I'm going to be honest with all you guys. This whole year, despite 2 blowouts and crappy games, I've kept hope. Win the games after the bye, and all this shit doesn't matter. All the garbage us the fans have put up with won't even be remembered, because despite all the shit that hit the fan, we could still pull it off and make a run.

I'm no longer of that opinion. The team's played like shit, and I'm sick of it. Anyone who's read what I've said knows i've been by far the most optimistic person here. The whole first half of last night's game, I thought we could still win. Even into the 3rd quarter, I thought we could win. After TT intercepted, I just knew we could bring it back. But alas, that didn't happen. I'm sick of writing what the team has to do to get better, because frankly it doesn't matter. Instead, I'm going to analyze our schedule, and the other playoff hopeful teams to see whether we can pull ourselves ourselves together.

(Fat chance if that team that wore the giant's jersey last night shows up again)

Ok I've gotten all my negativity out. I'll go in division order

Cowboys Schedule Analysis

So if you don't know by now, games a NFL team plays is pretty much completely determined years in advance. There are only two teams that you don't know you'll be playing next year when the season starts.

All teams play 16 games. 6 of them are vs 3 division rivals, of which you play twice. All teams than play an interconference division (NFC vs AFC) and intraconference division (NFC vs NFC).

This year the NFC East plays the AFC West, and the NFC South.

The two remaining games are games vs teams in the same conference that you don't already face, and  that end in the same place as your team at the end of the year. (I.e. first place teams play the 2 other first place teams, 3rd place teams play the 2 other 3rd place teams in your conference you wouldn't already play).

With that in mind...

Cowboys Schedule Analysis

The Cowboys are 8-3

Division Rivalry Record: 2-1 with 3 game remaining to play

The boys beat the Eagles and and Redskins, and we beat them oh so long ago. They still have to play each NFC East team again

Intraconference Games: Record: 3-0 with 1 game left to play

The cowboys beat Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Atlanta, and all were resounding wins (34-21, 21-7, and 37-21 respectively). They still have to play New Orleans, so we can assume one more loss on the schedule for the boys (Oh God I just jinxed us).

Interconference Games: 2-1 with 1 game left to play

Beat KC and Oakland, nothing unexpected. Lost to the broncos, and still have to play San Diego. I expect San Diego to win and sweep the NFC East (I never thought I'd be writing these words in september)

Other Intraconference Games: 1-1.

The lucky bastards got the easy Seahawks, but lost to Green Bay. No more other Intraconference games

Future Game Analysis:

The Cowboys game looks the most similar to ours. All of their easy games are gone now, with the easiest game left the Redskins (and us next week, if you've reached a pessimism I haven't reached yet)

Its not inconceivable for the Cowboys to go anywhere from 1-4 to 4-1.

They have

@Giants

vs San Diego -

@New Orleans -

@Washington

vs. Philadelphia

Any game with a minus next to it, I think they'll lose. If they lose only those games, they'll have 11-5 and a definite playoff spot as the Division winner.

Besides Washington, they still have their work cut out for them. Here's rooting for a December collapse (Although that last game's in January. Darn NFL wanting game always after labor day).

My useless end of season predicition: 10-6 (Loss to NYG or Ealges, New Orleans, and San Diego, Win vs NYG or Ealges, and Redskins)

Eagles Schedule Analysis

Eagles Current Record: 6-4

Division Record: 2-1 with 3 games remaining

The eagles beat the redskins, kicked our sorry carcass, and lost to Dallas. They still have to face everyone again.        If we assume they win this Sunday vs the Redskins, that makes them 3-1 in the division.

