New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has conceded that if his side are going to make the NFL playoffs, then they will need to win their remaining five matches.

The Giants were beaten by divisional rivals the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, effectively ending their post-season hopes.

However, Manning remains optimistic, although the two-time Super Bowl winner admits that he knows it will be tough.

He told Giants.com: "I think our mindset now is we've got to win five. We've got five games left and we have to win every one. That's the only way that will possibly give us a chance.

"We don't even know if that's going to be good enough, but that's the only way. Again, you can't trade anything differently than what we've been doing the past few weeks, and take it one game at a time.

"Next week we're at Washington – another big one in the division. We've got to go in there and find a way to win."

Defeat has given the Cowboys a cushion over the Giants in the NFC East, with the Philadelphia Eagles still in top spot.