If The Season Ended Today…

If the season ended today would the NY Giants make the playoffs?

Unfortunately the season won’t end anytime soon, but according to the NFL – yes the Giants would make the playoffs if it was all over right now. Take a look at the playoff picture up today at NFL.com:

[via]

There’s more after the jump

For a refresher, here is how these playoff spots are determined by the NFL:

1. The division champion with the best record.
2. The division champion with the second-best record.
3. The division champion with the third-best record.
4. The division champion with the fourth-best record.
5. The Wild Card club with the best record.
6. The Wild Card club with the second-best record.

Right now the Giants are in the playoff picture because both Green Bay and Tampa lost on Sunday.  That basically gives the Giants fewer losses in the conference. Tampa was dropped to “in the hunt” because of the order of Tie Breaking Procedures suggests the strength of schedule comparison favors the Giants in this case.

So in order for the Giants to stay this course, they need to basically win 4 of their next 5 games and go 11-5 for the season.   10-6 will not get it done this year.

In order to do that, they need to:

1) win their home matchup with Washington this week

2) beat Philadelphia at home, at all costs.

3) they will likely need to beat Green Bay on the road

4) they can safely then drop one to either Washington or Minnesota on the road

5) win the remainder

NFL Analyst Mike Lombardi doesn’t think they’ll make it.  For the Giants he says:

"“The Giants are a wounded team with all their injuries, but they fought through their hardship for the win against the feisty Jaguars. The Giants are tough and they compete, but their problems with protecting the football and being able to slow down athletic teams on offense won’t go away. With the first of two more games with the Redskins this week, a trip to Minnesota and then the Eagles and Packers, one slip up might cost the Giants a playoff spot. I do not like their chances.”"

I am more optimistic however.  I think the Giants have had the Redskins’ number for the past few years — I think they have a renewed sense of confidence in themselves after taking over the Jacksonville game last week, showing that they can still get physical and overpower a team — I think with Washington that is another physical game that the Giants win at home.

The Minnesota game is hard to call right now… who knows what Childress’ departure truly holds for the team, AP’s ankle may still be sore by then, and Brett Farve may have finally run out of gas on that QB option he ran last week to beat the Redskins.  The Skins also ran the type of offense the Giants might without their top 2 receivers, it could have been enough to beat the Vikings but they came up short.  The Giants will be entering a loud stadium against a dangerous but very banged up team without a #1 defense this year —  I think the Giants have more than a shot to win that one with or without Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith.

Philly at home, an absolute must win game.  Period.

Green Bay on the road could be an intriguing game that decides the playoff picture for both teams, too far out right now to unpack though.  We’ll know more in a couple weeks.

By the time the final Washington rolls around to end the season, we’ll see where things are.  I remain optimistic of course, I think the Giants can absolutely win 4 of 5 and make the playoffs.  They may just have to.