New York Giants news, 10/20: Players know a win Sunday “would be huge”

History is stacked against the 1-5 New York Giants, with no NFL team ever having made the playoffs after losing their first five games. They know that to have any chance to re-write that history, they have to beat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

That would send the Giants into their bye week with a little momentum, and some optimism.

“It would be huge for us. Winning the last two games going into the bye, everyone starts getting their bodies feeling right and we come back and try to make a run. Try to do something,” said offensive lineman Justin Pugh. “We want to take it one game at a time, but it really allows us to focus on this Seattle game because we know it’s just Seattle and then we have the bye so we can really lock in and make sure all of our focus and attention is on that.”

Darian Thompson just trying to have fun

After missing 14 games with a foot injury last season, safety Darian Thompson struggled in the first few games this season. He had a Week 5 interception, though, and his tackling has been better in the past two weeks.

“I don’t know if that’s (the interception) what I needed, but just that feeling of losing a game and not playing well. It just kind of did something to me. So, told myself that I’m just going to go out there and just have fun with it and do what I usually do and play football like I usually play football,” Thompson said. “I think when I’m not playing well and I start thinking about not playing well, that’s when I don’t play well. But, when I go out there and I just say forget it and just play, have fun, that’s when it seems to improve.”

Eagan handled punt return chore nicely

Ed Eagan had only one punt return on Sunday vs. the Denver Broncos in his NFL debut, but his 20-yard scamper up the sidelines was the longest of the season for the Giants.

“He caught the ball, made good decisions, was productive in the one return that he had,” said special teams coordinator Tom Quinn.

Quotable

— Damon Harrison, with a not-entirely-accurate scouting report on himself