Sunday afternoon is going to be an odd one for New York City-area football fans.
On one hand, the Giants and Jets are playing each other in the regular season for the first time in four years on Sunday.
Regional (and in-stadium) bragging rights are up for grabs, divided households will be donned in clashing blue and green, and parents with conflicting football ideologies will use this game to try and recruit undecided children to a lifetime of fandom.
On the other hand, the Giants and Jets are playing each other on Sunday.
Full stop.
Please, won’t anyone think of the children before subjecting them to this kind of football?
Nothing takes the magic of a rare rivalry meeting than both teams being downright lousy.
The Giants are a mess. Pat Shurmur doesn’t know how to properly utilize Saquon Barkley. Daniel Jones can’t hold on to the football. The offensive line hasn’t improved in what feels like a decade. And the defense still doesn’t know what they’re doing.
That last part isn’t an overreaction. Rookie cornerback Deandre Baker said earlier this week that he still can’t grasp defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s schemes.
Yet, the Jets have found a way to one-up the Giants this season in a rather remarkable turn of events.
Adam Gase has further proven that he is not fit to be an NFL head coach while he continues to derail the development of franchise quarterback Sam Darnold.
All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell — who has been nothing short of a good soldier so far — has been left out on an island behind the inept offensive play-calling and an offensive line that can rival the Giants’ level of putridness.
Defensive captain and safety Jamal Adams had a very public row with management after some trade rumors to the point where he pouted about it on Twitter before comparing himself to the likes of Tom Brady and Aaron Donald.
Yikes.
Entering Week 10, the Giants are 2-7, which was somewhat expected. I had them pegged as a 5-11 team entering the 2019 campaign.
As for the Jets, they haven’t come close to meeting some loftier preseason expectations. While many thought they could flirt with the .500 mark this season, they’re 1-7.
Throughout the history of the Giants and Jets’ regular-season rivalry, both teams have rarely been in contention.
In fact, out of 13 meetings all-time, both teams have been at or under .500 in seven of them.
The Giants and Jets’ combined 2019 record of 3-14 is the worst winning percentage the rivalry has ever seen. It narrowly beats out a Week 9 meeting in 1974 when the 1-7 Jets defeated the 2-6 Giants 26-20 at the Yale Bowl.
Maybe this is the year to spend Sunday afternoon raking some leaves or preparing for Thanksgiving or literally anything but watching the Giants and Jets.
Even better, just watch NFL Red Zone (one of the greatest gifts ever bestowed on mankind).
Because good football is going to be at a premium at MetLife Stadium this weekend.
Again, think of the children.
Giants, Jets rivalry history (Giants lead all-time 8-5)
Week 7, 11/1/70: Giants (3-3) def. Jets (1-6) 22-10
Week 9, 11/10/74: Jets (1-7) def. Giants (2-6) 26-20 (OT) Yale Bowl
Week 9, 11/1/81: Jets (3-4-1) def. Giants (5-3) 26-7
Week 14, 12/2/84: Giants (8-5) def. Jets (6-7) 20-10
Week 16, 12/27/87: Giants (5-9) def. Jets (6-8) 20-7
Week 16, 12/18/88: Jets (7-7-1) def. Giants (10-5) 27-21
Week 9, 10/31/93: Jets (2-4) def. Giants (5-1) 10-6
Week 5, 9/22/96: Giants (0-3) def. Jets (0-3) 13-6
Week 13, 12/5/99: Giants (5-6) def. Jets (4-7) 41-28
Week 9, 11/2/03: Giants (3-4) def. Jets (2-5) 31-28
Week 5, 10/7/07: Giants (2-2) def. Jets (1-3) 35-24
Week 16, 12/24/11: Giants (7-7) def. Jets (8-6) 29-14
Week 13, 12/6/15: Jets (6-5) def. Giants (5-6) 23-20 (OT)
