An inside have a look at Sunday’s Giants-Saints Week 14 matchup at MetLife Stadium:
Marquee matchup
Saints FS Tyrann Mathieu vs. Giants QB Drew Lock
Mathieu has three interceptions this season and the Honey Badger has 36 picks in 175 video games in his 12-year NFL profession.
He has a nostril for the ball and Lock tends to throw it up there.
Lock tousled a display go for a pick-six towards the Cowboys on Thanksgiving and he has a brutal ratio of 28 landing passes and 24 interceptions in 32 NFL video games.
“The gunslinger all the time comes with the professional and the con,’’ Lock stated. “The man that’s going to go on the market and be capable of make each throw, however the unfavourable aspect of that time period is you may put the ball in danger generally. There’s a stability.’’
Paul’s decide
The Saints aren’t any good however they’re favored on the street. What does that inform you concerning the state of the Giants?
Derek Carr has misplaced his prime targets however he’s a confirmed, respectable NFL quarterback.
Can the Giants say that about Drew Lock, the third QB they’ve used this season? If in case you have Alvin Kamara in fantasy soccer, put together for an enormous week of dashing and receiving stats.
Saints 26, Giants 13.
4 downs
Mr. dependable: Darius Slayton is a outstanding participant and never as a result of he’s outstanding as a large receiver.
It’s that he’s remarkably constant in his manufacturing.
Slayton in 11 video games has 34 receptions for 477 yards. If he continues that tempo within the ultimate 5 video games, he’ll finish his sixth season with the Giants with 50 receptions for 694 yards.
In 4 of the previous 5 seasons, Slayton clocked in with 46-50 receptions and 724-770 yards.
“I believe I’ve improved yearly that I’ve been within the NFL,’’ Slayton stated. “At any time when the season ends, I imagine I’ll go into the offseason, I’ll go to work, and I’ll come again a greater model of myself for Yr 7.’’
Depth chart deep dive: That is usually what occurs down the stretch of a nasty, unhealthy season — gamers fall by the wayside.
The Giants will play with out three extra starters on protection — LB Bobby Okereke, CB Deonte Banks and DE Rakeem Nunez-Roches — along with ending out with out stud NT Dexter Lawrence.
And on Saturday, beginning CB Cor’Dale Flott (quad/knee) was added to the harm report, listed as questionable.
The 2 beginning offensive tackles, Jermaine Eluemunor (uncertain) and Evan Neal (questionable), are hurting and that’s along with Andrew Thomas already on injured reserve.
Prepare for apply squad callups and newcomers Elijah Garcia, Casey Rogers and Cory Durden on the line of defense and presumably Josh Ezeudu and perhaps Chris Hubbard (questionable with a knee challenge) at offensive deal with.
Jersey boys: Is there one thing within the water across the Meadowlands?
The Giants and Jets are the one NFL groups to not have a 300-yard passer in a recreation, and in addition the one two groups to not quit 300 passing yards to an opposing quarterback.
A lot of it is because neither staff has been capable of cease the run — the Giants are twenty ninth within the NFL, the Jets are twentieth — so why go it when you’ll be able to run it on ’em?
This will likely come as a shock: The Giants are the one staff within the league that has but to permit an opposing receiver to achieve a minimum of 100 yards.
Tight spot: These final 5 video games would have been an exquisite alternative for TE Theo Johnson to finish his rookie 12 months with a flourish.
Alas, he underwent foot surgical procedure early within the week and is finished for the season.
That additional depletes a skinny place group, as Daniel Bellinger (fourth-round decide in 2022) fell into disfavor with the teaching employees and barely performs.
New on the scene is Greg Dulcich, who was forged apart by the Broncos in late November.
Dulcich was a third-round decide in 2022 and he had 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. Perhaps the long-haired Dulcich exhibits one thing down the stretch.
