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Giants Tumble Down Latest MMQB’s Power Ranking Poll

With a difficult strength of schedule remaining, has Big Blue peaked?

Patricia Traina

Giants Tumble Down Latest MMQB’s Power Ranking Poll
Giants Tumble Down Latest MMQB’s Power Ranking Poll /
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Down they go? The New York Giants, who cracked into the Top 10 in the MMQB NFL power ranking poll at one point, slid down to No. 15 on Sunday in this week’s poll following their 31-18 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Notes Conor Orr of this week’s ranking:

The Giants are at No. 15 this week. Why? They are absolutely wiped out on the injury front, and their remaining strength of schedule is the hardest in the NFL: two games against the Eagles, two games against the surging Commanders, a short-rest Thanksgiving matchup with the Cowboys, and a game against the Vikings. This, at least to me, reflects a team that has peaked thanks to some incredible schematic football. There is no shame in 7–2 being the high point of their season.

That the Giants fell is no surprise considering the degree of the stinker they laid against the Lions. But it’s fair to wonder if, after peaking at 7-2 by the midpoint of the season, just what kind of finish the Giants are looking at.

The Giants were hit hard Sunday by injury—heck, the injury bug hasn’t been kind to them at all this year, as they are again in the top five of most injured teams according to ManGamesLost, behind the Seahawks, Saints, Ravens, and Titans.

And as is usually the case, it’s not so much the number of injuries, but the players affected. The Giants lost rookie receiver Wan’Dale Robinson to a torn ACL, depleting an already shaky receiving corps. They are also currently without starting safety Xavier McKinney (on NFI) and will be without their top cornerback Adoree’ Jackson (knee) for at least four weeks, per reports.

The offensive line, which has been hit-and-miss this season, is banged up. They’re missing tight end Daniel Bellinger (eye) big time. And with the hardest remaining strength of schedule (.678), it’s fair to wonder how much magic head coach Brian Daboll and his staff have left in their schemes and motivational tactics to help this team cross the finish line and get its first postseason berth since 2016.

Regardless of how things end up, the first year of the Daboll-Joe Schoen era has been a success. Most people expected the Giants to win about four games; instead, the Giants have been playing with house money this year. Despite inheriting an awful salary cap situation, Schoen has made the most of his resources and has given the Giants fans something to be hopeful for not only this year but beyond.

Regardless of what these last few weeks of the season hold for the Giants, it’s been a fun ride. And who knows? Maybe this team will find a way to get to its first double-digit win season since 2016, which would be way more than most everyone thought possible at the start of the season.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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