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THE GAME 

The Giants (4-8) at the Washington Redskins (6-6) at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m. ET.

Not only will Giants star WR Odell Beckham Jr. not be on the field in Washington this Sunday, but star S Landon Collins won't be able to help the defense after suffering a torn labrum during the team's Week 13 win over the Bears. 

In turn, players will need to step up in place of these two key cogs on the Giants. For the defense, veteran Michael Thomas will see some more work next to Curtis Riley to replace Collins. But a Giants rookie in S Sean Chandler will also ramp up his work load as well.

Chandler, an undrafted rookie out of Temple, has already seen more snaps on the defensive end in recent weeks. But that responsibility will only increase with Collins out for the rest of the season...

A key cog for the Giants is expected to return when New York faces off against the Redskins on Sunday. 

All signs point to tight end Evan Engram playing his first game in weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury in late November. The injury forced Engram to miss two straight games for the Giants. Engram battled his way throughout the 2018 campaign, missing five games in his sophomore year. He suffered an MCL sprain during the Giants' Week 3 matchup against the Texans that kept him out three straight games.

Now, the 24-year-old says it's important to end his tough year on a high note -- not just for himself, but for the team.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s quad injury appears to be more serious than originally thought. 

The Giants wide receiver was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Redskins on Saturday and did not travel with the team.

Beckham was listed as a limited participant in Friday's practice but head coach Pat Shurmur said he expected the wide receiver to play.

Will Grier is ready to move onto the next step of his career. 

The West Virginia quarterback announced on Saturday that he will not play in his team's bowl game against Syracuse on Dec. 28 and instead take the time to prepare for the NFL Draft. 

"Will and I spoke at length about the bowl game, and I am fully supportive of his decision to begin preparing for the NFL Draft," Mountaineers head coach Dana Holgorsen said

The Giants had an interesting addition to their injury report on Friday. 

Odell Beckham Jr. was listed as a limited participant in Friday's practice due to a bruised quad as they head into the weekend with a matchup against the Redskins. 

Beckham sustained the injury two weeks ago against the Eagles but has not been limited in any capacity before Friday

About five weeks ago it appeared as if the tank was on for the Giants as they went into their bye week at 1-7. 

Yet they are 3-1 since then and have a chance at finishing the season at a respectable 8-8. 

The Giants are playing much better football of late and have certainly shown some progress from last year's debacle of a season that resulted in a 3-13 record and the mid-season firings of head coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese. 

Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. signed a five-year, $95 million extension in the offseason to make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.

And he knows how he's spending some of it.

Beckham said in his weekly doc-series "I am more: OBJ" that in the offseason, he spends more than $300,000 investing in his body.

"I take care of my body each and every day. I put, probably, over $300,000 in my body in the offseason," Beckham said. "The goal is to get better over time, and I feel I'm only going to get better as I get older."

Three victories in the last four games for the New York Giants has players and fans alike thinking about the possibility of winning out to end the season. But, for now, the focus is on taking things one game at a time, according to star WR Odell Beckham Jr.

"The goal is to win all these games and see what happens," Beckham Jr. said Thursday to reporters. "You have a tough game to play against us for the last four games.

"At this point, we can only focus on Washington. There is no 'what if'. We're going out there to win, and if our season is over, I'm making sure somebody else is coming home with us."

Giants rookie backup QB Kyle Lauletta saw his court date for his arrest in October postponed yet again.

Lauletta was supposed to appear in court on Thursday, but it was adjourned and rescheduled to Dec. 11 at Hudson County Superior Court, per NorthJersey.com's Art Stapleton. 

The 23-year-old was arrested back on Oct. 30 after allegedly almost striking a cop with his vehicle while making an illegal turn in Weehawken, NJ on his way to practice. He was charged with reckless driving, disregarding an officer's directions, improper turn in marked traffic lane and failure to remain in a marked lane. 

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- One year ago this week, the Giants did something they once thought was unthinkable. They cleaned out, firing their coach and general manager in the middle of the season.

The decision was born of desperation. The franchise had no direction. The players were lost. And the whole operation had become the butt of jokes across the NFL nation. The Giants were 2-10 at the time.

