RB Saquon Barkley says the New York Giants want to finish the season strong with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
The New York Giants (4-11) will play their final game of the 2019 season this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles (8-7), who will head to the postseason with a win this week as the NFC East champs. The Eagles will also win the division if the Dallas Cowboys lose to the Washington Redskins this week.
We know what the Eagles have to play for, but what about the Giants? They have won two straight and by pulling off an upset of Philly will have won three or more games in a row for the first time since 2016, when they won five in row from October 16-November 27.
Running back Saquon Barkley was asked what the Giants’ focus for this game could possibly be outside of simply being a spoiler.
“Let’s just go with, we want to finish the season off strong,” said Barkley. “That’s something that we’re focused on — finishing the season off strong. We have one more game to do it in front of the home crowd. That’s our mindset is to try to finish the season strong.”
And by knocking off the Eagles, a team that has beaten the Giants in 10 of the last 11 meetings, they will do just that.
Since Pat Shurmur took over the reins as head coach last year, the Giants have won just one game against a team with a winning record — a 30-27 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 13 last season.
A win could help Shumur save his job, something the players are aware of. Their recent success has been because the coaches may have finally gotten their act together, even though it might be too late to salvage their future.
The team hasn’t quit, which is an attestation that Shumur still has the full confidence of the team, something management will have to take into account when evaluating him after the season.
“It starts with him. He’s the one who sets the tone,” said Barkley. “You can tell by, not only him but all of the coaches, come to work every week— even though we’re having a, I wouldn’t say a disappointing season, but struggling year. It starts with those guys and it trickles down to us to the leaders and it trickles down, trickles down, trickles down. I think we’ve been displaying grit, fight, that effort in a lot of these games this year. But in these last two, it’s been working for us.”
New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur had just one issue with the team’s flip cup celebration: they didn’t invite him.
Is New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur upset with his team for hitting the town and celebrating after their 41-35 overtime victory over the three-win Washington Redskins in Week 16?
Simply put, yes. He is.
“They should have invited me,” Shurmur told reporters with a sarcastic smile.
Other than failing to receive an invite, the celebration did not bother Shurmur one bit, but the fact that the video became viral certainly did.
“They’re grown men and they look after each other. They were celebrating a victory,” Shurmur said. “The fact that they can’t go enjoy themselves without it becoming public, those are the things that I’ll never feel comfortable about.”
The viral nature of the video likely stems from Eli Manning’s participation, which is a genuine rarity. In fact, Sunday night/Monday morning was the first time in Manning’s 16-year career that he was spotted out on the town.
Someone sent me this and I can't stop watching this. Just Eli, Jones and some Giants playing flip cup 😎 LOVE IT I mean it's no boat trip 🤫#Giants#GiantsPridepic.twitter.com/V21TSPl5Ft
Ultimately, the videos should actually reflect positively on the relationship both Manning and Alex Tanney have with rookie quarterback Daniel Jones. It’s an odd situation for all three men, but clearly they’ve risen above their employment differences to become good friends and for Manning and Tanney, good mentors.
On the heels of a wild weekend that transformed the NFL playoff picture, Touchdown Wire unveils its weekly NFL Power Rankings.
Heading into Week 17, we already know the Baltimore Ravens are the best team in the league and the Cincinnati Bengals are the worst.
In Week 16, we found out two positive certainties for the Ravens and Bengals. First, by guaranteeing the league’s worst record, the Bengals clinched the No. 1 spot in the 2020 NFL draft.
At least at the moment, it appears likely they’ll use it on Heisman Trophy winner and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow. That’s the silver lining in Cincinnati’s dismal season.
Baltimore earned a gift with its great season. At 13-2, the Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, meaning they have a bye and hold home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Lots of other scenarios were clinched in Week 16. But many more, including a number of playoff seeds, won’t be known until after Week 17.
We touch on that and more in this week’s Touchdown Wire NFL Power Rankings.
32. Cincinnati Bengals
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
(1-14. Last week: 32)
Finally, there’s something to celebrate in Cincinnati. It took an overtime loss to Miami, but the Bengals officially clinched the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft. That almost certainly will be used on a quarterback, and most draft experts currently believe LSU’s Joe Burrow is the top prospect. While that seems like a certainty, the status of first-year head coach Zac Taylor isn’t a given. Bengals owner Mike Brown has been notoriously patient and frugal in the past, but a one- or two-win season may not be enough for Taylor to survive. Besides, there is plenty of room to question Taylor’s decision to go back to veteran quarterback Andy Dalton after briefly benching him in favor of rookie Ryan Finley. Yeah, Dalton threw four touchdown passes Sunday, but it’s clear he’s got no future with the Bengals. Apparently, Finley doesn’t either. This looks like a team that already has settled on Burrow.
