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EAST RUTHERFORD , N.J. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants aren’t paying much attention to playoff scenarios.They are on the outside looking in at the postseason heading into their game Sunday at MetLife Stadium, and their best chance to make the playoffs is to win their three remaining games.The road for the Titans (7-6) is not as complicated as for the Giants (5-8).Article continues below ...Tennessee has won two in a row and it needs to win out against the Giants, Washington and Indianapolis, while Baltimore and Miami each lose once.Despite winning four of five since the bye week, the Giants need a miracle to get to the postseason. It would involve winning their final three (Indianapolis and Dallas after Tennessee) and getting a ton of help. The oddsmakers have given them a less than one percent chance of success.The bottom line is Eli Manning, Saquon Barkley and company are playing well and they will be a major challenge for the Titans, who have been inconsistent since the start of October.“The only thing that can really keep us focused on the task at hand is knowing that we have to win out to pretty much put ourselves in a good position to make the playoffs. For us to be looking at different scenarios and all those things right now is kind of pointless because you can see in the NFL you can’t judge, you can’t pencil nobody in at this point,” Titans safety Kevin Byard said. “We have to control what we can control, and that’s beating the Giants.”The Giants are coming off their best game in years. Playing without star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (quadriceps), they beat the Washington Redskins 40-16 in a game in which Manning threw three touchdowns and turned things over to rookie Kyle Lauletta at the start of the fourth quarter with a 40-0 lead.“We have so many weapons on this team, and we’re still figuring it out,” said Barkley, who ran for a career-best 170 yards and scored on a 78-yard run. “Right now , when you got Eli throwing for three touchdowns and we’re rushing for over 200 yards as a team, special teams is playing great, defense is giving us great field position with the help of special teams, our defense is making plays. That’s what coach has been saying, teams beat teams. Players don’t beat teams. We’ve been playing at a high level as a team. We got to keep it up down the stretch, and it starts with the Titans.”Five things to watch Sunday:SACK ATTACKThe sacks are finally coming in bunches for the Giants. After getting 14 in the first 11 games, the defense has had five each in the last two games. Linebacker Olivier Vernon, who was under the microscope after getting one in six games in an injury-plagued season, has 3½ in the last two games. Rookie tackle B.J. Hill had three against the Bears.RUN DERRICK RUNDerrick Henry just posted the first 100-yard rushing performance this season for Tennessee with his franchise-record 238 yards in the Titans’ rout of Jacksonville. Now the question is whether he can follow that up. The TItans haven’t had back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances since DeMarco Murray in October 2016.RUN SAQUON. CATCH SAQUON.Barkley has rushed for at least 100 yards in four straight games and is third in the NFL with 1,124 yards rushing. His 5.4-yard average is the team’s highest since Brandon Jacobs averaged 5.6 in 2006. The rookie also is second in the league with 1,753 yards from scrimmage, 11 yards behind Ezekiel Elliott of Dallas. Barkley leads the Giants with 78 catches, one more than Beckham. He needs 11 receptions in the final three games to break Reggie Bush’s 2006 record of 88 by a rookie running back.PICK HAPPYThe Giants have 11 interceptions since their bye week, linebacker Alec Ogletree leading the way with four in the last four games , including two touchdown returns. Safety Curtis Riley got New York on the scoreboard against Washington last weekend with a 9-yard return for a touchdown. This is the first season the Giants have scored three touchdowns on interception runbacks since 2007. Ogletree leads NFL linebackers with five interceptions, and he has tied the single-season team record for interceptions by a linebacker, set by Jerry Hillebrand in 1963.THE REPLACEMENTSThe Titans lost a pair of starters to injured reserve earlier this week with tight end Jonnu Smith, a replacement for three-time Pro Bowler Delanie Walker, and right tackle Jack Conklin because of knee injuries. Anthony Firkser, who came into the NFL in 2017 as an undrafted player out of Harvard, is expected to get more work with Smith out. Veteran Dennis Kelly, who already has started a pair of games this season, is expected to replace Conklin. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — After trading offensive catalyst Odell Beckham Jr. and sacks leader Olivier Vernon to Cleveland and losing perennial leading tackler Landon Collins to free agency, the New York Giants are rebuilding heading into the NFL draft.The question is, where does general manager Dave Gettleman start? He has 12 picks overall, including two in the first round (Nos. 1 and 17), and three of the first 37.After winning eight games the past two seasons , there aren’t many positions where the Giants don’t need help.The position fans identify first is quarterback. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is 38, heading into the final season of his four-year, $84 million, and has taken the team to the playoffs once (2016) since winning the NFL title in February 2012. There is no heir apparent on the roster, although Gettleman drafted Kyle Lauletta in the fourth round a year ago.There are some potential choices in Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray, the Heisman Trophy winner, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, Duke’s Daniel Jones, and Missouri’s Drew Lock. Using the ‘Kansas City’ model, all could benefit from learning the ropes from Manning and being ready for a Patrick Mahomes’ type emergence in 2020.Gettleman recognizes he has other major needs. The defensive line is desperate for an edge rusher or two. The offensive line needs a right tackle. A cornerback, a safety, an inside linebacker and a deep threat at receiver all would help.If you listen to Gettleman, he is going to take the highest-rated player on his board, regardless of position. He has preferences , though.When he was hired by the Giants in December 2017, he reminded everyone of something former coach and two-time Super Bowl winner Tom Coughlin once said.“He said big men allow you to compete, and that’s really just so true,” Gettleman said. “The O-line and the D-line, I believe in the hog mollies. We’ve had some great groups here, had great groups everywhere I’ve been, and we’re going to get back to that. They do allow you to compete.”His other comment that day was the cliche that offenses score points, and defenses win championships.The picks will reflect those principals. No one will be asking: “Where’s the beef?”QUARTERBACKThe last time the Giants took a quarterback in the first round was in 2004. The guy they selected was Philip Rivers with the fourth pick overall. Just as quickly, they shipped Rivers and three draft picks to San Diego for Manning. If the Giants believe there is a franchise maker at quarterback, it would be interesting if they used to same route to get Manning’s replacement. If not, maybe the second round.DEFENSIVE LINEThe defense switched to a 3-4 scheme last season with new coordinator James Bettcher. It was a struggle. Opponents scored 412 points, averaged 118.6 yards rushing, and held the ball more than 31 minutes a game. A major problem was getting pressure: New York was limited to 30 sacks, with the now departed Vernon leading the team with seven. Six players who are no longer with the club accounted for 13 1-2 sacks. Tackle B.J. Hill (5 1-2 sacks as a rookie) and Dalvin Tomlinson are back. They are going to need help.NO BECKHAMBeckham was the major outside threat with his quickness and speed. Sterling Shepard , who signed a $41 million, four-year extension, and free agent Golden Tate will be Manning’s top two targets, along with tight end Evan Engram,who needs to stay healthy. Shepard and Tate are slot guys, though. It would help if the Giants found a burner who could keep the safeties occupied, and there are a few in this crop.OFFENSIVE LINEThe group gave up 47 sacks last season despite adding left tackle Nate Solder as a free agent and drafting left guard Will Hernandez in the second round. Center Jon Hapalio is back after missing most of last season. Kevin Zeitler, acquired in the Vernon deal, is a solid right guard. Right tackle could use an upgrade. Chad Wheeler filled in after the team gave up on 2015 first-round pick Ereck Flowers.POST COLLINSNew York signed 34-year-old Antoine Bethea to fill the major void when Collins went to the Redskins. Michael Thomas, Sean Chandler and Kamrin Moore are expected to fight for the other safety spot. Don’t be surprised if a rookie gets a shot to start.

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