No matter how faint, miniscule or random anyone may think it is, the New Orleans Saints still have a chance.
Entering Sunday's game against the Giants (2-10) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., the Saints (4-8) remain two games out of first place in the NFC South Division standings.
With five regular-season games remaining, time clearly isn't on their side, but Atlanta (6-6) has lost three straight games as it prepares for a road trip against Minnesota (10-2), and Tampa Bay (6-6) had lost four straight games before righting its ship with two straight wins. The Buccaneers play the Raiders (2-10) at home Sunday.
New Orleans ended its seven-game losing streak with two straight wins before dropping its last game, at home against the Rams.
"The bottom line is there's something to be said when you're still playing for something," Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi said. "We're playing to win this game this week, but there is that big picture out there, that we still have the opportunity to potentially win our division.
"That doesn't happen unless we win this game this week. But, I think it'd be a lot different if we're going out there (to practice) this week with zero chance as opposed to a chance."
New Orleans has stressed focusing on the micro (finishing with a 1-0 record each week) instead of the macro (peeking at the standings) as it has looked to crawl back into division contention.
But, too, the carrot totally can't be ignored by a team that entered the season with playoff aspirations and won its first two games, before injuries and execution lapses led to an almost two-month gap between victories.
"(Having the opportunity to win the division) means everything," safety Will Harris said. "This is why we play the game, we play the game to ultimately win and in the broad spectrum, winning means a lot of things.
"But this week, it's going 1-0 against the Giants and that's what we're trying to do."
There also is the professional responsibility owed to themselves and teammates that helps the cause.
"Let's say there wasn't (a division title possibility)," quarterback Derek Carr said. "I was taught that any day in this league you get to put that jersey on, you should go out there and be thankful for it, and you should show it in your play. At least in your effort, the way you do your work during the week, and things like that.
"We're so blessed to be able to do this for a living, so the fact that we still have an opportunity to do certain things and all that kind of stuff is cool. But for us, like I've said all year, I believe in this team, we have a good football team, our focus has been really good all year – even through the hard times. And it's been really good this week because we know we've got a challenge against New York that we have to go get a win."
A win keeps hope alive.
"We've still got things to play for, we've still got opportunities ahead of us, and New York is up this week," Carr said.
