Tag: NEW YORK GIANTS
Giants’ Barkley on season ending: ‘It sucks, this was a fun team’
The season did not end the way the New York Giants wanted it to, but when they look back on it, they will realize it was a success.
New York’s season ended in Philadelphia on Saturday night as they fell to the Eagles 38-7 in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
The Giants, who lost three times to Philadelphia this season, allowed the Eagles to score four touchdowns on their first five drives and trailed 28-0 at halftime. New York was dominated from start to finish.
“Well, crash landing here,” Daboll said after the loss. “Give Philly credit. They did everything better than we did today—tough game. We really got beat in all facets, so it wasn’t one thing in particular. It was a team game, and we just didn’t get it done. Congratulations to Philly. They get to move on, and unfortunately, we don’t.”
After five straight 10-loss seasons, New York was 9-7-1 this year, made the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and got their playoff win since 2011.
Despite the blowout loss, Daboll wanted his team to keep their heads up.
“I told them to keep their heads up,” he said. “They competed hard. It’s a crash landing in the playoffs. Anytime you lose, it hurts because of the amount of effort and energy you put into it each week. And when you lose this time of year, it hurts even more. You work extremely hard to get to this point. You’re blessed to get to this point. It’s hard to do.”
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who can be an unrestricted free agent, showed much improvement this season. He became a better player, and he hopes to continue to grow moving forward.
“I don’t know what I proved,” he said. “I think I improved every week. I thought I was consistent throughout the year. There are certainly things I like to have back, especially tonight. I think there are some things I’ll go back and look to clean up and improve and grow as a player going forward. I thought, overall, I did do that. I grew and improved throughout the year, and I will continue to try and do that.”
Saquon Barkley, who also can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, said the 2022 Giants is a team he won’t forget.
“It sucks, this was a fun team,” he said. “The guys here, coaches, everything that we were able to build this year. The way we played for each other this year, it was special. Obviously, it didn’t end the way we would have wanted it to end. Not just because of the record or because we made it to playoffs, this is probably one of my favorite teams of all time. That’s a sad thing about the NFL; no matter what, the locker room is not going to be the exact same next year. So just happy to be able to go out there with these guys and lay it all out on the line and compete with them.”
The Giants’ season was a success the moment they beat the Colts and clinched a playoff spot; they should hold their heads high. The future seems bright in New York.
Eagles’ Sirianni on Hurts: ‘He is like a point guard’
The week’s talk in Philadelphia was about the health of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts(shoulder). Would the Eagles be able to run their full offense with Hurts in the lineup? Well, on Saturday night against the New York Giants in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, he answered the question, and it was a resounding, Yes!
Hurts was 16/24 for 154 yards, two touchdowns, and he also rushed for 34 yards and a touchdown, and the Eagles scored touchdowns on four of their five first-half drives as Philadelphia routed the Giants 38-7 at Lincoln Financial Field to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 2017.
The Eagles defeated the Giants three times this season and outscored them 108-45 in those three games.
With Hurts in the lineup, the running game was potent as they rushed for 268 yards, which is second-most in team playoff history. Kenneth Gainwell ran for 112 yards and a touchdown; Miles Sanders had 90 yards, and Boston Scott added a rushing touchdown.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni says Hurts distributes like a point guard.
“Jalen [Hurts] is always going to help the running game big time because of what he can do and the threat he poses on the backside,” Sirianni said. “Even if he is not carrying it or even if he is not having runs to him, he is still going to affect the game. That’s what he did. He affected the game because he demands attention on the backside. Not only that, but he runs the show out there. He is like a point guard. He is getting us to good checks. We have checks on. That’s a good defense. They pose a lot of problems.”
According to Sirianni, Hurts’ impact is Jordan-like.
“To have him out there is like — I know this is high praise, but to have him out there is like having — I shouldn’t even go there — it’s like having Michael Jordan out there,” he said. “He’s your leader. He’s your guy.
“Hopefully that’s the biggest respect I can pay to him comparing his ability to being on the field to a Michael Jordan type. This guy leads. He brings this calmness to the entire team. He plays great football. He’s as tough as they come.
“Yeah, I mean, to me, nobody has played any better football than him this year.”
Sanders said Hurts looked like himself against the Giants.
“Seemed like the old Jalen to me,” he said. “I’m not going to lie. Just proud of him. He asks everybody for their best, and we’re going to do that just for him because he gives us our best.”
Hurts knows that opportunities to get to the Super Bowl don’t always come, and the Eagles must seize the moment.
“You work really hard for these opportunities,” he said. “They’re not a dime a dozen. You work really hard for them, and I’m just very eager to continue to grow. I’m eager to go through anything and everything with this group. It’s a special thing, it’s a special feeling, and it’s a special type of togetherness that we have, and I don’t think it’s something that I’ve experienced quite like this for sure on the NFL level. We just want to continue to grow together, hold each other accountable, and believe in one another. I think we just came out hungry.”