31. Washington Redskins
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(3-12. Last week: 31)
There hasn’t been much for Washington fans to cheer for this season, especially after Sunday’s overtime loss to the New York Giants dropped the Redskins into sole possession of last place in the NFC East. But there is one bright spot: the play of rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Coming off the best game of his career, Haskins continued to show progress by completing 12 of 15 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an ankle injury. That means whoever is coaching the Redskins next year might already have his quarterback. The Redskins are going to have a premium draft pick and might decide on Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, who is more of a sure thing than any of the quarterbacks who will be available.
30. Detroit Lions
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(3-11-1. Last week: 29)
Things continued to get worse for Detroit with a 27-17 loss to Denver. That was to be expected because the Lions are down to third-string quarterback David Blough, who totaled just 117 passing yards and took four sacks against the Broncos. This season has long been over for the Lions. But the real story here is about next season. Ownership came out last week and firmly said that coach Matt Patricia will be back for a third year and general manager Bob Quinn also will return. That’s somewhat surprising since Patricia’s tenure has been a disaster, and there haven’t been many signs of progress. But I can see the case for giving Patricia another year. He deserves a shot to see what he can do with quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy all season. If Patricia can’t win with Stafford, then it will be time to move on.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars
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(5-10. Last week: 27)
The Jaguars made news last week by firing executive vice president Tom Coughlin. Some assume that means coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell are safe for next season, but that’s not necessarily the case. Marrone has lost 21 of 31 games since taking the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game after the 2017 season. Coughlin’s firing was about more than the team’s record. It was a reaction by owner Shad Kahn after the NFL Players Association issued a warning to players about signing with the Jaguars due to a high number of grievances against the organization. Those issues were a poor reflection on Coughlin. But the team’s poor record is a reflection on Marrone and Caldwell. Kahn might be better off cleaning house and starting over again.
28. Miami Dolphins
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(4-11. Last week: 30)
Remember back early in the season when everyone thought the Dolphins were purposely losing to acquire better draft picks? At first, it seemed to be true, but they were just good enough to win their way out of the top pick — and it was fitting that their overtime win against Cincinnati helped the Bengals clinch the No. 1 pick. Miami stuck with veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick over second-year pro Josh Rosen most of the season. That was pointless, because Fitzpatrick is no long-term answer for a team that needs a major rebuild. By missing out on the No. 1 pick, the Dolphins apparently will miss out on consensus No. 1 quarterback prospect Joe Burrow. They probably still will draft a quarterback. Instead of Burrow, it likely will be Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon’s Justin Herbert.
27. New York Giants
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(4-11. Last week: 28)
Sure, the Giants are 4-11, and Sunday’s victory against a bad Washington team came in overtime. But I’m going to go way out on a limb and declare the Giants the favorite to win the NFC East in 2020. Seriously. Why? The Giants have the brightest future of the bunch. You could see Sunday that the Giants are set at quarterback and running back for the long term. Rookie quarterback Daniel Jones returned from injury and threw for 352 yards and five touchdowns. Second-year running back Saquon Barkley ran for 189 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 90 yards and another touchdown. Jones and Barkley could be superstars. Sure, there’s plenty of work to be done on the defense, at receiver and on the offensive line. But Jones and Barkley give the Giants hope and something to build around. Their presence and promise probably is enough to keep coach Pat Shurmur employed.
26. Carolina Panthers
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(5-10. Last week: 25)
Perhaps the most insightful NFL quote of the week came from veteran Carolina tight end Greg Olsen, who has a bright future in broadcasting. After an embarrassing loss to Indianapolis, Olsen put Carolina’s situation into perfect context.
“It’s a really tough way to operate,” Olsen said. “Players are underperforming. It’s right now a very collective failure, organizationally a failure.”
