Giants vs. Redskins, Week 3: Giants are three-point favorites

Here we go again! For the second straight week the New York Giants are coming off a game they lost, but should have won. For the second straight week they are facing an opponent coming off an unexpected victory. Also, for the second straight week oddsmakers are picking the 0-2 Giants, three-point favorites over the 1-1 Washington Redskins, to win.

Surprise? Well, perhaps not. Home teams generally do get a three-point bump, and the Giants will be home for their Thursday Night Football encounter with Kirk Cousins and the Redskins. For what it's worth, FiveThirtyEight's Elo Ratinggives the Giants a 68 percent chance of winning Thursday.

The Giants know their backs are against the wall after letting two games they had in their grasp slip away. Tom Coughlin told the players that "it's gotta be now" if they are going to make a run at the playoffs this season. That, of course, is absolutely correct.

History shows that since 1990, when playoffs were expanded, only 23 of the 204 teams that have started 0-2 (11.2 percent) have made the playoffs. Since 2009, the numbers are even worse. Only five of 45 0-2 teams (4 percent) have made the playoffs.

So, yes, the Giants are in a hole. If they have any chance of digging their way out that has to begin Thursday night.