One year and two days later, they are 4-8, which is hardly much of an improvement. But to the players, executives and team personnel who endured last season's mess, the improvement has been dramatic.

The Giants did not activate running back Jonathan Stewart off injured reserve on Thursday, the final day he had before his season would officially be over.

Stewart, who suffered a foot injury in late September, practiced on Nov. 15, which permitted him three weeks before his designation to return/return to practice was up. He is almost certain to be cut in the offseason

The 31-year-old Stewart, who totaled six carries for 17 yards in three regular-season games this season, wasn't at Thursday's practice.

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Landon Collins should be back on a football field by this spring after he undergoes surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder sometime next week. At the very least, everyone seems certain that he'll be ready to go by training camp.

What's uncertain, though, is what team he'll be on when camp begins.

Giants S Landon Collins is heading to the IR and will need season-ending surgery after suffering a partially-torn labrum during Sunday's win over the Bears, SNY's Ralph Vacchiano confirmed.

Head coach Pat Shurmur said Collins "most likely will require" surgery, but the Pro Bowler was meeting with team officials to determine the final decision on Tuesday. Recovery following the surgery is expected to be 4-6 months.

The 24-year-old received X-rays on his left shoulder that came back negative, but further testing showed there was clearly an injury.

Landon Collins' 2018 season came to an end Wednesday as the Giants safety prepares to undergo surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

The 24-year-old Collins suffered the injury during Sunday's win over the Bears, and is expected to be recovering for the next 4-to-6 months. The two-time Pro Bowler will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, unless the Giants use the franchise tag on him or sign him to a long-term deal.

Collins' future with the Giants is now far from certain, but several of his teammates indicated that his absence will be a detriment to the team. Simply put, they want him in New York.

The Giants will likely face Mark Sanchez -- yes, that Mark Sanchez -- when they take on the Washington Redskins next week.

The former Jets quarterback replaced Colt McCoy in Washington's 28-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night after McCoy suffered a season-ending broken fibula in the first half.

Sanchez, who hadn't appeared in a game since 2016, was 13 for 21 with 100 yards and one interception in McCoy's absence. The only touchdown drive he led was on his first play, when he handed the ball off to Adrian Peterson for a 90-yard touchdown rush.

The Giants' 30-27 win over the Bears on Sunday improved the team to 4-8, one more win than last season, but it also keeps their very, very slim playoff hopes alive. 

Head coach Pat Shurmur said on Monday that his goal is to get his team to 8-8 and smirked when mentioned that the Giants are not officially out of the playoff hunt. 

"We're not," Shurmur said. "That may be tough for some of you to grasp."

Kyle Lauletta got to dress for the first time this season on Sunday, but the Giants backup quarterback won't be making any more leaps on the depth chart just yet. 

Head coach Pat Shurmur reaffirmed Eli Manning is still the Giants starting quarterback for this weekend against the Redskins while there is a "good chance" Lauletta remains as the backup. 

Manning had perhaps his weakest performance of the season despite the 30-27 win over the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears. The 37-year-old quarterback completed just 19 of 35 passes (54 percent) for 170 yards with a touchdown and interception. 

Odell Beckham Jr. certainly knows how to create a spark. 

The Giants wide receiver went into the locker room at halftime with the team trailing the Bears 14-10 on Sunday and felt like he needed to say something. 

So Beckham delivered an empassioned speech. 

Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. defended his effort after he didn't dive for an onside kick that the Bears recovered in Sunday's 30-27 overtime win over Chicago.

After the Bears kicked a field goal with 1:13 remaining, Chicago lined up for an onside kick. Kicker Cody Parkey one-hopped it and it went in Beckham's direction. While Giants safety Curtis Riley missed a block, Beckham appeared to hesitate, allowing Chicago's Daniel Brown to recover.

"It was a great kick," Beckham said, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "Sometimes, somebody makes a better play than you do. I can dive in there and still not get the ball. It was a very tough call."

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It got lost in the shuffle last week, when everyone freaked out over the way Saquon Barkley wa used in the second half in Philadelphia, but the Giants' defense was absolutely terrible. The Eagles rolled over them in the second half. The Giants defense couldn't get off the field.

