Giants stay in NFC East hunt with 31-24 win over Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Killing time hours before kickoff at the New York Giants’ hotel, Eli Manning plotted a play he wanted to try against the Miami Dolphins.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, however, things have not come almost as easily for the Dolphins.

The loss makes it less likely interim coach Dan Campbell will return next year.

It’s over with three games to go.

Miami (5-8), which clinched its seventh straight nonwinning season, was eliminated from playoff contention.

“Coach spoke about it and we can’t shy away from what is happening these past few weeks, and hope we don’t get into a close game”, Manning said. I make damn sure that it stings and it hurts because the minute you go numb to that, then you’re just a loser. “So I want it to hurt”.

Needing a win over the Dolphins in Miami Monday night, they played a complete game for only the third time this season. Now they prepare for a matchup of also-rans Sunday at San Diego (3-10). “We push each other to be great”. “We’ll see what guys really like football, and find the ones that don’t, and we’ll get them out of here”. There will be a new coach, obviously, and new assistants.

With the Dolphins officially out of the playoff picture, Campbell said he will look to some younger players down the stretch.

Coughlin was asked if the Giants could just start planning to play Flowers each week, knowing the ankle will give out at some point.

It could be Campbell, but Monday night’s lack of discipline didn’t do much to bolster his case for getting the job on the permanent basis. “Those things will be addressed one on one with those individuals”. But the ones you’re talking about are totally inexcusable. That turned out to be the Dolphins’ last offensive play. However, Tannehill threw over Landry’s head. Calling for a long handoff from your unflappable quarterback to your unfathomable wide receiver in every possible key situation seems to make a lot of sense. He’s being replaced by a quarterback who hasn’t run many plays with the starting offense and had thrown only four passes in a mop-up role before Sunday. The running game was the bread and butter for the Dolphins, with Lamar Miller running for 89 yards and two TD’s.

Campbell also said Grimes, who dealt with a knee injury earlier this year, is healthy.

Ryan Tannehill found Kenny Stills for a 47-yard touchdown to restore Miami’s advantage midway through the third quarter, but Beckham Jr was determined to get the Giants back into the game and he levelled the scores with yet another sensational catch.

Marino was waiting to be part of the halftime festivities honoring the 50 greatest Dolphins as part of the franchise’s 50th anniversary.

“So, yes, kick the Giants for their shortcomings, ” wrote Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. With what we just witnessed with Manning and Beckham, they’re capable of having big games with any of those three teams I mentioned. “But we created our own mess, and we’re responsible for it”. “We thought it would be a big play, but I didn’t think he would be that open”. “We played with tremendous heart the entire game”. The Giants will host the unbeaten Panthers (1:00 PM ET on FOX), while the Dolphins will get a road game against the Chargers (4:25 PM ET on CBS).