EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The tides have turned in an upside-down NFC East. The New York Giants, once massive underdogs to win the division, are now the favorites.
It's an unfamiliar role for a franchise that hasn't claimed the NFC East crown since 2011.
"Yeah, I don't know. To me, it's all kind of meaningless," coach John Harbaugh said. "I mean, if you're betting, it's important, but it doesn't matter to us because there's still 10 games left to play. And I'm quite sure every one of the teams in the division believes that in those 10 games, they can make up ground. I've had experience with that in my coaching career. Players know that it's what you do; it's not what anybody says about you or where you get ranked or anything like that. It's just about what you do. You've got to go win games."
The Giants (4-2-1) still have to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, Fox) for the first time in 13 years, but if they do, it will be the latest step in regaining legitimacy against their once-dominant rival. The Eagles have won the past two NFC East titles and five division championships since the Giants' last.
But with Philadelphia (2-6) decimated by injury and the surprising Giants off to a strong start in Harbaugh's first season, there is an unfamiliar pecking order in the division. Almost at the midway point of the season, New York has officially evolved into the favorite to win the NFC East. Perhaps even several weeks late with the Cowboys and Eagles struggling so badly.
"It doesn't mean anything," Giants right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said. "All that stuff is for Vegas. Obviously, it was annoying that they kept saying other teams were favorites. But I think at this point, we just don't care. If you handle your business, you're going to win. The oddsmakers don't go out there on Sunday. If we continue winning, like I said, it handles itself."
The Giants are currently the only team in the NFC East with a winning record. The Cowboys (3-5) and Commanders (2-4-1) are struggling, much like the Eagles. It's not out of the realm of possibility that if the Giants go 4-6 in their final 10 games, they still manage to win the division. A record of 8-8-1 might get it done this season.
As a result, the Giants are currently -150 to win the NFC East, according to DraftKings sportsbook. The Cowboys are second at +245, while the Eagles are massive long shots at +3300, creating a true role reversal from recent years.
New York came into the season +600 and had a 12% chance to win the NFC East, according to ESPN Analytics. The Eagles were +120 and had a 44% chance to win the division.
The Giants were dealt the underdog card, but they didn't seem to agree.
"In my mind, I feel like every time we play, we should be the favorite," tight end Isaiah Likely said. "And that's just the mentality I have."
Likely came from Baltimore with Harbaugh where they won the division two of the past four seasons. The Giants, meanwhile, had become regular basement dwellers before Harbaugh's arrival. They finished last in the NFC East in five of the past nine seasons.
This four-day stretch when they play Sunday against the Eagles and Thursday night against the Commanders could signal a changing of the guard. It's an opportunity for the Giants to show they should be taken seriously, even with their third quarterback of the season, J.J. McCarthy, starting games.
"I think you can use these games to put the entire league on notice," Eluemunor said.
The Giants are also expected to add some sort of reinforcements prior to the trade deadline Tuesday. Among the players they've made an offer for is Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, sources told ESPN.
The rest of the division's struggles have certainly opened the door for the Giants to be aggressive. So far, they've taken advantage. New York already thrashed the Cowboys in the opener at MetLife Stadium. It was just their third win in 19 matchups with Dallas.
This is their chance to end the skid in Philadelphia and grab command of the division in a down year for the NFC East.
"Definitely," outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux said. "I think it's definitely when you get on a roll in football, you got to keep going. You don't want anything to stop your momentum because it's hard to get it back once you lose it."
Nobody knows for sure if this will stick with the Giants or it's a one-year hiatus for the Eagles. Just about everything has gone wrong this season in Philadelphia, including starting quarterback Jalen Hurts being out indefinitely because of blood clots in his lungs.
At least for now, the Eagles appear to be a team on the decline. The Giants, with a new coach and some exciting young talent, look like a team on the rise. Winning the division would be an accomplishment. NFC East titles matter to the executive level of the New York Football Giants organization.