New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints: Full New Orleans Game Preview

The New Orleans Saints will attempt to ring up their third straight win Sunday, as they host the New York Giants in a Week 8 NFC clash.

New Orleans (3-4) is coming off a road victory over the Indianapolis Colts, which marked its first winning streak of the season. Coach Sean Payton’s club stumbled out of the gates to an 0-3 start, but the Saints have made significant improvements on multiple fronts, including rush offense and run defense.

New Orleans boasts the NFL’s third-ranked pass offense, but it was the Saints' long-dormant running game that suddenly came to life and propelled them to victory a week ago.

The past couple of weeks have also been quite productive for New Orleans pass-rusher Cam Jordan, who’s racked up six sacks in the last two games.

Meanwhile, the Giants (4-3) are fresh off a Sunday night win over their divisional rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, and they sit atop the standings in the NFC East.

Coach Tom Coughlin’s squad ranks No. 23 in the league in total offense and No. 29 in total defense. While the Giants are certainly capable of finding ways to win games, the Saints are a team with a lot of momentum, and coming out on top in this one could prove to be a tall order for the visitors.

Read on for a preview of this important NFC matchup, which kicks off Sunday in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT.

Saints-Giants Series

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These two teams have hooked up 27 times, and New York holds a 15-12 edge in the series.

The first three contests all took place at historic Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY. New Orleans didn’t get a victory until the third meeting, however, earning a 25-24 win behind four field goals from Tom Dempsey in 1969.

The Saints have won three of the last four, but in the latest installment of the series, the home-standing Giants ran roughshod over New Orleans. Payton was nearing the end of a season-long suspension in December 2012, and the defense-less Saints fell to the Giants in lopsided fashion, 52-27.

A year earlier, it was the Saints offense that lit up the scoreboards, as Drew Brees and Co. demolished Coughlin’s squad in the Superdome, 49-24, in 2011. The Giants would go on to raise the Lombardi Trophy later that season, however, after a Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots.

Injury Report

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The Saints released their first injury report of the week Wednesday on the team’s official site.

The list of players who did not practice was lengthy. It included left tackle Terron Armstead, who sat out with a lingering knee injury.

Another notable absentee was starting linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (hip). The offseason acquisition has been outstanding the last two weeks, and the Saints could certainly use him in the lineup come Sunday.

Linebacker David Hawthorne (hamstring) and offensive tackle Andrus Peat (knee) also missed practice with injuries, while cornerback Keenan Lewis was limited in action.

Four other Saints missed practice for reasons other than injury, including wideout Marques Colston, defensive tackle Kevin Williams, guard Jahri Evans and guard Mike McGlynn.

Meanwhile, cornerback Damian Swann was a full go, after missing the last two weeks with a concussion.

Key Matchups to Watch

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Delvin Breaux vs. Odell Beckham, Jr.

The matchup on the outside between Saints corner Delvin Breaux and Giants receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. is without a doubt the most highly anticipated one-on-one battle of this contest.

Breaux has burst onto the scene in his first NFL season, and in just two short months, he’s established himself as the top cover man in New Orleans.

The former CFL star is still a bit rough around the edges, however, as the scoring plays he surrendered against the Colts last Sunday would suggest. Locked into a heated battle with T.Y. Hilton, Breaux tripped and fell down on two separate occasions, yielding touchdowns on both plays.

Other than the hiccups on the scoring plays, he held his own against the explosive Hilton, and his impressive overall performance came just one week after showing out against the Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones.

On Sunday, Breaux will go head-to-head with 2014 Pro Bowler and fellow Louisiana native Beckham.

In just a short period of time, Beckham has cemented himself as one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons. The former LSU star racked up over 1,300 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games as a rookie in 2014, and he’s followed up with an impressive sophomore campaign in which he’s snagged 42 balls for 524 yards.

Both of these talented young players are capable of making big plays in this matchup, which should be quite enjoyable to watch.

Saints Running Backs vs. Giants Linebackers

The New Orleans running game broke out of its shell against the Colts last week, as the Saints pounded out 183 yards on the ground at an average of 5.1 yards per clip.

Mark Ingram led the way for New Orleans, repeatedly powering past the Indianapolis linebackers and into the secondary on his way to a 143-yard performance.

Ingram, Khiry Robinson and C.J. Spiller, along with the Saints offensive line, are looking to carry the New Orleans ground game into this week’s contest with a head of steam.

Normally, Giants “Mike” linebacker Jon Beason would be standing in their way, but his status for Sunday’s game is uncertain. The nine-year veteran missed two games with a concussion before returning against Dallas last week, but he was listed on the team’s Wednesday injury report with an ankle injury.

Strong-side ‘backer Devon Kennard should be good to go for New York, however, and he’ll be looking to add to his 32-tackle total for the season.

The Giants will be counting on their linebackers to take the tread off New Orleans’ ground attack, but if the Saints offensive line can slide back into the groove it discovered a week ago, Ingram and Co. could be in for another big day.

Players to Keep an Eye On

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Offense: Michael Hoomanawanui

Just after their Week 3 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Saints traded defensive end Akiem Hicks to the New England Patriots in exchange for tight end Michael Hoomanawanui.

The sixth-year veteran didn’t see much action during his first couple of weeks as a Saint, but against the Colts, he hauled in five passes for 31 yards, including a touchdown reception from Brees.

Hoomanawanui is a versatile tight end who’s not only a capable receiver but also an accomplished run-blocker. New Orleans utilized the Illinois product last week in three-tight end sets as both a blocker and a receiver, and his multifaceted game brings a fresh component to the Saints offense.

Defense: Brandon Browner

With all the attention the Breaux-Beckham showdown is likely to draw, it will be easy to forget about the other important passing-game matchup, which pits New Orleans corner Brandon Browner against Giants wideout Rueben Randle.

With Breaux’s emergence in the New Orleans secondary, opposing passers have looked Browner’s way often the past few weeks. Even though he’s been targeted frequently, Browner’s value as a physical presence in the secondary is undeniable.

As for Randle, it’s not uncommon for Eli Manning to look for him on third downs, and Browner must be up to the task when lined up against the Giants’ unheralded but dangerous possession receiver.

Prediction

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Dating back to the middle of last season, New Orleans had dropped six consecutive home games before snapping the streak with an inspired Week 6 performance against the Falcons.

After tacking on another “W” last week, the Saints are a confident group that appears to be improving at a steady rate, particularly on defense.

This week, New Orleans native Eli Manning and the Giants come calling, but the visitors will be hard-pressed to pull the upset in this one.

Look for the Saints to go with a balanced run-pass mix on offense and for Brees to spread the ball around among the various wideouts, tight ends and running backs.

On the other side of the ball, New Orleans’ young defenders should be primed and ready to compete in front of their home crowd, while Cam Jordan will be looking to make a big impact for the third straight week.

The Giants’ potent passing game will likely get them into the end zone a couple of times, but it won’t be enough to topple the Saints on their home turf.

Saints 27, Giants 17