent in the offseason. His eight tackles, seven solo, shared the team lead on Sunday and took up some of the lack with Dexter Lawrence still not at full strength because of a hamstring injury.
“He’s been playing well, really all season,” Daboll said. “Got a lot of confidence in him, but he’s been really playing well these last few weeks. Stout, good knockback, productive. He’s certainly done a good job.”
STOCK DOWN
A week after not allowing a sack in the Monday night win against Green Bay, the offensive line and running backs allowed New Orleans to sack DeVito seven times and hit him eight other times. Also, the Giants were limited to 60 yards rushing, their third-lowest total of the season. Saquon Barkley had a season-low 14 yards on nine carries.
“We just didn’t execute well enough,” Bredeson said.
INJURIES
RT Evan Neal missed his fifth straight game with an ankle injury. LG Justin Pugh played with a calf injury and it showed.
KEY NUMBERS
4 — The number of games in which the Giants have failed to score a touchdown.
NEXT STEPS
The Giants play at Philadelphia on Christmas Day.
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