Giants Extremely Lucky to Still Have Shot at Playoffs

 GIANTS 23 - COWBOYS 19 

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. And in the case of the 2020 New York Giants that may indeed be the case. Thanks to a horrible decision by Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy for not challenging was a clear trap on the part of Giants wide receiver Dante Pettis, on a 10-yard "completion" at the Dallas 32-yard line, the Cowboys lost out on a shot at winning the NFC East -- pending a Washington loss tonight. 

McCarthy decided not to challenge the play, the completion stood, and Graham Gano converted on a 50-yard field goal to give Big Blue a 23-19 lead with 6:27 to go. Had McCarthy challenged, the Giants would have been out of field goal range. Perhaps punted. Perhaps Dallas gets the ball back down 20-19, needing only a field goal to win it 22-20. But that never happened. 

Instead, Andy Dalton and his blood soaked hand couldn't get Dallas over the finish line. The Cowboys pushed the Giants right to the bring though. Dalton moved Dallas all the way to the Giants 17-yard line before tossing a game killing interception in the end zone on a pass intended for Dalton Schultz that was picked by Xavier McKinney.

But things would only get weirder. 

A fumble by Wayne Gallman on second and five, was initially ruled a recovery by Dallas, but the heads lineman called it a Giants recovery. Review later showed that Gallman not only fell on the ball -- literary - with his rear end, but recovered the loose football on the bottom of the pile. Ball game. 

Quarterback Daniel Jones finished 17-of-29 for 229 yards, two scores and an interception. His 33-yard touchdown to Pettis in the second quarter, where Pettis bobbled the football before rolling into the end zone gave New York an seemingly insurmountable 20-6 advantage. 

Unfortunately, the Giants offense disappeared in the second half, earning only six first downs in the entire half. Evan Engram proved to be a huge culprit as well, getting called for a huge holding call that cost the Giants a first down. In short it was amazing the Giants escaped a near choke job in the final week of the season. 

Now the Giants have to hope and pray that the Eagles - of all teams - beat the Washington Football Team on Sunday night. If that happens, the Giants win the division at 6-10. If Washington wins, the Football Team will win the East at 7-9. 

Future schedule: Well, if the Giants win the NFC East Sunday night, they will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next weekend in the wild card round. 

Beyond that the Giants 2021 opponents are as follows: Home: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, Carolina, Atlanta, Arizona or LA Rams or Seattle, Las Vegas, and Denver. 

Road: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Kansas City, LA Chargers. 

The 2021 season will also introduce the 17th game, and as it stands right now, the NFC East will face an AFC East opponent next year for the 17th game. The Giants will face the Miami Dolphins as a result, since both teams wound up no worse than second place. If the Giants win the NFC East, that opponent will instead be the Buffalo Bills.