Brian Daboll admittedly isn’t much of a scoreboard watcher, instead focusing on each game as they come, rather than sizing up the remaining schedule for the Giants and those teams vying with them for the final playoff berths in the NFC.
The Giants face a road game Sunday night in Washington against the Commanders, the second time in three weeks they will face their NFC East foe following an unsightly 20-20 tie at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 4. The division rivals presently sit in the final two playoff positions in the NFC, both at 7-5-1, and that won’t change regardless of Sunday’s outcome after the Seahawks lost Thursday night to the 49ers.
“You’ve got to focus on what’s ahead of you, which is what the most important thing is — which is not easy to do for people that work; players, coaches, organizations,” Daboll said before practice Friday in East Rutherford. “Does no good looking four weeks ahead, three weeks ahead. You got to focus on what’s the most important, that’s just what I believe in.”
That said, here is a breakdown of the remaining schedules for the four teams separated by 1 1/2 games in the standings, leaving out for now the three additional teams at 5-8 (Green Bay, Carolina and Atlanta):
6. COMMANDERS (7-5-1): After facing the Giants, the Commanders’ final three games are at West-leading San Francisco (10-4), at home against Cleveland (5-8) and at home against Dallas (10-3), giving them the fifth-toughest remaining strength of schedule in the NFL (a .613 opponents winning percentage), according to Tankathon.
7. GIANTS (7-5-1): Unfortunately for the Giants, their remaining strength of schedule ranks No. 2 in the league, with road games against Minnesota (10-3) and Philadelphia (12-1) sandwiched around what certainly feels like a must-win home game against Indianapolis (4-8-1) on New Year’s Day.
8. SEAHAWKS (7-7): Geno Smith and the Seahawks have slipped to .500 with four losses in their past five games following a 6-3 breakout start, with three of those defeats coming against teams with losing records. Their final three games are against the Chiefs (10-3) on the road, along with home games against the Jets (7-6) and the Rams (4-9).
9. LIONS (6-7): Find some green-and-white gear, Giants fans, and root for reinstated starter Zach Wilson and the Jets to pin an eighth loss on Dan Campbell’s surging Lions, who have won five of their last six games following a 1-6 start. They could run the table with games left against Carolina, Chicago and Green Bay.