5 Bold Predictions for New York Giants' Week 2 Matchup

After making a rather bold statement last week in which the New York Giants came pretty darn close to upsetting the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Tom Coughlin and his crew have returned to work this week.

They've put behind them the follies that contributed to last week's late-game meltdown and have been focused on correcting some of the play-calling and personnel deployment issues that quietly contributed to their coming up short of their goal. 

Whether those new tactics make a difference remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: The Giants need to win this weekend to quiet the rumblings of a fanbase that is rightfully sick of being let down week after week.

So let's look ahead to the regular-season home opener against the Atlanta Falcons and run down some bold (and maybe not so bold) predictions.

Odell Beckham Jr. Will See Time as the Slot Receiver

John Minchillo/Associated Press

We all know about the poor showing that Preston Parker had last week against Dallas; such a poor showing is almost certain to earn him a sharp reduction in his snaps.

Moreover, on Wednesday, Coughlin hinted that receiver Dwayne Harris might see time as a slot receiver.

The truth is that Odell Beckham Jr. as a slot receiver offers far more intrigue based on a few formations the team ran in the summer. Beckham would almost certainly have the size advantage in such a role. Plus, he plays as physical of a game as any receiver on the Giants.

“He lines up everywhere. Watch him, he’s got all kinds of motion,” said Coughlin. “He lines up inside, he lines up outside, he’s No. 2, No. 3, No. 1—he lines up everywhere.”

Of course, the disclaimer is that when the Giants ran plays with Beckham in the slot in the summer, they had a healthy Victor Cruz on the field. They won’t have Cruz out there this week as he continues to battle back from a calf injury.

However, if—and this is a big if—they can get Rueben Randle to play like he did in the final two games of the 2014 season, putting Beckham in the slot ahead of Harris might just yield a better return on investment.

Eli Manning Will Throw for at Least 300 Yards and 2 Touchdowns

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

Eli Manning took his lumps this week in the media and did so with the quiet grace and strength that have become his trademark.

But don’t think for a moment that Manning isn’t stewing inside over what happened. When Manning spoke to reporters this week, he had that fire in his eyes that just suggested that he means business and that he’s going to take charge and give the Giants fans something to cheer about at Sunday’s home opener.

That something should be a solid performance that will have the New York Post, who earlier this week ran a back-page photo of Manning in a dunce cap alongside the headline “The $84M Dope” (h/t CBS Local), scrambling to come up with a headline should Manning fulfill the bold prediction of throwing for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

RB Shane Vereen Will Score the 1st Receiving Touchdown

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

It’s only one game, but if I had told you that the Giants receiving corps, wildly regarded as a strength coming into this season, would not have at least one touchdown in the opening week, would you have believed me?

Probably not—and certainly not when a team has a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. in the lineup.

Yet, that’s the situation the Giants find themselves in, which has seemingly carried over from the preseason where passing touchdowns between Manning and the receivers were about as rare as a rainy day this past summer.

Well, my guess is that trend is going to continue. The Cowboys provided a starting blueprint on how to cover Beckham, so with that said, if anyone is going to be the first to score a receiving touchdown, running back Shane Vereen—he of so many talents—would probably be the best bet.

And then there was the following nugget from Coughlin, when I asked if Vereen might get a few more opportunities to get his hands on the ball.

"There’s more involvement coming," he said. "It’s a long season." 

Craig Dahl Will Replace the Middle Linebacker in the Nickel Package

Uncredited/Associated Press

Last week, the Giants left middle linebacker Uani’ Unga in the nickel package—a decision that was both curious and disastrous given how the game ended.

This week, especially with Unga nursing a knee injury, don’t be shocked if defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo gets veteran safety Craig Dahl, who now has a couple of weeks in this defense under his belt, more involved.

The Falcons, remember, have a pair of solid receivers in Roddy White and Julio Jones, the latter of whom,  despite nursing a hamstring injury, will play, according to head coach Dan Quinn.

Again, Unga was solid in his first NFL start, but with concerns about his knee potentially affecting what already appears to be questionable coverage skills, this move makes too much sense not to execute.

Damontre Moore Will Record the Giants' 1st Sack of 2015

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The Giants defense desperately needs to start getting sacks; however, it is going against another offense this week that believes in getting the ball away quickly.

With rookie Owa Odighizuwa (foot) and his quick first step not looking as though he will be ready to play, if the Giants have any hope of getting to Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan on Sunday, they will need to get defensive end Damontre Moore on the field whenever possible.

According to last week’s NFL game book, Moore played in 19 defensive snaps, failing to dent the stat sheet. This week, look for Moore to get on the stat sheet in a grand fashion, and that is as the first member of the Giants defense to register a sack for the new season.

Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. All quotes and information were obtained firsthand unless otherwise sourced.