The Giants’ rebuilding process is far from complete—they need more sturdy foundational pieces to fortify the unfinished structure—yet the blueprint created by first-year general manager Joe Schoen and rookie head coach Brian Daboll is being successfully executed early in their tenures.
They have transformed a team that had a combined record of 22–59 over the past five seasons and failed to win more than six games in any of them into a playoff squad. With an uplifting 38–10 waxing of the dreadful 4-11-1 Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, the 9-6-1 Giants clinched their first postseason spot since 2016. It was fitting they did it at home in front of their fervent fan base that had been starving for a return to the playoffs for half a decade.
Quarterback Daniel Jones, whose fifth-year contract option the Giants declined to pick up on entering this season, further made his case for a long-term deal with another strong showing, accounting for four touchdowns. Jones passed for 177 yards and two touchdowns, and led the Giants with 91 yards rushing and another two TDs.
Daboll, who at this time last year was the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills, framed the win as a major step in the ultimate goal of leading the team to its first Super Bowl victory since 2011.
“You work hard in this business to try to give yourself a chance to play extra innings or more games. So, we have done that,” he said following the win over the Colts.
“We put ourselves in a position to compete in more than just one other game. So, excitement, sure. Definitely… But I think you just got to stick with the process that got you here. Got to get ready to play another game. You know, the playoffs are a different breed. They’re one and done. But we still got one more game before we get to those.”
The Giants, who are third place in the NFC East behind the 13-3 Philadelphia Eagles and 12-4 Dallas Cowboys, will play the Eagles on the road this Sunday (4:25 p.m.) in the regular season finale. The Eagles, who have lost their last two games with quarterback Jalen Hurts sidelined while recovering from a sprained shoulder, are looking to lock up postseason home field advantage in the NFC with a win. Hurts, who has had an MVP caliber season, will likely be back for this crucial matchup.
The Giants go into their Week 18 game the No. 6 seed in the NFC with their playoff opponent yet to be determined. Who it is isn’t as important as the realization they will just be there, still playing two weeks into January, an uncommon occurrence for a franchise that has missed the playoffs nine out of the previous 10 seasons.
“I mean no one, let’s be honest, no one besides the men and women in that facility gave us a chance to accomplish this and we just stuck to the script, kept believing in each other and gave ourselves the opportunity and we did it,” said running back Saquon Barkely, who also is in line for a new deal from the franchise as he heads for free-agency.
After playing just 15 of a possible 33 games over the past two seasons, including only two in 2020, and rushing for a combined 624 yards in the two campaigns, Barkely has had a rebirth this season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl and is fourth in the NFL in rushing with 1,312 yards.
The Bronx native amplified the ethos of the players and coaching staff of remaining level-headed and focusing on what’s immediately in front of them.
“…We’ve still got next week to get ready for and you want to make it to the playoffs, but it’s not like when you’re making the playoffs it’s not like you’ve won the Super Bowl,” Barkley said. “You give yourself a chance to compete for a Super Bowl, so it’s just another step ahead and we’ve just got to keep working.”