Giants Look for a Bright Spot, Chiefs Look for a Playoff Spot

If you thought things couldn’t get any worse for the New York Giants, guess again.

The distraction factor has gone off the scale for today’s game at Giants Stadium (Channel 4, 9:30 a.m.) against the Kansas City Chiefs (9-5), who clinch a playoff berth with a victory.

Never mind a five-game losing streak that has ended the Giants’ playoff chances, bickering among players and coaches, and questions concerning whether quarterback Jeff Hostetler should return to the lineup for two meaningless games.

Here is the latest sideshow: the reported firing of Ray Handley at the end of the season and the rumored rehiring of former coach Bill Parcells.

Whether the Giants (5-9) can turn things around against the run-oriented Kansas City offense is questionable.

New York has given up a 100-yard rushing effort by an opponent in four games in a row and six times this season. In the previous three years, the Giants saw only five players rush for 100 yards against them.

Chief linebacker Derrick Thomas said his team has no intention of being sidetracked by the Giants’ problems.

“The New York Giants have a great football team,” he said. “They are not playing great right now, but they have a great football team and they have the ability to play as they have played in the past.”