Are the New York Giants the worst 4-1 team in NFL history?

Within the early hours of Sunday morning, within the wake of the Giants’ beautiful upset win over the Packers, there gave the impression to be one prevailing thought circulating on social media: is that this the worst 4-1 staff in NFL historical past? 

It wasn’t instigated by the myriad critics of the Giants, who've already matched its win complete from all the 2021 season by means of simply 5 weeks. As an alternative, it was a rhetorical query, posed by followers baiting pundits into downplaying this group after its newest win — a 14-point comeback in London over the staff that completed with the NFL’s greatest report a season in the past. 

Daniel Jones runs behind tight end Tanner Hudson
Daniel Jones runs behind tight finish Tanner Hudson
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Positive sufficient, even the betting market is throwing shade on these Giants, who're off to their greatest begin in 13 years and simply their fourth 4-1 begin or higher in almost three a long time. Coming into Week 6, New York is dealing as an 80/1 lengthy shot to win the Tremendous Bowl — solely 10 groups have worse odds — and a 12/1 dart throw to win the NFC East. 

These odds are nonetheless a far cry from the expectations coming into the season when the Giants had been priced as excessive as 150/1 at some sportsbooks to win all of it. That makes them simply the most important title lengthy photographs to submit a 4-1 report or higher by means of 5 weeks previously decade, whereas their preseason win complete (7) is tied for the second-lowest in that span. 

How did these different groups fare after such a sizzling begin? It’s been a largely profitable run for these earlier golf equipment, which suggests worth on this yr’s largest shock squad. 

Over the previous decade, 67 groups have opened the season with a 4-1 report or higher by means of their first 5 video games. These groups completed with an 11-5 report on common, and extra of them reached the Tremendous Bowl (14) than missed the playoffs (12). That features 4 groups — the 2015 Panthers (60/1), 2016 Falcons (80/1), 2017 Eagles (40/1), and 2019 49ers (40/1) — that entered the yr as sizable preseason lengthy photographs. 

Solely three of these 67 groups entered the season at 100/1 or longer to win the Tremendous Bowl, which underscores simply how stunning the Giants’ begin has been. But all three received 10 video games that season, and two of them reached the playoffs. In actual fact, 28 of the 35 groups that opened with a win complete of 9 or decrease in the end reached the playoffs (80 p.c), and 30 of them surpassed their preseason complete. 

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Brian Daboll
Brian Daboll
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A kind of groups was the 2019 Payments, who entered the yr as 100/1 lengthy photographs after a six-win season with a venture quarterback and an unproven roster round him. That staff in the end received 10 video games behind an elite protection and calculated offensive assault earlier than reworking into the juggernaut we all know at this time. The offensive coordinator for that group? Present Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who already has his new staff off to a equally promising begin. 

In hindsight, it’s simple to say that Buffalo was far forward of New York in its championship timeline by that time. In actuality, that’s in all probability the case. However this staff’s story is but to be written, and the betting market nonetheless isn’t a believer. The Giants are +112 underdogs at FanDuel to even make the playoffs — 23 of the final 25 groups to begin 4-1 or higher reached the postseason, whereas two of them (2019 Chiefs, 2021 Rams) received all of it. 

There’s little doubt that the Giants’ sizzling begin to the season has been traditionally stunning from a betting perspective and equally jarring for anybody following this membership week by week. Nonetheless, even when New York is among the worst 4-1 groups in league historical past — which is clearly untimely to say at this stage — there’s sufficient precedent in its favor to counsel this staff may silence the doubters.

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