Giants' Rooting Guide for NFL Playoff Implications of Week 14
The New York Giants haven't picked up a win since Week 10, but their playoff hopes remain alive thanks to a strong start to the season and circumstances in the NFC.
The Giants came away with a tie against the Washington Commanders in Week 13. It wasn't exactly the win they needed, but it was good enough to keep them in the sixth-seed heading into Week 14.
Eventually, the Giants are going to have to get back into the win column if they want to ensure they wind up with a spot in the postseason.
But it doesn't hurt to get some help from other teams around the league. Giants fans are not just going to be rooting for their team this week, but they should be rooting for a few other outcomes as well.
Here's a look at three matchups that could help the Giants' prospects this week.
Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (1 p.m. ET)
We'll start with the least likely place they are going to get help from. The Houston Texans have not been a team you want to depend on this season. They are in pole position for the first pick of the 2023 NFL draft with a 1-10-1 record.
The Texans are as bad as it comes. They tried to switch up quarterbacks, going with Kyle Allen over Davis Mills last week against the Browns. However, Allen posted an abysmal QBR of 3.0 in a 27-14 loss.
It didn't take long for the coaching staff to change their mind on that one. Mills is going to be the starting quarterback against the Cowboys.
At this point, it really doesn't matter who is taking snaps for the Texans. They are bad in all three phases of the game. The defense actually played well against Cleveland. They held Deshaun Watson to 131 yards and an interception in his first game with the team.
Unfortunately, they also gave up a punt return touchdown and two defensive touchdowns for yet another loss.
The Giants would love to see the Cowboys drop a gimme so they can make up some ground for the fifth-seed and second-place in the NFC East, but it just isn't likely.
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET)
The Detroit Lions have turned out to be the antithesis of the New York Giants in the NFC this season. While the Giants got off to a torrid start, the Lions really struggled at the beginning of the season, starting 1-6 in the first eight weeks of the season.
Since then, they've gotten themselves back into the fringes of the playoffs, clawing their way to a 5-7 mark. They've gone 4-1 over the last five games, and their only loss was by three points against the Buffalo Bills.
They've played well enough that they are actually two-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook against the 10-2 Vikings who will visit Detroit this Sunday.
That's not great news for the Giants. While the Vikings are a near-lock to win the NFC North, the Lions' resurgence is a potential threat to the Giants' wild-card spot.
The Vikings continue to post wins but are a little vulnerable. Nine of their 10 wins this season have come in one-score games.
In other words, they are a good team, but their margin for error every week is pretty thin. Giants fans need to hope they can continue that trend and pick up another win over the Lions.
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET)
No game stands to help out the Giants' playoff hopes (other than their own contest against the Eagles) than the one between the Carolina Panthers and the Seattle Seahawks.
According to The New York Times' projections, the Giants have a 71 percent chance of making the playoffs with a Panthers win. Those odds shrink to 59 percent with a Seahawks win.
As it stands, the Seahawks are the seventh seed in the NFC just a half-game behind the Giants.
Obviously, that makes the Giants pretty big Carolina fans. They'll have to hope that former head coach Ben McAdoo has some answers for the Seahawks' defense. The Panthers have won two of the last three and have a little momentum of their own.
They have been vulnerable against the run, giving up 4.9 yards per rush on the season. Carolina has had success on the ground recently. D'Onta Foreman has rushed for over 100 yards in four of his last six games.
If the Panthers can once again get relatively safe play from Sam Darnold at quarterback and rely on Foreman and the ground game to move the ball, the Giants could be happy with the result of this game.
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