The Giants are facing the end Sunday in Kansas City.
They don't want to concede as much and that's understandable. But if the sheer desperation of the moment is not enough to drive the 0-3 Giants to their first victory of the year when they play the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, then their 2013 season will unofficially end in Kansas City at virtually the same time of day the Yankees' playoff-less disappointment will come to its official end in Houston.
From the outside looking in, it does not look good for the Giants Sunday, and that means it does not look good for the rest of the season. Two of their offensive line starters — guard Chris Snee and center David Baas — were ruled out Friday with injuries and a third key piece, tackle David Diehl, is very iffy to play. Adding to the malaise, the Giants' high-priced left tackle Will Beatty was a turnstile trying to block for Eli Manning last week.
On top of all this, Arrowhead Stadium is one of the loudest, most difficult road stadiums for a weakened offensive line to play in.
So, after a week when the Panthers teed off on Manning up as their personal punching bag in a 38-0 shellacking, beware of the hungry Chiefs on Sunday. Kansas City, 3-0, has been resting and practicing for 10 days since its last game.
Given all these issues, Manning might be in for another run for his life.
But this is for sure: The Giants cannot go 0-4 and expect to make the playoffs.
Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, only one team — the 1992 Chargers — started a season 0-4 and made it to the playoffs, going 11-5 and winning the AFC West.
One team in 43 years. Do the math — 0-4 means it's over. It means 0-for-the-last-two-postseasons since they won the Super Bowl three years ago.
A Giants loss Sunday ends not only their realistic playoff chances, but it surely ends the way we have known this team for the last few years, dating back to its second Super Bowl win in five years.
It surely will lead to an eventual change in personnel, possibly with fading core veterans such as defensive end Justin Tuck gone and playmakers such as Hakeem Nicks not re-signed. Perhaps, too, some of Tom Coughlin's coaching staff takes a scapegoat hit and — we cannot rule this out however unlikely it seems — Coughlin possibly does not come back.
A more intimidating factor than all of the above is the fact the Giants' margin for error is almost nonexistent. They are walking on a tightrope without a net below. That makes for excruciating pressure. How will this team handle it?
"We can't worry about being 0-4. If we go in there with that mindset then we're already at a disadvantage,'' Giants safety Antrel Rolle said Friday.
"This is a must win, let's make no mistake about it,'' Giants safety Ryan Mundy said. "We need this game. We need to get back on track and start stacking some wins.''
The Giants have to start with one, save their season for the moment on Sunday and move on from there.
Coughlin, who many incorrectly perceive as always dour and disciplining, sensed the gravity of the situation and was upbeat all week in an effort to raise his players' spirits for Sunday.
"If you start dwelling on all that [negative] stuff … they are young athletes and the main thing is you don't want people tied up; they've got to go play,'' Coughlin said. "They're not going to be successful unless they come out of their shell and play and don't worry about it. Let me worry about the errors and what to say. You go play the game. I'll take it on my shoulders. That's been the way we've approached it.
"It's easy to stay down and feel sorry for yourself. The difficult thing is to come back and stand up and be positive and try to inspire people to overcome the obstacles … and to do it as one.''
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