They needed a big bounce-back game this week.

They seemed to have it. Then they blew it. And then they bailed themselves out in the end.

With QB Eli Manning struggling, the Giants' pulled some trickery in the third quarter, turning to Odell Beckham Jr., who was flicked the ball and danced adeptly behind the line before hurling a 49-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Russell Shepard. 

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH

Giants head coac Pat Shurmur was incredulous last week when responding to a reporter's question and asking why he would jump over Alex Tanney to get a look at Kyle Lauletta. That seems like hot air now, since Lauletta is active Sunday for the first time this season.

Lauletta will back up Eli Manning with Tanney inactive -- the smart move for a Giants team that would have been doubling down on last year's quarterback mistake if they had turned to Tanney over Lauletta. 

The expectation continues to be that Lauletta will get time at some point this season, likely after the team is officially eliminated from playoff contention, as SNY's Ralph Vacchiano has reported.

A disappointing season for the New York Giants on both sides of the football has taken its toll on the offensive and defensive ranks. It's a season that veteran linebacker Olivier Vernon would likely be happy to put in the rearview mirror.

Vernon has tallied 45.5 sacks in 98 career games -- including 16.5 tackles of the quarterback while in Giants blue -- but only has one sack and 10 tackles so far in six games this season. After missing the first five games to open the season with a high ankle sprain, Vernon's impact has been a muted one in the team's first year of a switch to a 3-4 defensive scheme.

"You never really want to miss time when you're out there, you work hard before every season coming up," Vernon said Friday after practice. "It was just one little bump in the road, and all I can do right now is just the normal game plan and be out there for my team and make the plays that come to me."

The Giants will be without two key cogs when they face off against the Bears on Sunday. 

Tight end Evan Engram will miss his second straight game, as he continues to battle a hamstring injury. He originally suffered the injury during warmups last Sunday when the Giants took on the Eagles. He stayed on the sideline dressed in full uniform, but never took a snap. 

Now, Engram will be in street clothes as the Giants continue their caution. It has been a tough sophomore campaign for No. 88, with this being his fifth game missed. He suffered an MCL sprain during the Giants' Week 3 matchup against the Texans that kept him out three straight games. 

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THE GAME 

The Giants (3-8) vs. the Chicago Bears (8-3) at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, Dec. 2, at 1 p.m.

THE WEATHER

First the good news: It'll be warm. Like in the low 60s. Now the bad news: It'll be wet. There's a chance for a lot of rain.

WHAT IT MEANS

The Giants are virtually out of playoff contention, but not mathematically out of playoff contention. They're only 3 1/2 games out of first place in the NFC East with five games to go. So if they win and they get some help from … Yeah, I'm not buying it either. This game basically means nothing at all. Pat Shurmur would like to build some momentum. Eli Manning is trying to prove he should be the starter in 2019. A lot of guys are fighting for future jobs. But mostly the only thing to watch now is where the Giants get to pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Odell Beckham Jr. sounded like a player who was done with Eli Manning earlier this season, when he was famously asked if the Giants had a quarterback problem and he responded "Um, I don't know." That answer, and the way he let his frustration boil over on the field, made it clear that he absolutely did.

So imagine how Beckham will feel if Manning sticks around as the Giants quarterback for another year.

The Giants' toughest remaining opponent based on winning percentage is the Chicago Bears, and they likely won't have quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

With Trubisky dealing with a shoulder injury, the Giants will likely go up against Chase Daniel for Sunday's game, according to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

Trubisky, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, was limited at Wednesday's practice due to a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder. He didn't play on Thanksgiving against the Detroit Lions, and Daniel completed 27 of 37 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-16 win in his absence.

Odell Beckham Jr. said Thursday that he's trusting "the process," taking a page out of the Philadelphia 76ers' oft-cited playbook.

"This is a winning organization. They've won in the past. We just got to trust the process, and at some point in time, the goal is to obviously hang a banner, and raise that trophy," the Giants receiver said. "All you can do is be optimistic and keep pushing forward and getting better."

