Are you ready for some football?
Hopefully someone is, because one could argue neither the New York Giants nor the San Francisco 49ers are ready for their Monday Night Football clash on the West Coast.
The Giants are 1-7 on the season, while the 2-7 Niners just snapped a six-game slide last Thursday against the equally poor Oakland Raiders. Before the season, both teams were expected to at least challenge for a playoff berth, so this looked like a modestly interesting MNF matchup. Not anymore.
It’s hard to recommend anyone take three hours out of their evening to watch this one. Instead, here are a few ways to enjoy the Giants without actually watching a meaningless game.
Relive glory days
As bad as Big Blue has been since the start of last season, it wasn’t all that long ago that they were the toast of the football world. They’ve won two Super Bowls over the past 12 years, most recently celebrating their 2011 championship in the Canyon of Heroes.
Dedicated fans might own the championship DVD from that Super Bowl crown, or the one from the 2007 season — both victories over the mighty New England Patriots. Dig it up, or borrow it from a friend, and teleport back to a time when the Giants were truly giant.
It’s in the game
Got a new or old copy of "Madden" lying around? What better time to choose digital football over the real thing than during one of the sorriest MNF matchups in recent memory?
Those who own "Madden NFL 19" can take control of Saquon Barkley and Odell Beckham Jr. and run up the score on hapless AI, if they so desire. Even if it’s an old edition, it’s bound to be more fun to pretend the Giants are actually good than remember just how bad they actually are right now.
Imagine the future
Haven’t been keeping up with college football’s top prospects? Now is as good a time as any to bone up on the player pool from which the Giants will be selecting in April. If they continue to struggle, they might be right near the top of the draft for the second year in a row.
While drafting a new quarterback to replace Eli Manning, sooner or later, must be a priority, know that the 2019 class isn’t expected to be strong. Oregon’s Justin Herbert might be the only one worth taking as high as the Giants are expected to pick. There’s no shortage of defensive talent, though. Or, general manager Dave Gettleman might be intrigued by Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams in order to continue to shore up the O-line.
Take some time to Google some names and early big boards. It’s less stressful than watching the Giants flounder against a bad San Francisco team.
Scott’s prediction
49ers 24, Giants 20
