For as much as players talk about “taking it one day at a time,” they are (generally) not robots. They know which games are when, same as the fans, and even if they don’t mark down the expected wins and losses on a pocket schedule, there is still an awareness of when the team is entering a critical stretch.
The Giants are in one now. Brandon Jacobs even admitted as much late Sunday night in Glendale, Ariz., when he said, “We have a lot of very tough games later on. We need to stay on a roll.”
The reason for early urgency is what lies ahead for the Giants:
November games with New England, Philadelphia and New Orleans; and December match-ups with Green Bay, Dallas (twice) and the Jets.
Given that slate, beating the Cardinals must be looked at as a critical springboard for the Giants, who will be home for the next month with games against Seattle, Buffalo and Miami sandwiched around their bye week.
The Giants made it to the quarter-pole of the season 3-1, a mark many observers likely predicted (though probably not with a win over the Eagles). They have weathered a slew of injuries, shown an ability to rally late and have found playmakers in unexpected places.
So is it reasonable to think the Giants can be 6-1 heading into a Week 9 game with the Patriots? What did you mark down on your pocket schedule?
And, more importantly, if you think they’re not 6-1, what does that say about their chances of ultimately surviving the winter gantlet and making the playoffs?
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