Beckham and the Giants have their work cut out for them this week ahead of Sunday's home game against Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears

A 3-8 record through 11 games is not exactly what the doctor ordered for the New York football Giants in their first season with head coach Pat Shurmur, but the team still has its collective eye on the prize entering a matchup on Sunday with the NFC-North leading Chicago Bears (8-3).

And if the 2018 version of the Monsters of Midway are in town, that means get ready for a disruptive effort from one of the best defenses in the league -- not to mention dark horse candidate for league MVP, linebacker Khalil Mack.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning told reporters on Wednesday that Mack "stands out" because of his versatility on defense.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - If Eli Manning does return to the Giants as their starting quarterback in 2019, as SNY reported could happen, that doesn't mean they won't still draft a quarterback in the first round. They might.

But a Manning return could also buy some time so the Giants can look at other options - like perhaps an offensive lineman or pass rusher -- both of which they desperately need.

The Giants are hoping to rebound after blowing a lead against their division rival in the Eagles last Sunday to fall to 3-8. However, they will face an even tougher matchup against the 8-3 Bears on their home turf.

The Bears' defense has been extremely impressive this season, which is why their offense -- a unit that is surely no slouch either -- is flying under the radar.

Head coach Pat Shurmur, Eli Manning, and Saquon Barkley discuss the matchup ahead, and what they can expect from Chicago as they come to town...

Pat Shurmur quickly threw water onto another potential Odell Beckham Jr. controversy. 

The Giants head coach went on WFAN's Mike Francesa's show on Tuesday and spoke about kicker Aldrick Rosas. 

"He has the mindset of a football player," Shurmur told Francesa. "It doesn't matter to him if he got a good night's sleep or he was hydrated or any of the sports science stuff. He just goes out there and kicks."

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Exactly one year ago on Wednesday the Giants made the stunning announcement that they were benching Eli Manning, snapping his streak of 210 consecutive starts. It seemed to be a signal that the Eli Manning Era in New York was over.

But one year later, it's still going -- and it's possible it won't end anytime soon.

There is still a chance that Manning will return to the Giants in 2019 -- and even return as their starting quarterback, according to a team source. The decision on his future has "absolutely not" been made, the source said, and management is open to the idea that another year with Manning at the helm might be the best option they have.

It's been ten years since the infamous Plaxico Burress nightclub shooting -- and yes, it is still just as perplexing of a story today as it was then.

As the story goes, Burress shot himself in the leg (more specifically his right quadriceps) with his own Glock at the Latin Quarter nightclub in New York City. He later said he didn't even realize he shot himself until he figured out the wet substance on his pants and shoes was actually his own blood. Fellow Giants teammate Antonio Pierce eventually drove him to the New York Presbyterian Hospital where he checked in under a false name. The cake topper of this sordid tale came in the aftermath. It wasn't until the media caught ahold of the story that police learned of the shooting and arrested Burress.

From there, things started to catch fire when even Michael Bloomberg, who was mayor the time, held a press conference demanding Burress be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Burress went on to serve 20 months of a two-year sentence in prison after pleading guilty to an attempted weapons charge. So here we are ten years later, still filled with a million questions about one of the most bizarre, dramatic off-field moments in NFL history. And while we may never be able to make sense of this whole ordeal, here are nine things you probably didn't know...

The Giants defense has been an overall disappointment this season, but perhaps the most disappointing player has been Olivier Vernon. 

The 28-year-old pass rusher has failed to do exactly that -- rush the passer. 

Vernon, who moved from a defensive end to an outside linebacker in the Giants' new 3-4 base defense, has just one sack and six quarterback hits through six games. He also has 10 tackles but just one for loss of yards. 

Rex Ryan has a message for Odell Beckham Jr.:

"Jump on board for once in your life."

The former Jets head coach said this on Monday while appearing on ESPN's "Get Up" when discussing the Giants wide receiver's criticism of head coach Pat Shurmur's playcalling. 

Will Grier put on a show for Giants general manager Dave Gettleman and the other NFL GMs in attendance for West Virginia's 59-56 home loss to Oklahoma on Friday.

