New York Giants: Ranking Potential Playoff Opponents

With the postseason just around the corner, here’s a look at five potential postseason opponents for the New York Giants.

At 10-4, the New York Giants are on the verge of clinching their first playoff berth in five years. Barring a collapse from the Dallas Cowboys in the final two weeks, the Giants are likely to end up with a wild card berth in the NFC.

As such, what better exercise than to rank which teams New York would prefer to see in the postseason? I begin with teams the Giants would most want to avoid before moving to more favorable matchups.

5. Seattle Seahawks

Going into Seattle to face the 12th Man and the heralded “Legion of Boom” has proven to be an impossible task. The Seahawks are 7-0 at home this season. Even with Earl Thomas out with a broken leg, Eli Manning and the Giants want no part of this defense until the NFC Championship Game.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell argues that Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett would pose the biggest matchup problems for the Giants in this game. The Giants have yet to prove they can win on the road.

4. Dallas Cowboys

Yes, I am aware of the fact the Giants defeated the Cowboys twice this season. Dallas still has the NFL’s best offensive line and the best rookie running back since Adrian Peterson. There’s also the X-Factor sitting on the bench in Tony Romo. Jerry Jones has said that he thinks Romo will indeed play a role at some point this season.

3. Atlanta Falcons

At 9-5, the Falcons currently have a one-game lead over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. Atlanta has one of the strongest offenses in the league, as they lead the league in points per game and are second in total yards. Matt Ryan is an MVP candidate and Julio Jones is a likely to be an All-Pro.

Even with the rise of the Giants’ defense, I have some concerns about whether the Giants have enough to match the Falcons’ offensive prowess. Furthermore, Vic Beasley is quietly having a monster year on the defensive side of the ball with 14.5 sacks.

2. Green Bay Packers

The Giants have a history of going into Lambeau and winning in January. See: 2007 NFC Championship Game and 2011 NFC Divisional Round.

With that being said, Aaron Rodgers strikes the fear of God in me. He’s one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. What’s less intimidating is that Green Bay is using a wide receiver as its starting running back.

Green Bay’s secondary has also been plagued by injuries this season, and has no one to cover Odell Beckham Jr.

1. Detroit Lions

We saw how the Giants shut down the Lions this past weekend. Detroit hasn’t won a playoff game in my lifetime, and of the teams on this list, they scare me the least.

With two tough games against Dallas and Green Bay in the last two weeks, the Lions might actually miss out on the postseason entirely.