Coming off the bye week, the New York Giants will be going into a battle with a team that looks like it may be competing for the same playoff spot the Giants are looking to grab. The Atlanta Falcons are coming into town this Sunday, and a win for the Giants will be big, not just to end their losing streak, but to get ahead of another team competing for a playoff berth.

Here’s some questions QB Eli Manning fielded on the upcoming match between the Giants and the Falcons:

Q. Realizing Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas lost, does that give you some added energy?

A. I am excited because no matter what, no matter what happens, all we can control is what the Giants can do. We’ve got to control our play and go out there and play well. It starts this week; we’ve got a big game versus a team that we don’t play very often. They are coming to Giants Stadium. It is our job to go out there, play well, handle our business and everything else will work itself out.

Q. What do you have to do to beat them?

A. Just play well. Protect the ball, we’ve got to score when we get into the red zone, we can’t make mistakes. We have to stay on track and just be patient. Take our completions. When there is time to hit some big plays and change the momentum of the game and change the field position, we need to make those plays.

Q. Given the way the standings are, Atlanta appears to be a team that is going to be in the playoff mix. How much more importance does this game take on given that you are right in the middle with them?

A. It is an important game for us because we have to get back on track. Obviously it is a big one for them. We are in similar situations. We know they will come in ready to play. They have lost three of their last four and so they are going to feel they have something to prove, just like us. We’ve got to get back on track and start looking forward to the second half of the season and looking forward to this game.

Both the Giants and Falcons are slumping teams with playoff aspirations. Both teams will be playing with a huge chip on their shoulder come Sunday because both need a win pretty desperately. Fortunately for the Giants, this bye week couldn’t have come at a better time.

Aaron Ross may be back, the injured players got some much needed rest, and perhaps coach Tom Coughlin and Eli feel like they’ve got their head back on their shoulders.