The New York Giants weren’t widely regarded as a potential playoff team before the season, but they more than proved the doubters wrong.
For Julian Love, it was clear early on in the schedule that they had something special.
After five straight years of missing the playoffs, the Giants brought in Brian Daboll last offseason. He helped elevate the group and turn them into one of the tougher teams in the league, finishing 9-7-1 and losing by less than one possession in four of the seven losses.
The Giants started the season off by winning six of their first seven games, and though they came crashing down to earth in the back half of the campaign, it was clear they had a group with potential.
Love said Tuesday on “Tiki & Tierney” that two moments stuck out to him as season-defining.
“The first moment is Week 1, Tennessee. Last minute of the game and Saquon and the offense converted a two-point conversion to put us up," Love said. "That moment I think just was a catalyst for our confidence and our momentum going into the year and realizing what we can accomplish as a team.
"And then the second moment I think is the London game against Green Bay (Week 5)," Love continued. "I think at that point Green Bay was, whatever, people were talking about them highly. And we were kind of the first team to knock them off – but that win in that setting. They felt like they had control the whole game, and we came back and won the game.
“I thought OK, now we’re buzzing. And then you see the Ravens game the next week with the win, so I think the two moments – the Green Bay game and that Tennessee game – just really defined who we can be this season.
The Giants will look to keep their season alive Sunday when they face the third-seeded Vikings in Minnesota. New York lost its only other meeting with the Vikings this season 27-24, with a 61-yard kick from Greg Joseph giving Minnesota the win.
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