The New York Giants are preparing to face the Green Bay Packers on primetime tonight as this Week 14 matchup will prove to be decisive toward the NFC playoff picture. Postseason implications for both teams rely on the outcome of this game as the 4-8 Giants look to catch up with the 6-6 Packers in playoff contention.
Giants will be one game out of the playoffs with a win over the Packers
A win over the Packers would put the G-Men right back in the playoff hunt. New York would improve its record to 5-8, putting them one game behind the Packers, Rams, Saints, Falcons, Buccaneers, and Seahawks for the No. 7 seed in the NFC.
After facing the Packers, the Giants will face two more of the teams ahead of them in the playoff race. They will play the Saints on the road next week and host the Rams at MetLife Stadium on New Year’s Day in Week 17. Going 3-0 against these teams could propel Big Blue into the postseason.
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What would a win do to the Giants’ draft positioning?
Consequently, a win will hurt the Giants’ draft positioning. Beating the Packers would cause New York to fall from No. 5 in the draft order all the way down to the 10th overall pick. A loss would see Big Blue move up to the fourth-overall pick.
But as fans must know by now, the Giants’ top players and brass are not concerned with draft positioning. They have one objective in mind: to reach the postseason.
Saquon Barkley said earlier this week that the playoffs are still possible, so long as the team takes care of what it has to take care of — and that starts with taking care of the Packers at home on Monday night.
“… if we take care of what we’ve gotta take care of, everyone can say what they want about the season, but it’s week whatever and everything we want is still there,” Barkley told reporters.
Playing through Barkley will be a focal point for the G-Men against the Packers as Green Bay possesses a subpar run defense. If Barkley can turn in an elite performance, the Giants may steal an underdog win and get themselves back in the playoff hunt.
