How the New York Giants can secure the top seed in the NFC East in week 12

New York Giants, Daniel Jones
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 02: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants looks to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first half at MetLife Stadium on November 02, 2020 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The New York Giants have a new challenger in the NFC East, and it is the Washington Football Team. After blowing out the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington on Thanksgiving night, they brought their record to 4-7, taking first place in the division.

The Giants, however, have beaten Washington both times this season, taking a divisional advantage if the two teams tie. However, if the Giants win in week 12 and the Philadelphia Eagles lose the Seattle Seahawks, it will catapult them ahead of Washington due to their divisional wins.

Both the Giants and Washington are on two-game win streak’s with Dallas being destroyed at home and watching their confidence fleet as fast as it gained after an improbable win against the Minnesota Vikings last week.

Big blue, on the other hand, is preparing to face off against the Cincinnati Bengals in week 12, and they refused to name a starting quarterback ahead of the contest.

The expected quarterback for the Bengals is Brandon Allen, who has only three games of experience in the NFL with the Denver Broncos last year. He completed 39 passes for 515 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Allen earned a 46.4% completion rate, indicating inaccuracy and inexperience.

The New York Giants have momentum:

The Giants are trending up with new head coach Joe Judge, as their offense continues to insert more creative plays into the mix, and their defense has been able to close out fourth-quarter leads the past two weeks.

However, the Giants have a tough schedule coming up, with the Bengals representing the easiest matchup before entering a four-game stretch against winning teams. On December 6, they will face off against the Seattle Seahawks, who have one of the most dangerous offenses but a weak defense.

On the 13th, they play the Cardinals, who feature Kyler Murray and two dangerous sides of the ball. Then they have the Browns on December 20, who have won three of their last four games, barely winning over the Eagles last week. They finish off a tough four-game stretch with the Baltimore Ravens, who have had a surprisingly lackluster offense this season but remain strong on defense.

Ultimately, the Giants don’t need to beat all of these teams to make the playoffs, walking away with just one win out of the four would suffice. However, they are going to have to play quality teams in the playoffs if they win the NFC East, and challenging these squads during the regular season is a necessity.