Giants, Jets survive despite uninspiring performances -- and that's what it's all about
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul and Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick are seen in this composite image after their wins on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015. Credit: AP / Phelan M. Ebenhack; Jim McIsaac
History will not remember the New York-area football events of Nov. 8, 2015. Heck, by December of 2015 we probably won't recall much about that early November afternoon.
Two mediocre, nondescript, rivalry-free opponents showed up on the Jets' and Giants' schedules. The Jets and Giants responded with two nondescript performances -- ones good enough to win but not inspire.
Let's have a show of hands to vote on the day's most interesting story lines. [See what I did there?]
They were the Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul seeing his first action since injuring his right hand in a fireworks accident on July 4 and the Jets' Ryan Fitzpatrick playing effectively through a torn left thumb ligament that soon might require surgery.
So, to sum up: meh.
But in the bigger picture the victories over the Jaguars and Buccaneers mattered a great deal. On the first Sunday of the rest of our post-Mets lives, the Jets and Giants did what they had to do to give us a football season around here.
Lose and the Jets would have tumbled to .500, in the middle of the wild-card muck, with a three-game losing streak hanging over their heads.
Win and they are the top wild-card team, with Rex Ryan's Bills hitting town Thursday to provide all sorts of narrative deliciousness.
Lose and the Giants would have fallen out of first place once the Eagles won Sunday night, with Tom Coughlin's future very much in question, and another dreary December staring them in the face.
Win and they remain alone atop the NFC East, with Bill Belichick's Patriots hitting town Sunday to expose another of their flashy undefeated records to their most maddening opponent.
Even if the local 11s lose this week, they are likely to remain relevant for several more weeks at a minimum, or at least until they play each other Dec. 6. All thanks to what they did against the Jags and Bucs.
It could be much worse -- like actually BEING the Jags or Bucs. Former Jets general manager John Idzik was at MetLife Stadium on Sunday in his role as special assistant to the Jaguars GM.
Idzik declined to comment on his return before watching the game from the press box; afterward he found himself stuck taking an elevator down to the locker room in the midst of some of his old pals from the New York media. Awks!
Jets coach Todd Bowles did not seem impressed with what he saw Sunday, although with him it is difficult to tell. Emotive he is not. In this case, though, his tone fit the occasion.
Asked to assess the game, he said, "We won. That's the biggest thing. There were some sloppy things that we have to clean up."
They will have to do so in the face of a long list of injuries, much as the Bills will have to do. And the Giants, come to think of it.
The pro football season is shorter in calendar terms than those of its baseball, basketball and hockey counterparts. But surviving it is far more difficult.
That is what the Jets and Giants did Sunday, on the scoreboard. The trainers' room is the next challenge.
But for those of us who only watch, it's all good. Two teams, two weeks before Thanksgiving, both of which thanks to Sunday's results would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.
Which it doesn't. But that's the fun of it, right?
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