The Eagles had more talent and were better than the Giants, so this result is not unexpected. However, the next round will be challenging, and they must keep that hunger.
Giants’ Barkley on Eagles: ‘They’re the number-one team in the NFC for a reason’
When the season started, not many people expected the New York Giants to be two games away from getting to the Super Bowl, but after defeating the Minnesota Vikings on the road in the Wild Card Round last Sunday, the Giants are, in fact, two games away from a Super Bowl.
Defeating the Vikings was challenging, and beating the Eagles, who are the number one seed in the NFC, might be even more difficult as the Giants travel down I-95 to face their division rivals at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday night in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
The Giants were swept in the regular season by the Eagles, including a 26-point loss in Week 14 at MetLife Stadium.
Giants running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for only 28 yards in that Week 14 blowout, knows that defeating the Eagles won’t be easy.
“Obviously, the first game, they got up right away,” he said Wednesday. “Offensively, I think we did some pretty good stuff, but we could be a little more consistent. At the end of the day, we know they’re a talented team. They have how many pro bowlers? How many all-pros? They’re the number-one team in the NFC for a reason. It’s going to be a tough challenge.”
At this point, according to Barkley, the Giants are a confident bunch.
“Yeah, we’re a very confident team,” Barkley said. “We’ve kind of been that way throughout the whole season. Had our ups and downs, faced adversity, but our mindset has kind of been the same – just continue to come out, go out there with a competitive mindset, believe in each other, and that gives us the best opportunity.”
In 2022, the Giants made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 and won their first playoff game since 2011. As stated numerous times by many, no matter what happens on Saturday night, the Giants’ season is a success. However, Barkley is still hungry for more.
“We’re here for a reason,” Barkley said. “You’ve got to win football games to get into the playoffs. No one is just invited; you’ve got to get in. We got in, to make it to where you want to go – you’ve got to win, or you go home. We did that the first round, and now we’ve got another opportunity in the second round.”
Barkley is a Pennsylvania native, so he knows very well how hostile that Philly crowd will be on Saturday night.
“Their fan base is crazy,” he said. “They’re going to be loud; there’s going to be cheers, there’s going to be boos. There might be some double birds… I expect it to be a hostile environment. It’s the playoffs. That’s how it’s going to be. You know how Philly fans are. Growing up in Pennsylvania, obviously, I wasn’t a Philly fan growing up, but had a lot of Philly fans – I know how passionate they are. It’s going to be fun.”
Talent-wise, it’s not close; the Eagles are the more talented team. However, the Giants play hard and are well-coached, so they have a shot, but they will have to play their best game of the season to do it.
Eagles’ Hurts: ‘I got a bounty on me every week I go out there on the field’
Last season, in his first year as a full-time starter, Jalen Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to the playoffs. However, their stay in the playoffs was brief.
Hurts and the Eagles would get blown out by the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. At one point in that game, Philadelphia was down 31-0 and would ultimately lose 31-15 on the road.
In that contest, Hurts could have been better. He finished 23/43 for 258 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Many of those yards came during garbage time.
After that loss, Hurts had this to say:
“I’ll say it again, nobody wants to end their season this way,” he said. “I hate this feeling. I hate this feeling. But, you never waste a mistake, and I do a pretty good job of trying not to do that. I try not to waste a mistake, so just learn from it.”
What a difference a year makes!
This season, Hurts returned a better player, and now the Eagles, who have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC, start their playoff journey on Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field against the New York Giants in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
On Tuesday, Hurts discussed what he learned from that playoff loss to Tampa Bay.
“There was a ton that I learned from, and I took away from that going into the offseason,” he said. “I think it’s helpful for us to have experienced that together as a team and to have a lot of guys back. A lot of guys, like a Jason Kelce, decides to stay because he sees something in what he’s played with and the potential of what could be.”
The best news from Tuesday is that Hurts(shoulder) is not on the team’s injury report, and when asked about the shoulder, he said the following:
“Feeling good.”
Knowing that Hurts is not 100%, the Giants might target his injured shoulder. However, Hurts is not concerned.
“I got a bounty on me every week I go out there on the field,” he said. So, I’m going to go out there and play my game, so whatever happens, happens.”
The playoffs are where you make a name for yourself. Yes, Hurts played like an MVP this season, but if he falters in the postseason, none of that matters, but as he said, he’s not going to waste a mistake, so expect a big performance from him against the Giants.
Giants’ Barkley on Jones: ‘I know we have an elite quarterback’
For the first time since 2016, the New York Giants were in the playoffs, and for the first time since 2011, the New York Giants got a playoff win as they defeated the Vikings 31-24 in the Wild Card round of the playoffs on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
With the win, the Giants advance to a divisional round game at Philadelphia next Saturday night.
