PHILADELPHIA — All inconsequential video games should not created equal.
The regular-season finale that goes down Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Monetary Subject options two groups with nothing tangible to play for, no actual reward for the winner and no dire repercussions for the loser.
It’s not that massive of a deal — or an enormous deal in any respect — if the Eagles drop this one at house, and it’s not particularly newsworthy if the Giants come out forward of their final highway sport.
The explanation why this doesn’t matter a lot for both facet is what separates these groups.
The Eagles (13-3) are shifting onward and upward, resting their starters having already captured the NFC East title and the No. 2 seed within the convention.
They’ll play a playoff sport on the Linc subsequent weekend, and there’s no cause by any means for them to threat anybody (we see you, Saquon Barkley) or something which may compromise their possibilities to maneuver deeper into the postseason.
The explanation why this sport holds no significance for the Giants is that in a number of days or perhaps weeks, nobody will keep in mind or care a lot that they have been 4-13 or 3-14.
Sure, the ultimate report does correlate to the place the Giants will slot within the first spherical for the 2025 draft, and that’s significant.
However that may be a down-the-road occasion.
Within the right here and now, the Giants will play this sport then go their separate methods, with the fates of normal supervisor Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll made clear within the coming days.
The expectation is that this won’t be a case of co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch on Monday morning informing both Schoen or Daboll that they’re again, or are gone, or that one is retained and the opposite fired.
It’s believed each will meet individually with possession to elucidate what went improper this season, and, extra importantly, there can be a chance to current options and plans shifting ahead to show the franchise round.
After these discussions, a choice can be made about every of their futures with the Giants.
Till the Giants are capable of flip late-season video games into related contests, they are going to be dismissed as a franchise in disrepair.
“You all the time need to play vital soccer in November, December, come January,’’ exterior linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux stated. “I undoubtedly want that we may have extra impactful soccer proper now. However you bought to play the hand with the playing cards that you simply dealt. Now we acquired to go and show what we will in opposition to the Eagles.’’
What goes on off the sector is extra compelling. After 15 video games, the Giants have been 2-13 and have been in place for the No. 1 decide within the draft.
Beating the Colts, 45-33, final week dropped them to the No. 4 general spot, they usually may sink as little as No. 9 in the event that they beat the Eagles.
That can be problematic, so far as their potential to face pat and discover their subsequent franchise quarterback, however there are methods to commerce up and there are additionally avenues to discover a participant who may need been ignored.
Certain, the Giants have already spent sources to scout Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, however they’ve additionally dispatched personnel to look at Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, Carson Beck and Jaxson Dart.
As soon as the draft order is set, a few of it will fall into place.
For now, all that’s left for the Giants is 60 extra minutes of soccer earlier than they go their separate methods.
“To say you don’t have anything to play for is a big stretch,’’ defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches informed The Publish. “We’re not enjoying for the playoffs and everyone needs to get to the massive dance, however we’ve been doing this since we have been children, attempting to get into this sport, attempting to get into the NFL, so we’re all going on the market to nonetheless be sure that we nonetheless have a job once we come again subsequent yr. It’s greater than simply playoffs. Sure, that’s the larger image, however on the finish of the day you continue to acquired to maintain your self, your loved ones. It’s been a protracted life dream so don’t ever lose sight of that.
“So far as the person accolades and issues like that, you continue to have to fret about what you do, the way you come to the sport, the way you strategy your movie examine as a result of it’s nonetheless that severe No matter what’s occurring within the close to future you continue to have a job to do, and be grateful for that and be sure you put the fitting movie on tape so that you proceed to have that very same job.’’
