New England Patriots vs. New York Giants: What's the Game Plan for New York?
Playing the New England Patriots has historically brought the best out of Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Perhaps heading into Sunday's game being huge underdogs in their own building will be enough to push the Giants to victory, but they're also going to need to play their 'A' game if they're going to have any chance.
Here's a look at how the Giants can make this one interesting on Sunday, and what they need to do to give themselves the best shot at pulling off the upset of Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Offensive Game Plan
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Giants quarterback Eli Manning has five games this year where he has not thrown an interception, and he's going to have to stretch that number to six on Sunday.
The Patriots are just too good, and the Giants can't afford to turn the ball over and beat themselves. They'll need to play a perfect game against New England to keep themselves in it, and it's not out of the realm of possibility that they do so.
Given that their roster is decimated by injuries and the Patriots are the far superior group, this is the biggest key to the game for the G-Men.
Win the Time of Possession Battle
Realistically, nobody likes a conservative game plan because it's boring to watch. Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo can't get too cute, however, and he needs to keep things simple on Sunday.
You know what happens when you get too cute and try to outsmart Patriots head coach Bill Belichick? You lose the Super Bowl trying to surprise the Patriots by throwing the ball on the 1-yard line instead of running it down their throats.
The Giants may not have a reliable running game to build around, but they're going to need to trust their group to move the chains and keep the clock ticking. The best way to play defense against Brady is to not let him have the ball in the first place.
Safe, short throws mixed in with a pounding, four-headed rushing attack may be the most effective way to grind out a victory. It'll help wear the Patriots defense down to the point where you can open it up and hit Odell Beckham Jr. deep in the fourth quarter.
Defensive Game Plan
Guard the Short Passes
One staple of the New England Patriots offense is their quick slants and patterns run by their speedy receivers.
Given the Giants' lack of depth at safety and linebacker, the Patriots are likely going to try to utilize the middle of the field frequently. Expect a ton of short patterns to receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola, who are both creative, quick and capable of abusing the Giants between the numbers.
Most of the routes that the Patriots run are centered on timing, using Brady's quick release to effectively nullify a pass rush and to often times catch defenses napping. Disrupting their timing will be key, so the Giants should get physical with Edelman and make him uncomfortable right off the line of scrimmage.
Get in Brady's Face
Even if the Giants don't generate any sacks on Sunday, they've proven in the past that even the fear of pressure has gotten to Tom Brady.
In fact, their pass rush used to be so great that Brady would feel defenders rushing him when they weren't even there. Back in 2012, the term was "ghost pressure."
If the Giants can find a way to constantly rush Brady into making quick reads or knock him down frequently, it may be just as good as actually sacking him.
One thing is certain, if Brady has enough time in the pocket, he will pick the Giants defense apart and end this game before most fans are even done tailgating.
Key Players and Matchups
The Giants' woes against tight ends have been well-documented, and they haven't faced anyone on the same planet as Gronkowski this season.
The last time Gronk faced the Giants in the regular season was Nov. 6, 2011. Even back then, with Aaron Hernandez (who is always forgotten as being really good) on the team, Gronk hauled in eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown.
There's a serious chance that's his stat line at halftime on Sunday.
A physical freak of nature, Gronkowski is too big for safeties and too fast for linebackers. He makes Pro Bowl defenders look like they belong in pee-wee football, so what will he do on Sunday against whichever unfit defender the Giants line up against him?
Brandon Bolden
With the unfortunate news that running back Dion Lewis is done for the year with a torn ACL, it's time for someone else to step up for the Patriots.
Besides his impressive 4.8 yards per carry, Lewis was a real factor in the passing game out of the backfield. He ranked third on the team with 36 receptions and 388 receiving yards.
Though his replacement won't truly be known until the game occurs, as Belichick is renown for his surprising running back rotations, Brandon Bolden filled in admirably last week against the Redskins. Bolden had three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown, making him a player to watch on Sunday.
Jason Pierre-Paul
Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul finally returned to the field last week against the Bucs, calming the storm surrounding his long-anticipated first game action since his fireworks accident.
Since everyone saw the giant oven mitt he had on his four-fingered hand, the only thing anyone will be talking about this weekend will be his play on the field.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been sacked 18 times this season, six times more than Eli Manning, and needs to hit the turf often on Sunday.
The Giants pass rush, ranked No. 32 in the league with just nine sacks, has been utterly atrocious this season.
Whether it's fair to expect him to be the savior on defense or not, Pierre-Paul has the best chance of making a difference against the Patriots this weekend.
Prediction
Sometimes in sports, the better team doesn't win. An angry underdog will unite, rise up and shock the world with an upset. It's happened between these two teams twice in the Super Bowl, with the Giants stunning New England and the rest of the world.
It won't happen Sunday. The simple fact is that the Patriots are way too good, and the Giants have no answer for Rob Gronkowski.
The Giants roster was poorly constructed by general manager Jerry Reese before everyone started to flock to the injured reserve list, and now they are just a weakened and battered group on both sides of the ball.
Still, at 5-4 and in first place in the NFC East, things could be going a lot worse for Big Blue. If they can keep the score close on Sunday and truly compete with New England until late in the game, the contest can be marked up as a moral victory.
Even with a loss, the Giants will still go into their bye week as a .500 team who will be no less than tied for first place. If the game is close, perhaps they'll show themselves that they belong and truly start to buy in.
Patriots 39, Giants 26
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