New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints: What's the Game Plan for New York?
The New York Giants will look to increase their lead in the NFC East with a win in New Orleans, which has long been a difficult place for opposing teams to play.
The Saints have won two games in a row and three out of their last four, so it won't be easy for the Giants to pull out a victory in the Big Easy. With these keys to the game, however, they'll have a better shot.
Here's an in-depth breakdown of Sunday's tilt between the Giants and Saints.
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Offensive Game Plan
Air It Out to Beckham
As usual, Odell Beckham Jr. is the Giants' biggest key on offense, as the potency of the group starts and ends with him.
Coming off season lows in both catches (four) and yards (35), Beckham needs to rebound in a big way to get Eli Manning and the rest of the crew going.
It's easy for an offense to have miscommunication in the loud Superdome, but Manning and Beckham have such great chemistry that it shouldn't be an issue. If Beckham starts off fast and proves he's healthy, he'll open up space for the other wideouts to make plays.
Get the RBs Involved in the Passing Game
Shane Vereen and Rashad Jennings rank fourth and sixth, respectively, on the Giants in receptions. They should be targeted in large volumes on Sunday, as they give Manning reliable checkdown options.
Of course, Vereen is better at this than Jennings, as Vereen was signed to specifically be a playmaker on third downs in the passing game. In order to beat the Saints, the Giants are going to have to vary their looks on offense.
If they can pick up decent chunks of yardage with few dumpoffs to their running backs, the Giants offense will be much more potent.
Defensive Game Plan
Bottle Up Mark Ingram
Saints running back Mark Ingram had his first 100-yard game of the season last week, rushing for 143 yards on just 14 carries. He also scored another touchdown, giving him three in his last two games.
Though the Saints would typically give Drew Brees 40-plus passing attempts at home, that likely won't be the case on Sunday. Ingram has proved to be an important cog in their offense, averaging 4.4 yards per carry and totaling 29 catches out of the backfield as well.
He'll give Giants linebackers everything they can handle, and if Jon Beason isn't healthy enough to play, it will be a tough assignment for that unit.
Hold Brandin Cooks in Check
Young wide receiver Brandin Cooks has stepped up in the wake of the Jimmy Graham trade, which hijacked Drew Brees' favorite target out of NOLA.
Cooks has a team-leading 58 targets on the season, and to put that number in perspective, Beckham Jr. has 66 for the G-Men. It's likely that Cooks will be targeted heavily once again on Sunday and has the ability to break a big play, as his highest mark of the season is 47 yards, and he has six catches of more than 20 as well.
If he fails to have a big game, the responsibility to dominate will fall on the shoulders of undrafted rookie Willie Snead. Though he leads the team with 461 receiving yards, it's unclear if he can carry the passing game alone and lead the Saints to victory.
Key Players and Matchups
Benjamin Watson
The Giants have been brutal against tight ends this season, and Benjamin Watson leads the Saints with two receiving touchdowns.
He had 10 catches for 127 yards and a score two weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons and has racked up 10 first downs in three home games this season. It's clear that he's Brees' go-to man when he has to move the sticks, so the Giants better be ready to guard against his many targets.
Landon Collins
If Prince Amukamara can't play on Sunday, Landon Collins can help guard against the deep ball.
The Saints' Cooks is a home run hitter and can stretch the field. His speed can be an issue for opposing secondaries, and the Giants will need to keep a close eye on him.
Collins' physicality can make life difficult for Cooks, who is only 5'10" and 185 pounds. His game is speed, not power, and Collins can make certain he thinks twice about going over the middle or going high for a pass.
Damontre Moore
Damontre Moore leads the Giants with three sacks on the season, and until Jason Pierre-Paul comes, Moore is Big Blue's best chance at getting pressure.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been sacked 17 times this season, compared to just nine times for Eli Manning. With the Saints struggling to protect their aging star, the Giants need to bring the heat and make Brees feel uncomfortable, something that has proved to be difficult at home during his tenure with the Saints.
Prediction
The Giants have had a tendency to win games they had no business being in and squandering others that they should have easily won. At times, they play down to the competition, like last Sunday, but they're also a unit that's full of surprises.
The Saints defense is poor against the pass, and Beckham should be 100 percent healthy and dominate. As usual, when he's great, other receivers get better looks, so Rueben Randle will also be an interesting player to watch.
Stopping Ingram will be the toughest task for the Giants, as the Saints have become a much more well-balanced team after years of being gunslingers. They'll find a way to make a big stop or two and win a close game late.
Giants 24, Saints 22
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