New York Giants Getting Healthy Just in Time for Tough Stretch

In a matter of two weeks, the New York Giants have completely flipped the script on their 2014 season. 

A team many considered a write-off after an embarrassing 0-2 start has outscored two quality opponents 75-31 in back-to-back victories, causing many—yours truly included—to eat their words. But while Detroit, Arizona, Houston and Washington provided for a challenging September, the schedule actually gets worse between now and the end of November. 

A breakdown...

Week 5: The Falcons are just 2-2 but have scored 84 points in their last two games and lead the league by a wide margin with an average of 6.8 yards per play. Quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones are sometimes unstoppable, and now wideout Roddy White appears to be fully healthy as well. Atlanta is a Jekyll-and-Hyde team, but if the Falcons are on their game they're extremely tough to beat. And the Giants are well aware of that—they lost 34-0 to Atlanta in December 2012. 

Week 6: New York might have beaten Philadelphia on the road last October, but the Eagles were forced to use third-string quarterback Matt Barkley for the majority of that meeting and they haven't lost a home game since. During that six-game home winning streak, they've averaged 34.5 points per game. 

Week 7: Suddenly the Cowboys have become a tough out, so the Giants will be in a tough spot against Dallas on the road. The 'Boys swept the season series with Big Blue last season. 

Week 8: Bye

Week 9: They begin a stretch in which they play three straight 2013 playoff teams with a meeting with the Colts. Indy has scored 85 points in its last two games and has one of the hottest quarterbacks in the NFL. The Colts have also won five of their last six home games. 

Week 10: The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks dominated the G-Men at MetLife Stadium last December, winning 23-0. Now, New York has to travel to Seattle, where the 'Hawks are nearly unbeatable.

Week 11: The 49ers have been to three straight NFC Championship Games, so that's always a tough out. San Francisco should also have some key cogs back by then, so the Giants will have their hands full. 

Week 12: Dallas again. 

Combined record of those opponents: 17-10.

Number of their next seven opponents that currently have a losing record: zero.

	Opponent	Record	Why they're tough
Week 5	Falcons	2-2	No. 2-ranked offense
Week 6	at Eagles	3-1	Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy, Chip Kelly
Week 7	at Cowboys	3-1	Dallas won both meetings in 2013
Week 8	Bye
Week 9	Colts	2-2	Red-hot, winners of 2 straight
Week 10	at Seahawks	2-1	Duh...
Week 11	49ers	2-2	Perennial SB contender should be healthier
Week 12	Cowboys	3-1	DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant, Tony Romo
Total		17-10

The four games that follow—Jacksonville, Tennessee, Washington and St. Louis—will be a stroll in the park in comparison to what they'll have gone through over the first 12 weeks of the season, and they get to finish up at home in what could be a huge game against the Eagles. 

I know, I'm looking far ahead. But the point is that if the Giants want that fairly easy late November/December stretch to actually matter, they'll have to steal some games few are expecting them to win in the upcoming weeks. 

And that's why it's so crucial that it looks as though they'll be getting two key cogs back into the lineup just as things begin to heat up. 

New York managed to win both of its games without middle linebacker Jon Beason, but the tackle machine's presence was still missed. Against Atlanta's No. 2-ranked offense, they'll benefit greatly if Beason is back in the middle. 

"It feels pretty good," Beason said Thursday of his injured foot, according to ESPN.com's Dan Graziano. "We're just working me back in slowly, trying to be smart about it and not make anything worse. But it's feeling pretty good."

Conor Orr of The Star-Ledger reports that Beason believes he'll be able to suit up Sunday. That would be huge, because although the Falcons aren't a major threat on the ground, the Eagles and Cowboys are.

The Giants would be in trouble if they lost to both Philly and Dallas on the road in Weeks 6 and 7, but the Eagles had by far the league's best running game last year and the Cowboys have the game's hottest back in September, NFC Offensive Player of the Month DeMarco Murray. 

To slow those guys down, Beason—who was probably their defensive MVP last season—will come in handy in a big way. 

Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, it looks as though rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. might finally be over the world's worst nagging hamstring injury in time to his make career debut against the Falcons.

The No. 12 overall pick hurt his hammy on the first day of training camp, July 22, and only just returned to a regular practice routine in the last week. 

Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo said Thursday, per Graziano:

"

We'll take it slow with him, but he would be a nice guy to add to the mix. He has a unique skill set. We like the way he can get in and out of his routes. We like to cross-train as many different guys doing as many different things as we can. He's certainly mentally capable of handling things, and physically, he's a first-round pick. He's a talented man.

"

Considering how conservative Giants head coach Tom Coughlin often is with his rookies, I wouldn't expect to see Beckham running wild Sunday against Atlanta. But if he can take this game to become acclimated, the LSU product could have a chance to do some damage against vulnerable defenses in Philly and Dallas in the weeks to follow. 

Graziano points out that the Giants "have been in three-wide receiver sets for nearly 80 percent of their offensive plays this year," so the kid doesn't have to become an immediate starter in order to get immediate snaps. 

At the very least he'll provide quarterback El Manning with another option while causing defenses to worry about one more unfamiliar weapon. Manning has been leaning heavily on tight end Larry Donnell, but Beckham's return would take a little pressure off Donnell and No. 1 receiver Victor Cruz. Plus, he might have a chance to contribute as a return man. 

I don't know if this quick turnaround from the Giants has merely been a mirage, teasing fans who hope this year's edition of the team can pull yet another rabbit out of its hat in 2007 or 2011 fashion. But I do know it would have been a lot harder to survive the upcoming eight weeks without the presence of Beason and Beckham. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon