While the Giants have a 14.4 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN.com's playoff predictor , the critics will tell you the Giants don't deserve to make the playoffs after posting a first-half record of 6-2 and then going 2-5 down the stretch. Giants fans, however, will kindly remind you of the 2007 season, when the team went through stretches of 0-2, 6-0 and 4-4 in the regular season on the way to a Super Bowl victory. So maybe it doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you get there. The Giants will be thinking about that on Sunday as they try to take care of business against the Eagles at 1 p.m. ET and then turn their attention to the scoreboard, since New York needs assistance from the Lions, Packers and Redskins.

Of the outcomes needed for the Giants to make the playoffs, which is least likely to happen?

•  
  13%
  Giants beat Eagles
•  
  13%
  Cowboys lose to Redskins
•  
  11%
  Vikings lose to Packers
•  
  63%
  Bears lose to Lions

(Total votes: 6,778)

Which team will win Sunday's game at Philadelphia?

•  
  73%
  Giants
•  
  27%
  Eagles

(Total votes: 20,546)

Which team will win Sunday's game at Washington?

•  
  29%
  Cowboys
•  
  71%
  Redskins

(Total votes: 368,341)

Which team will win Sunday's game at Green Bay?

•  
  66%
  Packers
•  
  34%
  Vikings

(Total votes: 20,131)

Which team will win Sunday's game at Detroit?

•  
  64%
  Bears
•  
  36%
  Lions

(Total votes: 20,719)

On Friday, ESPN's "First Take" debated which team would win the matchup between the Giants and Ravens this weekend. The game has playoff implications for the Giants, and the Ravens are trying to halt a disturbing free fall. Stephen A. Smith and Christian Fauria tentatively have the Giants winning, though the team is something of an offensive mess. Skip Bayless sees it as a contest of which team can lose the least, and he's not totally loving what he's hearing from the Giants, but he has no confidence in Joe Flacco. What's your take?

The Redskins' close win Monday night over the Giants made the NFC East race a lot more interesting. Robert Griffin III's heroics (along with a little bit of luck -- he's pretty darn good, but when one of your teammates turns your fumble into a touchdown, you can't exactly attribute that to proper preparation) brought the Redskins to 6-6, with the Giants just barely ahead at 7-5. That's not even taking into account the Cowboys, who are suddenly competitive at 6-6 after defeating a disorganized Eagles squad.

Will the Redskins (6-6) make the playoffs?

•  
  55%
  Yes
•  
  45%
  No

(Total votes: 61,878)

Which team will win the NFC East?

•  
  55%
  Giants (7-5)
•  
  10%
  Cowboys (6-6)
•  
  35%
  Redskins (6-6)

(Total votes: 65,032)

Which quarterback is having the better rookie season?

•  
  44%
  Robert Griffin III
•  
  56%
  Andrew Luck

(Total votes: 105,924)

How does one go about campaigning for a trip to the Pro Bowl besides showing up on Sundays? Catching a football dropped out a plane is a start. New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz did just that, and wouldn't you know, it was caught on video! Watch and vote!

On Wednesday, ESPN's "First Take" debated whether Eli Manning is an elite quarterback. Former Giants QB Phil Simms was critical of Manning's play, saying that he wasn't a player who could make an unbelievable play by himself. Skip Bayless thinks Simms is out of bounds, as Manning's résumé (two Super Bowl wins in which he made a number of excellent clutch plays) stands on its own. Rob Parker thinks Simms has something of a point, but believes he's overreacting to Manning's less-than-spectacular past two games. What's your take?

On Monday, "First Take" discussed the Giants' 24-20 loss to the Steelers. The Giants had been on a bit of a roll lately after wins over the Redskins and the Cowboys, but looking back, they just eked out a victory in both games. Stephen A. Smith isn't too worried, as the Giants won the Super Bowl last year after losing four straight games, and they're still in first place in a division in which every other team has serious problems. Skip Bayless disagrees -- he thinks the Giants should be very concerned, as he's only seen them play one impressive game on the road, and they haven't even been all that good at home. What's your take?

No one was really happy at the end of the Giants' 29-24 win over the Cowboys on Sunday. Jason Garrett wasn't happy because his team lost. Tony Romo wasn't happy because he threw four interceptions. Dez Bryant wasn't happy because his game-winning touchdown was negated because his pinkie finger was out of bounds. Tom Coughlin wasn't happy because Tom Coughlin is rarely happy, but mainly because his team blew a 23-point lead. All in all, it seemed like this game was one of those matchups that could tell you an awful lot about both teams -- it's just that, as a fan of either, you might not want to hear it.

How concerned should the Giants be about blowing a 23-point lead before coming back to win in Dallas?

•  
  26%
  Very concerned
•  
  56%
  A little concerned
•  
  18%
  Not at all concerned

(Total votes: 58,237)

• pettsmagee: "that game characterized both teams so well: cowboys finding new ways to come up just short, giants barely winning on a lucky play"
• jeffrey talkington: "I just wonder when Dallas don't make the playoffs this year what is Jerry Gonna do? Get rid of Garrett? Get rid of Romo? or both? or just keep being delusional and think they are the best he can find as Coach and QB, cause this is getting old and played out. I'm beginning to think Jerry don't care about winning than he does about making billions his Stadium can generate?"
• bumeri: "This game did more damage to the Giants than the Cowboys ..... Cowboys exposed the Giants badly ... The secondary can't cover anything, the linebackers can't cover tight ends and wait once they play all those passing teams "
• rgctx: "Same old song and dance. Cowboys beat the Giants in every phase except the scoreboard. This team has a knack for snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory. It is getting old."
• ScratchMeh: "Cowboys need to fire their coach they had the ball in the red zone on 2nd and 1 with a minute left with timeouts to burn and they throw the ball 3 times and Romo ends up getting intercepted I'm not a fan of either team but the cowboys coach lost them that game."

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On Friday, "First Take" discussed the marquee matchup between the Giants and the Cowboys this Sunday. Dallas won the last matchup, but the fortunes of the two teams have diverged since then. Stephen A. Smith doesn't believe there's any way the Giants lose for a second time to the Cowboys, even if they have to go on the road -- in fact, he doesn't even expect it to be a thriller. Skip Bayless is hanging on to the fact that Tony Romo outplayed Eli Manning in their first meeting this season. What's your take?

On Monday, "First Take" discussed the Giants' status after a dominating win over the 49ers. Stephen A. Smith thinks the Giants are the best team in the league, at least if they keep playing defense the way they did in San Francisco. Skip Bayless had the 49ers barely winning this game, but he definitely thinks the Giants are tops in the league right now. That's even taking into account the Falcons, who remain undefeated through six weeks. What's your take?