Sports Verdict: Which Team Has A Better Chance At The Playoffs? Giants Vs. Jets
By Christian S. Kohl
Fans in New York never want to abandon thoughts of the postseason this early into any season. As frustrated as they may be, the hope of a postseason run remains in the minds of the fans of both New York NFL teams. The question is, which team has the best chance at making a playoff run: the Giants or Jets?
The Jets were considered to be one of the very worst teams heading into this season. Many likened them to the Jaguars, and questioned if they would even be able to win a game this year. Missing Mark Sanchez, the Jets currently sit in second place in the division at 4-4 to the surprise of many, despite a slew of key injuries and the inconsistency of young yet promising quarterback Geno Smith.
The Giants have also seen their share of injuries, absolutely decimated at the RB position and struggling with a piecemeal offensive line. They sit at a very surprising 2-6, and are currently battling hard to find any semblance of footing. A playoff run seems to be a distant thought at the moment.
The best thing working in the favor of the Giants is that the NFC East is terrible. Dallas sits atop the division at 4-4, continuing a trend in recent years of featuring a lot of talent which finds new and creative ways to lose year in and year out. Philadelphia and Washington are both complete messes, with no clue what to expect in any given week but more likely to get steamrolled than do the steamrolling. The Giants have a wide range of talent, from their WR to the 2 time Super Bowl Champ Eli Manning as their QB. The Giants are playing below their talent level. The Jets are actually playing substantially above theirs.
To that end, more things need to click for the Jets to sustain a playoff run. Geno Smith needs to improve rapidly and limit turnovers if he is to anchor a contender. Players like Santonio Holmes need to heal quickly and contribute heavily. Lastly, they need to embrace their abilities and remain focused, and calm the circus atmosphere that they never seem able to fully shake. Even though their start may have exceeded initial expectations, they need to build upon it and keep winning key games to emerge in a division which is tougher than what the Giants deal with.
The Giants simply need to relax and play football. Their coach and quarterback are fully acquainted with discipline and execution, and if they can recapture that, they have a chance to put together a run and win the East. They too need to heal up, and fill some gaps on defense. The Giants have the better edge to put together a run and sneak into the postseason. A few things need to click for either team to contend seriously, but Eli is more likely to face a postseason defense than Geno.
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Christian S. Kohl is a sports contributor for CBS Local Digital Media.