The 23-year-old QB and Heisman Trophy candidate threw for a career-high 539 yards while completing 32 of 49 passes with four touchdowns. He even added a rushing TD, though he did have two fumbles that both resulted in touchdowns for the Sooners.

Like any QB-needy NFL team, the Giants should be impressed with Grier's arm in their ongoing evaluation of the 2019 NFL QB Draft class.

But aside from his cannon, what else makes up this potential Big Blue draft target? Here are some things you need to know about Grier:

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Giants have been virtually eliminated from playoff contention, but Pat Shurmur still isn't ready to reveal his future quarterback plans. All he committed to on Monday was that Eli Manning will start against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

It sure would make sense for the Giants to give rookie Kyle Lauletta some playing time after that. But what Shurmur said next really made no sense at all.

"Why are you jumping over (Alex) Tanney?" Shurmur asked.

They went first and fourth overall in the 2004 NFL draft. Eli Manning. Philip Rivers.

After the draft-day trades, they have both spent their playing careers only with one team. And they have two incredible resumes.

Odell Beckham Jr. is labeled a lot of things, but one thing that goes under the radar is his brutal honesty. 

The Giants wide receiver was unfiltered yet again on Sunday, criticizing his head coach for not doing enough to exploit a depleted Eagles secondary in a 25-22 loss. 

It is not the first time Beckham voiced his true feelings and certainly will not be the last. 

Eli Manning will be the starting quarterback for the Giants this week. 

After that, well, who knows. 

It could even be 30-year-old journeyman Alex Tanney. 

Despite winning two of their last three games, the 3-8 Giants are still in prime position to land a top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. But it almost certainly won't be the top pick. 

ESPN's FPI (Football Power Index) currently projects that the Giants will have the No. 5 pick in the Draft.

The FPI gives Big Blue a 47 percent chance to earn a Top 5 pick, and a 1 percent chance at the No. 1 overall pick.

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur is sticking by his play-calling. 

Odell Beckham Jr. criticized his head coach following a 25-22 loss to the Eagles on Sunday -- saying that attacking their depleted secondary was "not part of our game plan."

With a day to reflect on the latest loss, which dropped the Giants to 3-8, Shurmur disagreed with that assessment. 

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The frustration of this season continues to mount for Odell Beckham Jr. 

The Giants wide receiver threw some shade at head coach Pat Shurmur following a 25-22 loss to the Eagles on Sunday -- which virtually destroyed any hope they had at making a playoff run. 

Beckham, who had five catches for 80 yards, hauled in only two for 22 yards in the second half as the Giants offense disappeared -- scoring just three points on 51 total yards of offense against an Eagles defense that was completely decimated with injuries in its secondary. 

PHILADELPHIA -- The Giants are alive. Just barely.

And not really.

They are still alive for a playoff berth and the NFC East title, even after their heart-breaking, 25-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon -- but only in the mathematical sense. The Giants (3-8) are three games behind the division-leading Cowboys and Redskins (both 6-5) and there are still five games left to play...

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PHILADELPHIA -- Pat Shurmur did a marvelous job of holding the Giants together through their 1-7 start, even getting them to play hard and fight in a longshot bid to make the playoffs. His locker room didn't fracture. His players mostly refrained from pointing fingers.

But it may not be so easy for Shurmur to hold everything together after Sunday's 25-22 loss to the Eagles. Because in the unhappy locker room afterward, there seemed to be a few fingers pointed right at him.

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It got lost in the shuffle last week, when everyone freaked out over the way Saquon Barkley wa used in the second half in Philadelphia, but the Giants' defense was absolutely terrible. The Eagles rolled over them in the second half. The Giants defense couldn't get off the field.

They needed a big bounce-back game this week.

Giants TE Evan Engram injured his hamstring during warmups prior to Sunday's game against the Eagles and is questionable to return, the team announced.

Engram's targets have been dropping over the last three weeks. He was targeted nine times against the Redskins in Week 9, five times against the 49ers in Week 10, and just twice against the Buccaneers in Week 11 -- though one of those targets resulted in a 54-yard reception.

Overall in 2018, Engram has 23 receptions for 253 yards and two touchdowns.