New York lost to the Vikings on Christmas Eve in Minnesota when kicker Greg Joseph hit a 61-yard field goal at the buzzer, but this game was a different story because of the play of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones.
In his playoff debut, Jones was outstanding. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, he ran for 78 yards(team record for a quarterback in the postseason) on 17 carries. He is the fifth quarterback in the Super Bowl era with 200-plus pass yards, two-plus touchdown passes and 70-plus rushing yards in a playoff game.
After the win, Saquon Barkley, who ran for 53 yards and two touchdowns, including a 28-yard scamper in the first quarter and the game-winning two-yard touchdown run in the fourth, was impressed by Jones.
“I would say I’m impressed,” Barkley said about Jones. “I’m not shocked. He’s been doing it all year. He’s really a special player. You know what a way to start it off. I’m happy for him and proud of him, and we’re going to need him and keep leaning on him.”
Giants head coach Brian Daboll was proud of Jones.
“Daniel, I’ve said it all year; he’s been good for us,” Daboll said. “Continues to be good for us. He played a good game. I think there was a lot of other people that played good games to help him play a good game, and he’ll be the first to admit it. But as a leader on our football team, I’m proud of him.”
Barkley believes the Giants have an elite quarterback.
“I know we have an elite quarterback,” Barkley said. “I think he’s shown that most of the time. But we’ve also got amazing players around, too, so we”ve got his back no matter what.”
The fourth-year quarterback is happy with the win but knows more work needs to be done.
“I think it’s a big win for us,” he said. “Obviously, a big playoff game. I thought we played well in all three phases and did enough to win the game. We’ll enjoy it tonight, but we have a lot of work to do moving forward.”
The Giants were swept by the Eagles this season, including a 48-22 beatdown at MetLife Stadium; Jones is excited to get another crack at Philadelphia.
“We’re excited,” he said. “They’re a good team. A divisional opponent. We’ll prepare this week like we do any week and be as prepared as we can going in.”
The Giants continue to play with house money. No one expected them to win a playoff game when the season started. However, many believed the Vikings were a beatable team in this spot, and New York took advantage of it.
Back to Jones, he was exceptional against Minnesota, but Philly will be a bigger test, and we will see if Jones and the Giants can pass it.
Notes:
-This was the Giants’ first victory this season against a team in the NFC playoff field; they had been 0-6 vs. Dallas, Philadelphia, Seattle and Minnesota.
-The Giants totaled 431 offense yards, a figure they exceeded just twice in the regular season – 445 against the Vikings here on Dec. 24 and 436 yards at Jacksonville on Oct. 23.
-The Giants’ 31 points are their second-highest total of the season and the second time they exceeded 30 points
NFL announces schedule for Divisional Round of Playoffs
After Sunday’s action, the NFL finalized the schedule for the Divisional Playoffs on January 21-22 and the Championship Games on January 29.
Saturday, January 21
AFC: 4:30 PM (ET) Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs (NBC, Peacock, Universo)
NFC: 8:15 PM (ET) New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (FOX, FOX Deportes)
Sunday, January 22
AFC: 3:00 PM (ET) Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills (CBS, Paramount+)
NFC: 6:30 PM (ET) Dallas/Tampa Bay at San Francisco 49ers (FOX, FOX Deportes)
The AFC and NFC Championship Games will take place on Sunday, January 29
Sunday, January 29
NFC: 3:00 PM (ET) NFC Championship (FOX, FOX Deportes)
AFC: 6:30 PM (ET) AFC Championship (CBS, Paramount+)
Giants’ Jones: ‘I think we’re definitely not satisfied just to have made the playoffs’
For the first three years of his career, the Wednesday after the end of the regular season has been when Giants quarterback Daniel Jones would be prepping for the offseason, but things are a little different for Jones this time.
Jones will get his first playoff start on Sunday when the Giants travel to Minnesota to battle the Vikings in the Wild Card Round of the NFC Playoffs. The fourth-year quarterback is looking forward to the opportunity and is happy to be preparing for a playoff game.
“I think it means a lot to all of us – a lot of guys who have been here these past few years,” Jones said Wednesday about preparing for the playoffs. “And to be on the other side of it, it means a lot. It’s about what we do now, from this point on, and how we handle this opportunity, how we prepare, and ultimately how we play how we execute on Sunday. We’re certainly happy we are where we are. But there’s a lot more. We got to do a lot more work left for us.”
The 25-year-old Jones can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so a playoff win could earn him some more money in the offseason, and while he’s never been to the playoffs, Jones knows what’s at stake. It’s win or go home.
