Week 16 Power Rankings….What They Say
By author
Amazing what a difference a week makes. In a few Power Ranking, the Giants broke into the top ten after their big victory over the Cowboys on the road, and the rest of the experts kept them close behind. But now, after a performance that can only be described as pathetic, the Giants find themselves back toward the middle of the pack. After Sunday, I have to say they deserve it.
National Football Post dropped them to 18, down from 9. Let’s see where else the Gmen fell.
The Giants Across the Board
"I said last week that the Giants were mentally tougher than the Cowboys and that is why they would win the division, but they looked emotionally drained on Sunday. Their season boils down to two games, and it starts by beating the Jets on Saturday."
My biggest concern heading into this game was that it would be a trap game, and clearly that’s exactly what happened. The Giants looked not only drained, but tired and uncaring. It’s one thing to lose a game, but it’s another one to not even try to win. And that, more than anything else, is the reason they have plummeted in this week’s rankings.
"Why can’t they figure out a way to play well against lesser teams? If they don’t make the playoffs, that will be the reason why."
My volleyball team seems to have the same problem. But we are a bunch of amateurs playing in an elementary school gym, not professionals who have earned the right to make obscene amounts of money to play a sport. Both situations are infuriating, but one is more acceptable than the other. But I will say, CBS is pretty generous keeping the Gmen at the same level as last week.
"I’m a Giants fan and my mother told me if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all."
These guys are way nicer than I am.
"The Giants apparently believed that their win over the Cowboys clinched a playoff berth."
It doesn’t help that the Cowboys won their game this week, and have taken the division lead back. The Giants certainly can still make the playoffs, but I ask the question again, does it really matter?
Some more relevant rankings via National Football Post:
New York Jets: 17 (8-6, week 16)
I can’t help but feel like the excitement level here in Jersey would be much higher of both our teams hadn’t lost embarrassing games on Sunday. That was a real clunker in Philly, against a team that is down and mostly out, but aren’t playing that way. The Jets had to know that going in, but they let this one get away from them, and I have to expect they will do what they can to not make that mistake twice. In last week’s column I pointed out that the Jets normally play well in December, while the Giants do not. I am really nervous about this one, because it is a must-win for both teams, and more often than not, the Jets are the ones that take that fact to heart and play hungry, not the Giants.
Dallas Cowboys: 12 (8-6, week 17)
The Cowboys bounced back with a win on the road. It came against the Bucs, who have now lost eight in a row, but that doesn’t really matter right now. The Cowboys have the upper hand again, although they too need to run the table to clinch the playoffs. Their matchup against the Eagles will be very interesting, because as I said before, Philly is working the spoiler angle and will not go down without a fight.
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