Intraconference Games: 2-1 with 1 game remaining

The Eagles lost to New Orleans (no surprise there), and beat the Panthers and Tampa Bay. They still face Atlanta. Atlanta still has an outside chance to make the playoffs, so it won't be a pushover game. It'll be close, I won't make a prediction

Interconference Games: 1-2 with 1 game remaining

This is why its important to win games your expected to win. The loss to oakland could conceivably cost philadelphia the division. So far they've only beat Kansas City in the west, with their other loss to San Diego. If Denver plays like they did last night, the Eagles could end with the worst record vs the AFC West in the NFC East (worst than the redskins!!!). The Oakland game also showed the Eagle's weakness. If they don't get big plays, the Eagles get no plays. They're the definition of feast of famine

Other Intraconference Games: 1-0

Eagles beat the Bears, and still have to play the San Francisco 49's. I'm not holding my breath on San Fancisco making an upset.

Future Game Analysis

vs Redskins+

@Atlanta

@NYG

vs San Fran+

vs Denver

@Dallas

The Eagles have the easiest remaining schedule, and still, it isn't the easiest.

If they lose to Denver, that would make the Redskins (!) the only NFC East team to beat denver

Once again, they could end up winning only one more game. I can't really pick objectively. I want us to win, I want to believe Atlanta and Denver can win, and I want to believe that vs Dallas they both find a way to lose, but that won't happen. I hope they'll split the rest of their games and end 9-7. However, they could easily end 12-4, 11-5. I think its guaranteed they make the playoffs, either by wildcard or division crown

New York Giants Schedule Analysis

*sigh* So much promise, so little to show for it. Wednesday I believed we could run the tables. I can't believe that anymore, but as a fan I must.

Current Record: 6-5

Division Record: 2-1

How weird is that? The Iggles, 'boys, and the G-Men are 2-1, with each loss coming to a team the other beat. If a team can sweep the reamaing division games, they're pretty much set for the playoffs.

Intraconference Games: 2-1

Beat Tampa Bay (remember when crappy teams looked up to us as a good team? Neither do I), and Atlanta, got stomped by New Orleans. That Leaves Carolina, the one team we hope they pass more. Even CC Brown couldn't ruin this game vs Delholme. Since Carolina seems intent on forcing Delholme to throw, and not focus on their strengths (i.e. the running game) I'll consider this game a win.

Interconference Games: 2-2

This'll be the average record in the division for all of the teams vs the AFC west. The Redskins actually have a chance to go 3-1 or even 4-0 in the division assuming they take care of business in Oakland and the Chargers rest their players in the final week. Nothing left for the Giants to do about this. I sure hate the western part of the US right about now

Other Intraconference Games: 0-1

We lost in a despicable game versus the Cardinals. We still have to play the Vikings, and most of you guys are probably expecting this to be a loss. But good fortune at last! We play them in the last game, and I believe that the Vikings will return us a solid and rest all of their starters after a series or two and let us win. This game may be the difference between a playoff berth, or the Giants sitting on their sorry asses.

Future Game Analysis:

Vs. Dallas

vs Philly

@Washington+

vs Carolina+

@Minnesota+

First off, way to go NFL schedulers. No creativity, we start and end the season like we did last year (vs Washington 1st, vs Carolina 15th, and @Minnesota 16th).

Unless we truly do suck, I think the worst we can do is 9-7, which probably won't get us into the playoffs, but at least its a winning season. Our future is no longer in our control. If we win every remaining game, and Dallas wins all but against us, they're still the division champs. The two most important remaining games, vs Dallas and vs Philly are at home. If we're going to go out, lets at least go out with a bang. Beat Dallas and Philly, and I won't hurt myself.

Post-Post Analysis

After spending an hour writing this up, I don't feel as bad as I did before. Dallas has hell left to go through. Philadelphia has the easiest schedule left, and could easily end up with the division crown. If we get our ass in gear, we can pull off something amazing.

I leave you with these words by Thomas Paine, slightly edited to make more sense in a football way

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer [fan] and the sunshine [mediaist] will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their team; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of [The New York Giants]. [ineptitude], like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as [Winning[ should not be highly rated. [National Mediasts], with [synicated colums] to enforce [their] tyranny, has declared that [we not only suck] but [but has the right to say we can't win another game].

Thanks for reading this, hopefully you guys like it. Please comment, I spent loads of time making this.