The New York Giants have squandered so many opportunities this season it becomes harder and harder to believe they have what it takes to eventually get things right this season. Oddsmakers apparently aren't believing in the Giants right now, having installed the New York Jets as 2-point favorites this weekend at MetLife Stadium. The underdog Giants will be the home team.
"It's an important game and obviously a big one. We need a win to stay where we are in the division and we have to take it one game at a time," Giants quarterback Eli Manning said on Monday. "This is the next game and an important one, not just because it's Giants vs. Jets and both teams share a stadium in the same city and everything, but it's important because of what it means for our playoff hunt."
The Giants are tied atop the NFC East standings with the Washington Redskins, though technically in second place due to the division record tie-breaker. Manning was told on Monday that some fans wondered after Sunday's loss to Washington if the team even wanted to make the playoffs.
"Of course, we want to make the playoffs and we're fighting our tails off and trying to do it," Manning said. "We didn't have our best performance yesterday, that's disappointing, and I wish we played better."
Cornerback Prince Amukamara was asked if the Giants, who played lifelessly in the first half against Washington, might be more excited playing against the Jets.
"I think we're all just focused on this just being just another opponent that we need to beat. We're still trying to win the division and I don't think it's about who we're playing and if we need a rivalry to get us up, I feel like yesterday, I feel like we should've been more amped than any game on our schedule," Amukamara said on Monday. "I don't think we need it to be a rivalry for us to get us up. We know how great the Jets are, we know they came up with a huge win yesterday against the Dolphins so we know what's ahead of us."
What is ahead of the Giants is now a difficult path to the playoffs. It will begin on a MetLife Stadium field decked out in blue where they will be the underdog.
NFC East – Remaining Strength of Schedule WAS .363 DAL .509 NYG .600 PHI .618
— Randall Liu (@RLiuNFL) December 1, 2015