If the New York Giants win their game on Sunday, they’ll be going to the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2016 and the second time since they capped the 2011 season by winning Super Bowl XLVI.

Giants coach Brian Daboll does not want to talk about that. The former Alabama offensive coordinator wants to talk about the Indianapolis Colts, who will bring a five-game losing streak to MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

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“You got to do the things you need to do to win each game,” Daboll said. “I know there’s ‘What’s this? What’s this?’ The way I was raised in this business, in terms of getting ready to play games, doing the things you need to do each week, prepare the right way, practice the right way. I know it’s a boring answer, but that’s the truth. I don’t think you can get too far ahead of yourself in anything. Each game is important. And as you get going throughout the season, if you’re lucky enough to keep going, they’re one-game seasons then, so our focus is on this game. And we’re going to have to do a good job.”

In their first season under Daboll, the Giants have an 8-6-1 record. Over the previous three seasons, New York went a combined 14-35.

Those three seasons and the 2022 revival have encompassed wide receiver Darius Slayton’s NFL career. The former Auburn standout is following his coach’s lead this week.

“I think everybody’s aware of our situation and kind of what the reality is for a lot of teams around the NFL this time of year,” Slayton said. “At the end of the day, you can only focus on the week you have, and the opponent you have ahead of you, and the rest of that will take care of itself.”

But Slayton did acknowledge New York’s next-to-last regular-season game is different in 2022.

“I’m mostly just excited to be playing competitive, meaningful football,” Slayton said. “I think that’s something that since I’ve been in the league, I haven’t really had a chance to do very much. I’m just grateful for all these games that are going to be highly contested. And, obviously, we’re going to go out there and do our best to get the win in all of them.”

Only one player on the Giants’ active roster was with the team when New York lost to the Green Bay Packers 38-13 in the wild-card round on Jan. 8, 2017. And safety Landon Collins almost missed out this time around.

A first-team All-Pro and the third-place finisher in the AP Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2016, Collins left New York after the 2018 season in free agency. In March, the Washington Commanders cut Collins in a salary-cap move. The former Alabama All-American rejoined the Giants as a member of their practice squad on Oct. 7.

After playing in the maximum of three games as a practice-squad elevation, Collins joined New York’s active roster on Dec. 22 and reached season highs with 33 defensive snaps and 17 special-teams plays in Saturday’s 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

“When you’re given that opportunity to get into the big dance, every second, every down, every yard line, every measurement matters,” Collins said. “It’s not something that’s given. You got to earn that.”

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The Alabama Game of the Week is the Cleveland Browns-Washington Commanders contest on Sunday. Thirteen players from Alabama high schools and colleges are on the teams’ active rosters.

The complete Week 17 schedule (with all times Central and point spreads from Catena):

Thursday

· Dallas Cowboys (-10.5) at Tennessee Titans, 7:15 p.m. (Prime Video)

Sunday

· Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5), noon

· Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-6), noon

· Jacksonville Jaguars (-4.5) at Houston Texans, noon (WHNT)

· Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs (-12.5), noon

· Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (-3), noon (WIAT, WKRG, WAKA, WTVY)

· Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants (-6), noon

· New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles (-6.5), noon (WALA)

· Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3), noon (WBRC, WZDX, WCOV, WDFX)

· Cleveland Browns at Washington Commanders (-2), noon

· San Francisco 49ers (-10) at Las Vegas Raiders, 3:05 p.m.

· New York Jets (-1.5) at Seattle Seahawks, 3:05 p.m.

· Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (-3.5), 3:25 p.m. (WIAT, WHNT, WKRG, WAKA, WTVY)

· Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5), 3:25 p.m.

· Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens (-2.5), 7:15 p.m. (NBC, Universo)

Monday

· Buffalo Bills (-1) at Cincinnati Bengals, 7:15 p.m. (ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.