Giants improve position by not playing

The Giants may have found the most productive way to improve their standing in the NFC East: Don't play!

Since the first-place Giants last took the field almost two weeks ago, the rest of the division has gone a combined 1-4. That includes Thursday, when blowouts of the Eagles (4-7) and Cowboys (3-8) made the Giants' turkey taste moister and their pies taste sweeter.

It was a far cry from Thanksgiving a year ago, when the Giants were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention before dessert.

Despite the success of the strategy, the Giants (5-5) will have to go back on the field eventually. They will play Washington (4-6) on Sunday, with a Giants loss putting the teams in a virtual tie and a victory giving them a two-game lead with five games remaining.

Insurmountable? Maybe not. But who in the division has shown they can win enough games to overcome that kind of gap?

If the Giants do win the division title, history may look back on this respite as 13 of the most defining days of their season.

Richburg sits

After working on a limited basis Wednesday with a high ankle sprain, center Weston Richburg did not practice Thursday, and it appears he will be unavailable Sunday. "I want to be out there and be in the mix,'' he said Wednesday. "But rest is important for it, so I'm kind of caught in the middle.''

Giant steps

Tight end Larry Donnell (neck), linebacker Mark Herzlich (quadriceps) and guard Justin Pugh (concussion) missed practice. Cornerback Prince Amukamara was a full participant for the second day in a row . . . The Giants have won their last five games against Washington. Does that instill confidence? "I certainly hope so,'' Tom Coughlin said. "But you have to earn it every time you play. Past records mean nothing.''

By Tom Rock

tom.rock@newsday.com@TomRock_Newsday

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.