Monday Night Football Week 14: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Giants vs. Dolphins

Whoever loses Monday Night Football's middling matchup between the 5-7 New York Giants and Miami Dolphins might as well start assembling offseason plans.

For the second consecutive week, an NFC East team with a losing record can leave Monday night with partial possession of first place in the division. Another defeat wouldn't officially knock the Giants out, but they'd drop a full game behind the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles, who each won Sunday and have tiebreakers in their favor. Suffering their fourth straight loss would prove to be a major blow with the undefeated Carolina Panthers waiting for Week 15.

Meanwhile, Miami's fate is just about sealed regardless. In a season full of personnel turmoil, the preseason playoff candidate needs to win its remaining four games and hope some hot AFC Wild Card contenders cool down. 

This matchup is far from a Super Bowl preview, but two old college teammates will make it a high-scoring affair.

Game Details

When: Monday, Dec. 14, at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

Watch: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Preview

Gerald Herbert/Associated Press

When weaving webs between opponents, "revenge game" narratives usually lead the discourse. Look no further than Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy's return to Philadelphia against the Eagles, which didn't fulfill the redemption arc. Instead of seeking payback for getting abandoned, Monday night's matchup revolves around two close friends looking to outdo each other.

Former teammates in a loaded LSU offense, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry now stand on opposite sides of the field as their squads' respective top wide receivers. As Beckham told ESPN.com's Dan Graziano, he continues to root for his former partner in crime:

"

It's hard to describe it. It's not just typical receiver competitiveness, where you're really comparing the numbers. I just want to see him be the greatest receiver of all time, and I think it's the same for him with me. We're going to push each other to be the best we possibly can. I've definitely been so happy just to be able to see all the hard work and things that we were doing pay off.

"

Landry sounded more inclined to hope Beckham becomes the second-greatest receiver ever, per the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly:

The stars align for both men to dazzle in the national spotlight. Miami has allowed 7.7 yards per pass attempt and ranks No. 25 in Football Outsiders' Defensive-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA). In a bit of surprise given Brent Grimes' reputation as a top cornerback, the club rates last in DVOA against No. 1 receivers.

New York's Meadowlands roommates can attest to his struggles. When the Dolphins played the Jets in Week 12, Brandon Marshall produced 131 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches. Using data from Pro Football Focus, Ryan Yousefi of 790 The Ticket highlighted Grimes' decline:

Not that Beckham needs a strong matchup to thrive. Through 24 career games, he's averaging 102.5 yards per contest with 22 touchdowns. As noted by ESPN Stats & Info, he can set a franchise record by tallying another 100-yard outing:

Let's not leave Landry out. The Giants, ranked No. 27 in defensive DVOA, have yielded a league-high 314.5 passing yards and 27.3 receptions per contest. In his second game replacing Bill Lazor as Miami's offensive coordinator, Zac Taylor would be foolish to limit Ryan Tannehill's pass attempts like he did last week, when the quarterback threw 19 times. 

A coaching change has again reminded Miami to feed Lamar Miller. His workload spiked after ousting head coach Joe Philbin, but the learned lesson didn't last long. The starting running back notched 17 combined touches in consecutive losses before receiving 20 handoffs in a 15-13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13.

The Giants aren't particularly good against the run either, so the Dolphins should find a healthier balance on Monday night. If they remain convinced they must pick one, Landry becomes the top benefactor of a high-volume aerial attack.

These squads have fallen to 5-7 in different matters. While the Dolphins have suffered their defeats by an average margin of 16.7 points, the Giants continue to squander close games. Opponents have combined to best them by 38 points in those seven losses, six of which were by six points or fewer.

They have already squandered four games when leading in the final minute. Some poor luck plays into their shortcomings, but winning is tough for a team that is unable to run the ball or stop opponents from moving the chains. 

Chances are the G-Men will again raise head coach Tom Coughlin's blood pressure while testing his tactical acumen. Although Beckham is poised for another big game, somebody else needs to lighten his load to keep New York tied with the Philadelphia and Washington.