The Giants’ 2018 season is off to a bad start

If you’re still bummed about the Philadelphia Eagles losing today, allow me to remind you it could always be worse.

The New York Giants dropped to 0-2 after losing to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday evening.

0-2 might not seem like an insurmountable hole to climb out of, but history indicates otherwise. Optimum Scouting had a good write-up on this topic last week:

Since 2009, only 6 of 77 teams which started the season with a 0-2 record (8.5 percent) made it to the playoffs. That also means that 94.4% percent of playoff teams (102 of 108) avoided starting the season off with back-to-back losses. While it may seem superficial, or even disappointing, that a season can basically be over after an eight-day span, that is the nature of the NFL’s structure.

Finding themselves in an up-hill battle to make the postseason just a couple weeks into the 2018 campaign, the Giants look even sillier for going all in on Eli Manning this past offseason. It’s very evident the 37-year-old’s best days are behind him. Through the first two games of the season, Manning has completed 56 of 81 attempts for 502 yards, one touchdown (in garbage time), one interception, and a 84.5 passer rating.

The G-Men (with help from the Eagles) foolishly convinced themselves into thinking Manning was still the answer for them. They went as far to pass on a franchise quarterback at No. 2 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft and take a running back instead. Speaking of, Saquon Barkley had 11 carries for 28 yards and 14 receptions for 80 yards on Sunday night. Those figures come out to unimpressive averages of 2.7 and 5.7, respectively.

The Giants are dead last in the NFC East at 0-2. Based on way-too-early tie-breakers, the Eagles are only right ahead of them in third. The Cowboys are technically first (boo) because they have a division win while Washington is second because they’re still undefeated in NFC games.

But those teams can have their minor victories for now. The feeling here is that the Eagles are still the best team in the division, especially with Carson Wentz returning soon. It’s only a matter of time before the Eagles reclaim their lead.

UPDATED NFC EAST STANDINGS

1 - Dallas Cowboys: 1-1 overall, 1-0 conference, 1-0 division

2 - Washington Redskins: 1-1 overall, 1-0 conference, 0-0 division

3 - Philadelphia Eagles: 1-1 overall, 1-1 conference, 0-0 division

4 - New York Giants: 0-2 overall, 0-1 conference, 0-1 division