Even after 0-6 start, the Giants are alive in NFC East
By Peter Smith
After starting out the season an astounding 0-6, the New York Giants have won two straight and despite taking off the first month and a half in the season off, find themselves in striking distance for the NFC East division crown. The NFC East has been mediocre at best and one of the most disappointing divisions in the NFL, so even with the incredible hole the Giants have dug themselves into, they now have their bye week and are in striking distance of the 4-4 Dallas Cowboys.
After setting a record pace for turnovers including an astounding 15 interceptions through six games from Eli Manning, the Giants have been able to protect the football and play solid defense. Just avoiding mistakes has enabled the Giants defense to really clamp down on opposing offenses and give Manning and company opportunities to score points. The defense has only given up a touchdown in each of the past two games while the offense has been able to put together a combined 38 points. The offense is hardly dominating, but it has been enough.
With two weeks to prepare for the Oakland Raiders, the Giants can potentially get themselves back on track, get the offensive line in slightly better shape and get going on a run. It remains to be seen if that will happen but with head coach Tom Coughlin on the hot seat he is all too familiar with despite two Super Bowl rings, he has shown he can rally the troops and put together some impressive second halves in his career.
It will not be easy as the offensive line has been hurt by injuries, but if they can just get the guys they had to protect Manning and give them a little bit of a running game, the defense is more than strong enough to keep them in games and Manning can win football games.
The Giants come out of the bye to play the Raiders and then have to take on a battered Green Bay Packers team at home before they get a shot to get a shot at the Cowboys and really gain some ground. For the Giants to make the playoffs and win the division, that is a must win game for the Giants. Their path to the playoffs is an incredibly difficult task, but the combination of a terrible division and their own resilience makes it so there is the possibility of pulling off what would be a historic feet. 9-7 or 8-8 could win that division this year the way things are going and the Giants can put that type of run together.