The New York Giants saved their best for last, closing out a dismal and disappointing 2023 season with a Week 18 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. 

In front of a sparse crowd on a wet and wintry afternoon, the Giants took a 24-0 lead into halftime at MetLife Stadium and held on for a 27-10 victory that ended a stretch of futility against the rival Eagles.

The Eagles pulled quarterback Jalen Hurts and several starters in the second half. Saquon Barkley, in what could be the curtain call on his six-year stay with the Giants, rushed for two touchdowns.

The regime of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll had been 0-5 against the Eagles and 0-8 against the Cowboys and Eagles, the top teams in the NFC East. 

This rare victory allowed the Giants to snap a three-game losing streak down the stretch of the season and give their beleaguered fans who decided to show up something to feel good about in an otherwise dreary season.

Still, this was quite a comedown for the Giants, who ended the season at 6-11. 

With snow covering the field and flurries swirling throughout Gillette Stadium, Greg Zuerlein kicked three field goals to help the New York Jets (7-10) earn their first victory over the New England Patriots since an overtime win on Dec. 27, 2015.

Breece Hall rushed for 174 yards and a late touchdown and the Jets snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Patriots with a 17-3 win Sunday in what could have been Belichick’s final game with the franchise for which he hoisted six Lombardi trophies.

Bill Belichick says he put everything he had into this season and still enjoys coaching.

But following the end to his most tenuous season as an NFL coach, it remained very much unclear whether he’ll ever do it again for the Patriots.

“A disappointing year for all of us — players, coaches, staffers, the entire organization,” Belichick said through a scratchy voice after fighting a cold this week. 

“That’s all I have to say about that right now, because that’s all there is to talk about.”

The game was the Jets’ first win in New England since the 2010 AFC divisional playoff round. It was also New York’s first regular-season road win against the Patriots since 2008.

The Giants (5-11) have now had remarkable upset bids fall short against a pair of playoff teams in a span of six days. They had a chance to beat the Eagles in Philadelphia on Christmas Day, but Taylor’s final heave into the end zone was intercepted.

For the second consecutive game, the New York Giants brought a playoff contender down to the wire with takeaways and clutch touchdowns. But just like they did six days ago in Philadelphia, they came up just short in a 26-25 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the penultimate week of the regular season.

After he took over for Tommy DeVito at halftime of Monday’s game against the Eagles, Tyrod Taylor got the starting nod at quarterback for Week 17. In his fourth start of the season, Taylor completed 27 of 41 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown with an interception late in the second quarter on a deep attempt to wide receiver Darius Slayton down the right sideline. Taylor was sacked six times.

Saquon Barkley, who moved into fourth place on the Giants’ all-time rushing list last week, ran 12 times for 39 yards on Sunday.