NFL Power Rankings, Week 17: Giants continue to drop heading into final week of regular season

The New York Giants dropped their third straight game Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens. They fell to 5-10 on the season. A win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 and a loss by the Washington Football Team would send New York the postseason.

Aggregating seven rankings from around the Internet, the Giants come out to an average ranking of No. 23 in the 32-team NFL entering Week 17. New York slipped two spots from its ranking of No. 21 last week.

The Giants will host the Cowboys at MetLife Stadium Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Football Team’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles has been flexed to 8:20 p.m., so the winner of the NFC East will be determined late Sunday night.

Let’s check out what outlets around the league are saying about the Giants heading into Week 17 of the season:

CBS Sports (Prisco): No. 24

They are still alive in the division race, which is amazing. They were bad in losing to the Ravens, but win and get help from the Eagles and they are NFC East champs.

ESPN: No. 23

This was supposed to be Dave Gettleman’s top priority — the hog mollies. Three years later, here we are. The line is only slightly better. Nick Gates looks solid at center, Shane Lemieux and Matt Peart have potential, but Andrew Thomas needs to develop into a high-end left tackle. His rookie year wasn’t overly promising. It’s about time the Giants get this right.

Sporting News: No. 24

The Giants don’t really belong in the playoffs with their run defense remaining shaky and their offense remaining inept. But they still can get there with the game of the season against the Cowboys

Bleacher Report: No. 22

On this week’s episode of “Dear Lord the NFC East Sucks,” the New York Giants get pasted on the road by the Baltimore Ravens but are somehow still breathing in the playoff hunt. Mind you, this is a Giants team that has two touchdowns and 26 points total over its last three games (all losses). A Giants team that sits at the bottom of the NFC in several offensive categories.

New York Post: No. 22

As poorly as they’ve played the past three weeks, the Giants miraculously have a chance to host a home playoff game as NFC East champions with a win over the Cowboys and a loss by Washington. Stranger things have happened, but not many.

NFL.com: No. 25

The Giants can still take the NFC East on Sunday with a win over the Cowboys paired with a Washington loss to the Eagles, but there’s a distinct possibility we’ve already seen the best of New York this season. The Giants were outclassed in a 27-13 loss to the Ravens, the third consecutive defeat for Joe Judge’s team. The offense has been the primary culprit for Big Blue’s fade: New York’s attack hasn’t cleared 20 points in a game since the middle of November. Daniel Jones’ ankle and hamstring injuries have played a role in that funk — he’s simply not the same player without his ability to make things happen with his legs. Maybe rest him for the playoffs? (I kid … kind of.)

Yahoo! Sports: No. 23

The Giants are still alive and would be the first 10-loss playoff team in NFL history. That’s the nicest thing that can be said about them right now.