The New York Giants want to go all out to make a final positive impression in case coach Tom Coughlin’s job is insecure — which it almost certainly is not. How the Washington Redskins respond to Mike Shanahan’s potentially final day as coach is more uncertain.
New York was awful and seemingly disinterested two weeks ago in a home loss to Seattle. But the Giants responded nicely in winning at Detroit to knock the Lions from postseason contention. Many Giants cited their respect for Coughlin, who has won two Super Bowls with them but also has had non-playoff finishes in five seasons at the helm.
“I’m looking ahead,” defensive leader Justin Tuck said. “Anytime you go into a season like this, you always take time out at the end of the year to go over the goods, the bads and the ugly. I’m looking forward to getting back to the top of the heap.
“You have to shift your focus to thinking about what next year can be because, obviously, this year is kind of a lost cause. Again, we’ve got one more game to go, and we’re going to go out there and play it just as if we were a playoff team and needed the win.”
Even if the Redskins (No. 31, AP Pro32) can beat the Giants (No. 24, AP Pro32), who are favored by 3 1/2 points at the Meadowlands, it figures to mean little for Shanahan. Given Washington’s collapse from division champion to 3-12, criticism of the coach’s handling of quarterback Robert Griffin III, and the fact Shanahan is 24-40 in charge in D.C., well, not even a rout of the Giants might matter.
“We’ve got a very mature football team and guys are taking care of business the last couple of weeks,” says Shanahan, whose team has dropped seven in a row. “It’s no different. I like the way they handle themselves. I like the way they prepare. This week will be no different.”
As far as the Redskins losing again, Shanahan is correct.
BEST BET: GIANTS, 24-16
No. 3 San Francisco (plus 3) at No. 10 Arizona
Niners still thinking they can steal NFC West … UPSET SPECIAL: 49ers, 20- 19.
No. 19 St. Louis (plus 10 1/2) at No. 1 Seattle
But Seahawks hold on in NFL’s best division … SEAHAWKS, 21-13.
No. 11 Philadelphia (minus 7) at No. 16 Dallas
Wherefore art thou, Romo? Not in the playoffs … EAGLES, 28-23.
No. 21 New York Jets (plus 6 1/2) at No. 15 Miami
Dolphins grab the final AFC wild-card spot … DOLPHINS, 17-13.
No. 13 Baltimore (plus 6) at No. 6 Cincinnati
Defending champions don’t even get to postseason … BENGALS, 17-14.
No. 4 Carolina (minus 8) at No. 25 Atlanta
From also-ran in 2012 to first-round bye and division crown for … PANTHERS, 27- 20.
No. 26 Tampa Bay (plus 12 1/2) at No. 9 New Orleans
Saints don’t lose at home, where they won’t get to stay in playoffs … SAINTS, 37-20.
No. 22 Buffalo (plus 9 1/2) at No. 5 New England
How did Brady and Belichick get these Patriots to 12 wins? … PATRIOTS, 23- 14.
No. 7 Kansas City (plus 9 1/2) at No. 12 San Diego
Chargers’ late run falls short, Chiefs gear up for postseason … CHARGERS, 27-10.
No. 2 Denver (minus 12 1/2) at No. 30 Oakland
Peyton will settle for 55 TD passes or so. No, not in this game, but for season … BRONCOS, 45-23.
No. 28 Cleveland (plus 7) at No. 18 Pittsburgh
A .500 record means something after 0-4 start for … STEELERS, 28-16.
No. 29 Jacksonville (plus 11 1/2) at No. 8 Indianapolis
After November malaise, Colts seem ready to impress in playoffs … COLTS, 30-15.
No. 32 Houston (plus 7) at No. 23 Tennessee
Texans won their first two, will finish with 14 losses and top overall draft pick … TITANS, 20-10.
Power rankings
AP Pro32-Power Rankings AP Pro32-Power Rankings The Associated Press Pro32 NFL Power Rankings, as voted by a 12-member panel, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 24, total points based on 32 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 32nd-place vote, and previous ranking:
| W | L | T | PtsPvs | ||
| 1. | Seattle (8) | 12 | 3 | 0379 | 1 |
| 2. | Denver (4) | 12 | 3 | 0370 | 2 |
| 3. | San | Francisco | 11 4 | 0355 | 3 |
| 4. | Carolina | 11 | 4 | 0348 | 5 |
| 5. | New | England 11 | 4 | 0344 | 6 |
| 6. | Cincinnati | 10 | 5 | 0304 | 8 |
| 7. | Kansas City | 11 | 4 | 0299 | 4 |
| 8. | Indianapolis | 10 | 5 | 0298 | 9 |
| 9. | New Orleans | 10 | 5 | 0296 | 7 |
| 10. | Arizona | 10 | 5 | 0288 | 10 |
| 11. | Philadelphia9 | 6 | 0283 | 13 | |
| 12. | SanDiego | 8 | 7 | 0239 | 16 |
| 13. | Baltimore | 8 | 7 | 0234 | 11 |
| 14. | Chicago | 8 | 7 | 0219 | 12 |
| 15. | Miami | 8 | 7 | 0212 | 14 |
| 16. | Dallas | 8 | 7 | 0208 | 19 |
| 17. | GreenBay | 7 | 7 | 1191 | 15 |
| 18. | Pittsburgh | 7 | 8 | 0190 | 20 |
| 19. | St.Louis | 7 | 8 | 0170 | 18 |
| 20. | Detroit | 7 | 8 | 0159 | 17 |
| 21. | NYJets | 7 | 8 | 0147 | 21 |
| 22. | Buffalo | 6 | 9 | 0122 | 23 |
| 23. | Tennessee | 6 | 9 | 0120 | 22 |
| 24. | NYGiants | 6 | 9 | 0115 | 26 |
| 25. | Atlanta | 4 | 11 | 0 80 | 29 |
| 26. | Tampa Bay | 4 | 11 | 0 77 | 25 |
| 27. | Minnesota | 4 | 10 | 1 76 | 24 |
| 28. | Jacksonville 4 | 11 | 0 68 | 28 | |
| 29. | Cleveland | 4 | 11 | 0 67 | 27 |
| 30. | Oakland | 4 | 11 | 0 37 | 30 |
| 31. | Washington 3 | 12 | 0 29 | 31 | |
| 32. | Houston | 2 | 13 | 0 12 | 32 |
VOTING PANEL John Czarnecki, Fox Sports Tony Dungy, NBC Sports Herm Edwards, ESPN Bob Glauber, Newsday Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News Ira Kaufman, Tampa Tribune Pat Kirwan, SiriusXM NFL Radio/CBSSports.com Jeff Legwold, ESPN/ESPN.com John Lynch, Fox Sports Alex Marvez, Foxsports.com Jim Miller, SiriusXM NFL Radio Charean Williams, Fort Worth Star Telegram
No. 20 Detroit (plus 3) at No. 27 Minnesota
Both coaches might be on the way out … VIKINGS, 28- 23.
No. 17 Green Bay (OFF) at No. 14 Chicago
Aaron Rodgers’ shoulder injury most impactful of season for anyone … BEARS, 30-27.
2013 RECORD: Against spread: 12-3 (104-116-7). Straight up: 9-7 (142-95-1).
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