For a team that’s 2-13 and currently holds the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, the New York Giants are just as motivated to win on Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts, who are fighting for a winning season and a possible playoff spot.
It’s simple.
The Giants are tired of losing as they head into the second-to-last game of a tough season. They have lost a franchise-record 10 straight games and have dropped all eight of their home games at MetLife Stadium. They don’t want the Colts (7-8) to add to their misery.
The only time the Giants were winless at home in their 100-year history was in 1974, when they played a season at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, while their new stadium, Giants Stadium, was being built.
“You definitely don’t want to have lowlights, you know, so this year hasn’t gone as planned,” said Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. “But I think we just continue to give it our best foot forward and making sure we go out there and try to get a win.”
Drew Lock, who will make his second straight start despite throwing two pick-6s in a 34-7 loss to the Falcons, said players don’t like losing.
“It’s not extra emphasis whether it’s at home or away,” he said. “When you’re on a losing streak, you want to get that win. Like I said, whether it’s at home or away, you’re fighting every week for a win. And if you do lose, flush it and learn from it and move on.”
Indianapolis has a slim chance of making the playoffs. The Colts need to win their remaining games and get some help. They could be eliminated by Saturday if the Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) win at New England (3-12) and the Denver Broncos (9-6) beat the Bengals (7-8) in Cincinnati.
“We’ve got to control what we can control, and that’s what matters,” said Colts coach Shane Steichen, whose team is coming off a 38-30 win over the Titans.
Indianapolis is making its third trip to the Northeast in six weeks and a rare second visit to MetLife Stadium. The Colts hope this weekend goes as well as their first two trips.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson scored on a 4-yard run with 46 seconds left to help the Colts beat the Jets 28-27 on Nov. 17. Two weeks later, he did it again with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce with 12 seconds left, then ran in a 2-point conversion to win 25-24 at New England.
Steichen believes in Richardson’s ability to perform in clutch moments.
“I think that’s a special trait — obviously as a young player, that he doesn’t flinch in those times,” Steichen said.
