Can the New York Giants claim the NFC East?

The Giants, with Super Bowl MVP quarterback Eli Manning and unstoppable wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., are just better than the Dolphins, but then so are way too many other teams in this league.

In what was a game that had chock full of Shakespearean drama, and the best Monday Night Football game of 2015, the New York Giants established themselves as a sleeper team in the NFC, if they clinch a playoff spot.

GOING DEEP: Beckham’s long touchdown catch put the Giants ahead to stay with 11 minutes to go.

After the game, Beckham said at his locker that the Giants prepared for the Dolphins like a playoff game and must continue to do so over the next three weeks as they push for the post-season.

“I would say this”, Campbell, the former tight ends coach said, “I’ve been here six years and nothing has gone the way that we wanted it to be. We have a lead and we have to extend it. If we are down, we have to go make plays to win it. I think guys knew we were going to get in those situations and we have to attack it and not shy away from it, and we made those plays tonight”.

In the first four games of this season, Norman intercepted four passes, defensed two others and returned two of for touchdowns. His passer rating of 151.5 was his highest since 2009, and his 87-percent completion percentage was a career high.

Improving to 6-7 in the regular season-triggering a three-way tie atop the NFC East with both the Washington Redskins and the Philadelphia Eagles-do the Giants have enough in them this season to overcome their recent three-game losing streak and gain a playoff berth? When pride was on the line, Miami didn’t show much of it. Last night Miami played a decent game but decent games don’t win you games.

The Giants finally got their running game going, although they failed to crack the 100-yard barrier.

“[Manning] is a veteran, championship quarterback”, Miami interim coach Dan Campbell said.

They can’t even play spoiler this week; the Chargers (3-10) are even worse than the Dolphins are.

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey – For all the Giants offense accomplished in their 31-24 win over the Dolphins, Tom Coughlin was grateful Tuesday for two plays that involved neither a pass nor run. Spagnuolo also trusted safety Cooper Taylor with some key snaps on the evening, and Taylor was effective with five tackles. “The corner is supposed to follow up and go over the top, which he didn’t”.

For most of the night, Beckham was held in check until he scored his first touchdown.

There are still three games to play but the Dolphins season is now over. And he didn’t have a great start this season, at least not to the standard he set as a rookie.

Week 13: Brandin Cooks caught one pass for 19 yards.

Contrast that with the Giants’ first possession of the fourth quarter. Instead, the Giants finished the game by scoring 14 points, and with their maligned defense delivering four straight stops.

The not-so-great 2015 Dolphins were hurt by 12 penalties and seemed reluctant to run the ball, as has been the case most of the year.

“It’s not something I’m all right with”, Coughlin said. Having a serviceable running game is perhaps the most encouraging takeaway from Monday night’s game. Beckham, who had a stomach virus last week, was badly dehydrated at the start of the second half. Even Coughlin himself shook off a punishing hit along the sideline from one of his cornerbacks, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who went flying into his head coach while trying to make a tackle.