The Panthers might be in the most disarray they’ve been in since coach George Seifert’s final year, a 1-15 season in 2001. Interim coach Perry Fewell hasn’t come close to winning a game since taking over when Ron Rivera was fired. It’s become obvious that Fewell will not get the permanent job. Owner David Tepper has to go out and find the right guy. If general manager Marty Hurney sticks around and has any input, his track record suggest he’ll favor a rising coordinator and not a former head coach or a college coach.
25. Los Angeles Chargers
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
(5-10. Last week: 23)
The Chargers lost to the Raiders on Sunday, but the big story here came in the postgame. Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers told reporters he wants to continue playing. Rivers is 38 and in the final year of his contract.
“I’m capable enough physically and mentally, there’s no question,” Rivers said. “Yes, I do want to play football. I do, and that’s how I feel deep down as I stand here.”
But the bigger question is do the Chargers want Rivers back? Despite all he’s done for the franchise through the years, Rivers has endured a bad season. His 18 interceptions rank second in the NFL to Jameis Winston’s 28. The Chargers have been one of the league’s most disappointing teams and haven’t developed much of a fan base in Los Angeles. They’ll be moving into a new stadium next year, and it might be time for an infusion of excitement at quarterback, whether through the draft or via free agency.
The New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins, 41-35, in Week 16 and here’s some of what we learned from that win.
On Sunday, the New York Giants got their fourth win of the season when they defeated the Washington Redskins in overtime.
It was the Giants’ game to lose from the beginning, scoring on their first drive and never slowing down. The Redskins would keep it close and send the game to overtime, but the Giants emerged victorious behind a solid offensive effort.
Here’s what we learned from the Giants victory on the road:
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Saquon Barkley is back to 100%
The Giants’ use of Saquon Barkley hasn’t been the same this year as it was last year, and it shows in their record. Sure, he missed a few games with an injury and maybe wasn’t 100% when he returned.
Against the Redskins on Sunday, though, Barkley proved that he is absolutely back to 100%. He recorded a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, an average of nearly 8.6 yards per carry. He also set the team’s all-time record for yards from scrimmage.
Saquon is back to form, and it’s a beautiful thing.
New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard is sold — he believes rookie QB Daniel Jones is going to be a “special” player.
New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur called it “heroic.” Wide receiver Sterling Shepard called it “savage.” Whatever the preferred adjective, rookie quarterback Daniel Jones had a game for the ages in Week 16 and is breaking league and franchise records left and right.
In the 41-35 overtime victory over the Washington Redskins, Jones completed 28 of his 42 passes for 352 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Most impressive of all? After winning the overtime coin toss, Jones told his teammates they were going to drive the field and win the game. And they did.
By all accounts, Jones already is something special. Yes, he’s got some fumbling issues that are easily cured (see: Lamar Jackson), but beyond that, his growth has been remarkable.
Already, Jones is a better quarterback than Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock. And the argument could be made that he’s more talented than Josh Allen, leaving only Lamar Jackson, the favorite to win NFL MVP this season, ahead of him on the list of rookie and sophomore quarterbacks.
For all the flack general manager Dave Gettleman received over the Jones pick, he now deserves a warm pack on the back for getting it right.
Jones is a franchise quarterback and the Giants are lucky to have him.
Here are three takeaways from the New York Giants’ Week 16 win over the Washington Redskins, which improved their record to 4-11.
The New York Giants won their second consecutive game on Sunday, defeating the Washington Redskins, 41-35, in overtime at FedEx Field.
Here are three takeaways.
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Giants provide some false hope again
The Giants scored a season-high 41 points, eclipsing the season-high 36 they scored against Miami last week. Optimists will say the offense is gelling at the right time — Saquon Barkley is back, Daniel Jones is coming into his own and the offensive line is firing on all pins.
Pessimists will say the Giants are beating up on teams that are built to lose, unlike themselves. The fear is now that they steal win against the Eagles next week at home, finish 5-11 and out of the top 5 in next year’s NFL Draft, and…the late-season winning streak also spares the coaching staff from the axe.
The New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins in Week 16, so here’s a look at the winners, losers and all those in between.
The New York Giants and Washington Redskins squared off in “The Chase Young Bowl” on Sunday and for two teams that would have benefited by losing, they certainly gave an A+ effort for the win.
The game itself was back-and-forth from the start, featuring many big plays, bad calls and bizarre circumstances — befitting of two 3-11 teams.
In the end, the Giants walked away victorious with a 41-35 overtime victory.
