The Giants had a 22-59 report as a franchise from the 2017 NFL season by means of 2021.
After drafting Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Julian Love and Darius Slayton in 2019, they went 14-35 the following three years.
Losing was a brutal a part of day by day life in East Rutherford, N.J.
So it could be comprehensible, after dropping three of their final 4 video games, for the Giants’ veterans to start out pondering, “Here we go again,” approaching Sunday’s digital playoff recreation in opposition to the divisional rival Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium.
But that’s not the place the Giants’ heads are in any respect. They are excited, not discouraged.
“I don’t think it’s a challenge to think positively for us primarily because, frankly, we haven’t been in this position,” Slayton mentioned at his locker after Tuesday’s apply. “We have an opportunity to play significant soccer video games and significant division video games, which is one thing we now have not achieved since I’ve been right here.
“Losing is always going to be losing,” the extensive receiver added. “But the overall mood is optimistic because of the opportunity we have. We know we have a chance to do everything we want to do. So it’s no time to be sad.”
The Giants practically made the playoffs in Joe Judge’s first season at 6-10 in 2020, when your complete NFC East was traditionally dangerous and the Giants received their season finale over the Dallas Cowboys to provide themselves an opportunity.
But Slayton mentioned having a 7-4 report in the beginning of December naturally instills extra optimism.
“Obviously at the time we were trying to get that win to get in,” he mentioned, “but making the playoffs at 6-10 — you’d make it and you’d be happy to make it — but it’s just not the same feeling as right now.”
Around the locker room, it’s clear the Giants’ early season successful in Brian Daboll’s first season on the helm has emboldened the staff that they’ll nonetheless make their first postseason look since 2016 regardless of their latest rut.
“I think we’re all just learning how to deal with this,” Lawrence mentioned. “I don’t see any down heads because we know we have control. We control the narrative of things. We know we can do it. We know how we did it and how we’re supposed to do it. We just have to get back to it.”
Love additionally cited that the Giants have a particular blueprint of find out how to win video games, and that certainty helps them keep up. He additionally acknowledged their latest accidents have been an enormous blow, and getting again gamers like proper deal with Evan Neal (knee) and edge Azeez Ojulari (calf) must be a lift.
“The energy has been great,” Love mentioned. “We’re getting some guys back. That’ll help us out. Because it doesn’t help when you’re banged up, as well. We feel confident and we know, win or loss, what we need to do well to be successful in a game.”
Jones was respectfully dismissive of any suggestion that the Giants is likely to be down as a consequence of their three latest losses to the Seahawks, Lions and Cowboys.
“We still have a lot of confidence,” Jones mentioned. “I don’t think anyone sees reason to lose faith or lose confidence. We’re a good team. Certainly we need to do some things better over the last few games that we haven’t done that we were doing in the beginning of the year. But we’re confident and we’re a good football team.”
Jones additionally has loads of causes to be personally assured given his historical past in opposition to Washington. He has a 4-1 report on this rivalry with 1,150 passing yards, 9 TD passes, 218 dashing yards, one dashing TD and three turnovers.
He has not more than 5 TD passes in opposition to every other opponent in his profession. He couldn’t say why he has Washington’s quantity.
“I don’t know,” he mentioned. “Just the way some of these games have set up. They’re all different. They all play out differently based on what the defense is doing. So we’ll have a plan, and we’ll be ready to adjust.”
Daboll mentioned he’s seen his gamers be “consistent” with their method, win or lose. And that pleases him, as a result of that’s the instance he tries to set.
“To me the biggest thing as a leader is to remain consistent with your approach, to not get too high or low, to not ride any waves,” Daboll mentioned. “It’s human nature at times … [But] we’ve all been in this league a long time. The last time that you haven’t faced adversity would be the first time.”
His gamers appear to be treating their latest skid, due to this fact, as an anomaly, and never as defining of who they’re. And which may be important for the Giants to return out of those subsequent three video games in opposition to the Commanders (two) and Eagles with the wins they should play deep into January.
“I think we’re just going through a little adversity,” Lawrence mentioned. “That’s our mindset about it. All teams go through it. Ours is happening right now. And we just have to respond the right way.”
PRACTICE NOTES
Daboll ran a completely padded apply Tuesday for the primary time, he mentioned, since earlier than the Nov. 13 Houston recreation. “One of the reasons we’re going pads is let’s work a little bit on the running game and then let’s get some of these [injured] guys back and see how they operate,” he mentioned. Daboll mentioned he’s optimistic about getting a whole lot of injured gamers again. Neal mentioned “oh yeah,” he’s able to play. Ojulari mentioned he’ll be again, too. Tight finish Daniel Bellinger (eye) is hopeful … Free security Xavier McKinney had the forged off his left hand in Tuesday’s locker room, however his hand was severely swollen with a number of pins at the back of his hand, beneath his knuckles and throughout. All he mentioned about his timeline was “we’ll see.” He declined an interview … RB Gary Brightwell (unknown), CB Adoree Jackson (knee) LG Josh Ezeudu (neck) and LG Shane Lemieux (toe). Jackson stays out long-term. CB Cor’Dale Flott practiced and seemed to be out of the concussion protocol. The first official harm report comes out Wednesday … It’s attainable Nick Gates may begin at left guard Sunday with Jon Feliciano (neck) again at middle. Asked if he was restricted Tuesday, Feliciano shrugged and mentioned: “I took a lot of snaps.” … Corner Nick McCloud acquired a nasty lower on the within of his left ankle when somebody by accident cleated him on kick protection Tuesday, however he bandaged it up and he’s nice … Corner Darnay Holmes’ girlfriend gave delivery to a child woman on Monday night time.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com