New York native Greg Van Roten is well-versed on the hard times experienced over the last decade by the Giants and Jets.
Van Roten was part of the 2020 Jets, who lost 13 straight games to start the season and finished 2-14.
That makes his experience this season with the Giants — who recently snapped a 10-game skid but carry a 3-13 record into Sunday’s season finale against the Eagles — sound tolerable.
“That Jets team was not as good as this team,” Van Roten told The Post. “We were getting blown out in 2020. This team was much more compeтιтive. We were in almost every game … but we just couldn’t figure out in the same game all three phases hitting on all cylinders. It’s worse when there’s less hope.”
The 2020 Jets — quarterbacked by Sam Darnold and Joe Flacco — were outscored by 214 points.
The 2024 Giants have been outscored by 135 points, thanks in part to being plus-24 in the fourth quarter when playing catch-up.
“It’s frustrating because we shouldn’t be 3-13, but we are,” Van Roten said. “This is a more talented roster. But you are what your record says you are. You can feel better looking back on it — tell yourself whatever you want to tell yourself to help you sleep at night — but we still lost 13 games and that’s a lot of games to lose.”
The NFL’s COVID-19 safety restrictions “added a layer of misery” to the 2020 season.
Empty stadiums prevented his local friends and family from attending games.
Whether he starts at center or right guard Sunday, Van Roten, 34, has a chance to be the only Giant to play every snap on offense or defense this season.
Not bad for a 10-year veteran who was a free agent until July 30.
The Giants lost four of their five co-captains to season-ending injury or release, so Van Roten also became an unofficial leader during the second half of the season.
“It just shows that I go about things the right way as far as getting ready for a season,” Van Roten said, “and dispels anything about how as you get older, you are more likely to break down. In that sense, it’s meaningful.”
LB Micah McFadden (neck), RT Evan Neal (rib/hip), C John Michael Schmitz (ankle), CB Greg Stroman (shin) will not play. DL Armon Watts (knee surgery) was put on injured reserve.
The Giants likely will line up Jermaine Eluemunor, Jake Kubas, Van Roten, Aaron Stinnie and either Chris Hubbard or Tyre Phillips, left to right, on the offensive line.
It is interesting that Josh Ezeudu — who started the season as the Giants’ swing tackle — is not even under consideration when healthy.
Hubbard and Phillips were in-season additions.