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Winners
Saquon Barkley: If you had any doubt that Barkley was truly back, he squashed those concerns in Week 16. In an all-time performance, Barkley dominated in all aspects, gaining 189 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown while adding 90 yards and one touchdown on four receptions.
Daniel Jones: In his first game back since suffering a high ankle sprain, Jones was extremely effective and really showed the football world what he’s capable of doing in this league. Yes, he had another fumble (not lost), but he also had five touchdown passes, tying Deshaun Watson and Fran Tarkenton for the most four-plus-touchdown performances (3) in the debut season of any player in NFL history.
Julian Love: How can you watch Love and not love (not pun intended) how he plays the game? He’s fast, shifty, not afraid of contact and gives it his all on every play. Was it flawless on Sunday? No, but his positive plays far outweigh his negative plays. This kid has a bright future.
Lorenzo Carter: Carter has had a down year for the Giants and really needed to flash at some point over the final two weeks. He did on Sunday. He was all over the field and especially strong rushing the passer, recording 1.5 sacks on the day.
Defensive line: The Giants have been horrible on defense this season, but I maintain the defensive line has played exceptionally well and even more so since the arrival of Leonard Williams. He, Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill and Dexter Lawrence all shined again on Sunday, creating pressure and shutting down any runs between the hash marks.
Offensive line: There was an expected drop off without Manning under center, but that was not the case for the O-line in Week 16. Even with Nick Gates replacing Mike Remmers (concussion), the unit payed collective well, giving Daniel Jones time and opening up enough holes for Barkley to have a field day.
Others: Da’Mari Scott, David Mayo, Kaden Smith, Cody Core
Trent Dilfer believes the New York Giants need to break their traditional mold and hire a new coach from the college ranks.
The cry from the New York Giants fans base is clear… It’s time for the Giants to stop what they have been doing an try something completely different.
That means changing their philosophy of hiring familiar faces and retreads to run the front office and lead the team on the field.
Many Giants fans on social media have suggested the team should look to the college ranks for a new coach with a fresh approach and 21st Century ideas. Former NFL quarterback and television analyst Trent Dilfer also believes its time for the Giants to restructure their organization rejoin the rest of the NFL.
“The most explosive offenses in the NFL, with the best quarterback play, most of those teams — if not all of them — have a Saturday coach on their staff with a lot of influence,” Dilfer told NJ Advance Media. “Meaning a coach that has studied the college football game extensively. You have to have college elements in the offenses right now.”
Dilfer is OK with the Giants hiring a CEO coach who doesn’t necessarily have an offensive/quarterback-developing background. But that coach would need to bring in somebody legit to handle those duties — and an emphasis on college football’s offensive influences is a must, said Dilfer.
“You have to take advantage of the [run/pass options], the line-of-scrimmage screens, some of the misdirection stuff, some of the creativity that the college game has kind of introduced to the NFL,” Dilfer said. “They don’t have to have coached in college, but somebody that has really taken a deep dive into the schemes and the creativity of Saturday football.”
We agree. What the Giants have been doing has obviously not worked. The handling of the Tom Coughlin-Ben McAdoo transition was a disaster. Jerry Reese’s personnel decisions were questionable and the hiring of the out-of-touch Dave Gettleman to replace him has set this team back even further.
Pat Shurmur is a wonderful man but his career arc stops at offensive coordinator. He is not an effective head coach and the decision to put this young team in his and his average staff’s hands has obviously been a mistake.
The New York Giants and Washington Redskins square off on Sunday in Week 16, so here are six things fans should know.
The New York Giants (3-11) travel down to the Nation’s capital to face the Washington Redskins, who are also 3-11 this season.
Here’s a quick look at six things fans should know ahead of the NFC East matchup:
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The series
The Giants-Redskins rivalry began in 1932 when the Skins were known as the Boston Braves and is the oldest in the NFC East division. The Giants have a regular season lead in the series of 101-68-4.
The teams have met twice in the postseason. In 1943, the Redskins shut the Giants out, 28-0, at the Polo Grounds then lost the NFL Championship to the Chicago Bears the next week, 41-21.
In January of 1987, Big Blue returned the favor, blanking Washington, 17-0, in the NFC Championship Game at Giants Stadium. The Giants went on to defeat the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI two weeks later.
The Giants defeated the Redskins, 24-7, in their first meeting this season in Week 4 at MetLife Stadium.