“I think everyone understands where we are now,” he said. “We’re in the playoffs. We’re past the regular season. The games mean more from the sense that you lose; you go home. So, people understand that. They understand what’s at stake. But the only way we’re going to play as well as we want to play is to prepare how we have all year, to trust our process, and stick to that. So, that’s largely been the conversation amongst the guys.”
The first three seasons for Jones were not pretty. He struggled with turnovers, and New York lost ten or more games in each of those seasons, but through all the struggles, Jones knew things would turn around for New York.
“I think I was always confident this would happen, and we would have this chance, largely because the guys we have in the locker room, the type of guys they are, and how close we are as a group,” he said. “We had some tough years, but I think we learned a lot. That’s helped us get to where we are now. I think (I’ve) just always been confident in the group, the type of guys that we have, and ultimately that that would lead to success.”
Not many people expected the Giants to make the playoffs, so to some, the season is a success, and New York should be satisfied to just to make the postseason, but like his teammates, Jones wants more.
“I think we’re definitely not satisfied just to have made the playoffs,” he said. “That’s not how we see it as a group. We were confident in our team dating back to training camp and knew what we were able to accomplish. We’re by no means satisfied just to be in the playoffs. We expect to play well and to win. And that’s our expectation every week; that doesn’t change this week.”
The Giants have defied the odds to this point, so maybe they will keep defying the odds this week and beyond.
Eagles’ Sirianni on Hurts in playoffs: ‘He’s going to be a little bit healthier than what he was obviously the other day’
Leaders step up when needed, and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is one of the leaders for the team, and they needed his leadership and his talent to win the NFC East, get the number one seed in the NFC, and secure a first-round bye.
Hurts helped make all that happen as the Eagles defeated the Giants 22-16 at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday. Clearly, Hurts, who threw for 229 yards, including an interception against New York, was not 100%, and according to his head coach Nick Sirianni, he was sore after the game, which was expected; however, Hurts gutted through the pain for his teammates.
“We are fortunate that we have two weeks till the next time we play, depending on if it’s Saturday or Sunday,” Sirianni said on Tuesday. “We’re fortunate there. Again, he’s going to be a little bit healthier than what he was obviously the other day.
“He came out sore, as expected. He came out of that game sore because it’s still healing, right? Like, we didn’t feel like we were putting him at any more risk of getting more injured, but we knew it was going to hurt him like hell; he knew it was going to hurt him like hell. That’s the kind of player he is; that’s the kind of teammate he is. He fought through it because it was important for him to be out there; he knew how important it was for him and his teammates to be out there.”
To advance in the playoffs, the Eagles need Hurts to be as close to 100% as possible. They need him to play like the guy that is an MVP candidate; Hurts is at his best when he’s is using both his arm and legs. He used his legs against the Giants, but he did not have any designed runs, which, if he’s healthy, will likely be a part of the offense.
NFL announces 2023 opponents for each team
The 2022 NFL regular season came to a close on Sunday. Some teams will look to the playoffs, while most teams head to the offseason and look to next season.
The league announced the opponents for all 32 teams for the 2023 season on Monday.
Below are the 2023 scheduling rotation and team-by-team opponents:
2023 SCHEDULING ROTATION BY DIVISION
AFCEAST |
Intraconference |
AFC WEST |
Interconference |
NFC EAST | |
17th game |
NFC SOUTH | |
AFCNORTH |
Intraconference |
AFC SOUTH |
Interconference |
NFC WEST | |
17th game |
NFC NORTH | |
AFCSOUTH |
Intraconference |
AFC NORTH |
Interconference |
NFC SOUTH | |
17th game |
NFC WEST | |
AFCWEST |
Intraconference |
AFC EAST |
Interconference |
NFC NORTH | |
17th game |
NFC EAST | |
NFCEAST |
Intraconference |
NFC WEST |
Interconference |
AFC EAST | |
17th game |
AFC WEST | |
NFCNORTH |
Intraconference |
NFC SOUTH |
Interconference |
AFC WEST | |
17th game |
AFC NORTH | |
NFCSOUTH |
Intraconference |
NFC NORTH |
Interconference |
AFC SOUTH | |
17th game |
AFC EAST | |
NFCWEST |
Intraconference |
NFC EAST |
Interconference |
AFC NORTH | |
17th game |
AFC SOUTH |
2023 OPPONENTS
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
Miami Dolphins
Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans
Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commander
New England Patriots
Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Jets
Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders
Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants
2023 OPPONENTS
AFC NORTH
Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans
Baltimore Ravens
Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks
Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans
Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Cleveland Browns
Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans
Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks
2023 OPPONENTS
AFC SOUTH
Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers
Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks
Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Indianapolis Colts
Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots
Houston Texans
Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets
2023 OPPONENTS
AFC WEST
Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles
Away: Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Los Angeles Chargers