For a time, the Giants were one of the biggest upsets of the 2022 NFL season, going 6-1 under new coach Brian Daboll. In five games since, they have recorded just one win. And after Sunday’s 20-20 tie with rival commanders, they aren’t even ready to qualify for the playoffs. What exactly is their path to the playoffs entering Week 14? Who is left on their schedule? And what are the keys to securing their first playoff spot in six years?
We’re glad you asked. Here’s everything you need to know about the Giants’ 2022 playoff prospects:
Current ranking
If the season ended today, the Giants (7-4-1) would be in the playoffs. After 13 weeks, New York provisionally owns the Seed #6 in the NFC. It’s second-best of the three wildcards, behind the rival Cowboys (9-3) and ahead of the NFC West Seahawks (7-5). If the current standings were to stay in place until the end of the regular season, the Giants would have to visit the 49ers (8-4) in the first round of the playoffs.
Where the Giants suffer, despite their current placement among NFC playoff prospects, is their record within the conference and division. New York can retain its spot by simply maintaining a superior overall record. But the G-Men enter Week 14 just 0-2-1 in the NFC East and 3-4-1 in the NFC, which means other teams (like the Eagles and Cowboys) are better off. to earn a division title, and others (like the Seahawks and Lions) are in a better position to win a wildcard tiebreaker.
Games remaining
- Week 14 against Eagles (11-1)
- Week 15 at Commanders (7-5-1)
- Week 16 at Vikings (10-2)
- Week 17 against Colts (4-8-1)
- Week 18 to the Eagles (11-1)
In a wild-card race, every play matters. But it’s the NFC matchups that matter most, and four of the Giants’ last five fall into that category, including three in their own division. The Eagles are the toughest opponent on tap, and they get it twice. But if the Giants can pull off just one upset against Philadelphia (11-1), their path to the playoffs would become considerably easier; beating the Eagles in Week 14 or Week 18 would instantly boost their odds of securing a spot by around 65% to 80%, according to New York Times simulations. This may be easier said than done, of course. Not only has Daboll’s side failed to win a single NFC East battle at this point, but the Eagles have arguably the most balanced team in the NFLthriving on the ground, in the air and with defense to go.
Probably the biggest game comes in week 15, when Big Blue takes on the Commanders in “Sunday Night Football.” New York has already proven that it can compete well with Washington, and delivering a blow to the Commanders would obviously put a dent in one of the Giants’ main competitors for one of the two wildcard spots behind Dallas. They will, however, have a particularly important task immediately afterwards. The Vikings’ Week 16 game, which will require a stoned secondary to cover Justin Jefferson, falls on a Saturday, which means New York will travel to Minnesota in a slightly short week.
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Areas for improvement
- Offensive Creativity: You can only expect so much punch from a unit that threw Daniel Jones at Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins and the ghost of Kenny Golladay. A trailing, broken line doesn’t help. But if Daboll and Co. wants to thwart substandard staff, a little more trickery might help. They’ve rightly relied on Jones’ legs more this year, but how about incorporating more rollovers or jet sweeps, or even Wildcat options, to make up for a lack of downward thrust?
- More aggressiveness: That’s the easiest, given that everyone is pushing Daboll for his conservative overtime approach against Washington. But it has merit: The Giants may be built to win lousy, low-scoring games, but the fact is they won’t make a fuss against top clubs, both now and later in January. if they don’t take more bets. Until Jones, or whoever the future QB is, has a real receiving body, throwing deep will be a major risk. Here, however, is where Bruce Arians’ motto must creep in: no risk, no cookie. The offense may lack talent, but it can at least go out to fight.
- Healthier secondary: All the Giants can do here is be patient, but the eventual return of safety Xavier McKinney and cornerback Adoree’ Jackson would at least bolster depth at the back. New York has been a respectable “D” pass for the most part, but Jackson in particular was playing relatively well on the outside before injuring his knee. Having reinforcements on this side of the ball could go a long way in helping the year-end run.
Prediction
To be frank, we don’t like the Giants in their upcoming matchup with the Eagles. And the Vikings should also be the clear favourites. But the key really lies in Washington’s rematch. While the Giants have recently been accused of being conservative, Commanders are inherently more erratic, relying on Taylor Heinicke’s bold throws alongside a two-horse running attack. We suspect that will work in the Giants’ favor in their Sunday night game, when Wink Martindale’s “D” is also expected to have a few returning starters in the lineup. A win there, plus one over the mostly hapless Colts, essentially locks them ahead of Washington in the wild card race. Here are our predictions:
- Week 14 against Eagles: L (7-5-1)
- Week 15 among commanders: O (8-5-1)
- Week 16 at Vikings: L (8-6-1)
- Week 17 against Colts: O (9-6-1)
- Week 18 to the Eagles: L (9-7-1)
Results: Wildcard No. 7