The Giants technically could still make the playoffs…but then again, they are also still technically alive for the No. 1 pick with both of their first-round selections.
Their two top receivers in terms of catches are a much-maligned tight end and a running back who has missed more than a quarter of the season so far, and their two leaders in receiving yards are also two guys who have missed significant time due to injury: their first-round consolation prize and their so-far underwhelming big free agent signing. That’s Evan Engram, Saquon Barkley, Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay, in case you couldn’t figure it out.
Oh, and none of those guys have more than 40 catches or 480 yards (that’s three grabs or 35 yards per game average, or roughly a quarter for some of the elite WR in the league), and their starting quarterback, a question mark in his own right nearly three seasons in, has a neck injury that is anywhere from day-to-day to career ending depending on how much Joe Judge accidentally lets slip.
So, is there any reason Jake Fromm SHOULDN’T line up under center when the Giants face the Eagles in Philadelphia the day after Christmas?
Judge praised Fromm’s play late in Sunday’s loss and said it would “open up conversation” about who will start in Philly next Sunday, but that should be a quick convo, especially given that Judge also said the team thought about putting Fromm in when they forced a turnover and got the ball inside the 30…you know, Glennon’s last drive, where he threw the pick in the end zone to Quandre Diggs.
For one thing, Glennon stinks. Picture Sal Licata yelling that if you must, but Glennon was Glennon-esque once again Sunday, going 13-of-24 for 99 yards and three picks, two of which most quarterbacks wouldn’t throw if they were blindfolded. That leaves Glennon, who is now 0-3 as starter this year and 2-16 overall since 2014, with 673 yards, a 3-7 TD:INT ratio, and 53.5 completion percentage in 129 attempts over four games this season – worse numbers than Mike White and Geno Smith this season.
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For two, sure, Fromm came in and ran a two-minute drill in a game that was all but over, and he has a limited grasp of the playbook. Still, he was 6-for-12 for 82 yards, and even most of his incompletions were balls that had a chance.
And for three, look at that first paragraph. Assuming the Eagles and Washington don’t tie on Tuesday – a game where right now, they might actually have to root for Philly – the Giants would have to win out to go 7-10 and then hope a handful of other teams lose out or at worst win one game to even have the chance to tie at 7-10 for the final NFC Wild Card. Which means that their chance is “mathematical” in the same way there’s a chance you could survive jumping off the Empire State Building.
On the other side, the Lions’ win, Jets’ loss, and Jaguars’ win over Houston Sunday leave Big Blue with the No. 5 pick as of Monday morning…but if the Giants lose out, Jacksonville and Detroit win at least two of their last three – don’t laugh, the Lions just clobbered Arizona and still play Atlanta and Seattle, and the Jags play the Jets next week – and the Jets and Texans get one more win each, there’s at worst a tiebreaker for No. 1.
Not to mention, of course, that the Bears losing out would leave THEM at 4-13 too, so we could have a "who cares" tie between two teams where one of them has both picks anyway.
Making this notion especially fun? Regardless of which division rival wins Tuesday’s game, one will be either tied for or occupying the final NFC playoff spot with the other a game behind. The Giants play the Eagles and WFT in Weeks 15 and 17 respectively, and if Fromm somehow catches fire, Big Blue could spoil both teams’ hopes, ultimate payback for Philly’s tankathon in Week 17 last year that cost them the division title.
Dave Gettleman may or may not be gone by the time you read this, and Joe Judge may or may not soon behind. We don’t know, but one thing we do know is Mike Glennon not only isn’t the answer, he’s not even the best alternate multiple choice.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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