NFL Picks Week 6: Giants Will Crush Bills in Trenches to Win Battle of New York

Nine times out of 10, the difference between winning and losing in the NFL comes down to how teams perform in the trenches, which is exactly why the New York Giants will edge the Buffalo Bills in their cross-state clash.

The Giants have long been a team built around their offensive and defensive lines, though health has impacted the consistency of each of those units this season. Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora is back in action after offseason knee surgery but is still operating at less than full strength. Justin Tuck, his edge-rushing compatriot, is expected to sit with groin and neck injuries that have bothered him on and off since the preseason.

Those ailments, combined with the fact that the Bills offensive line has allowed only four sacks this season, would seem to put Big Blue at a disadvantage. However, the Giants' front is far better than any the Bills have yet faced, having managed to notch a league-high 18 sacks this season, thanks in large part to the spectacular play of Jason Pierre-Paul (6.5 sacks). Buffalo head coach Chan Gailey will need to find a way to keep Ryan Fitzpatrick on his feet if his offense is to keep humming along.

And, if Fitzpatrick isn't hounded too often, it should. The G-Men aren't particularly proficient in limiting their opponents on the ground or through the air, having given up more than 25 points and nearly 360 yards of total offense per game.

The real story of the game, though, will be whether or not the Bills can mount any sort of challenge against Eli Manning and the Giants offense. We know New York can limit opposing offenses on occasion with its talented defensive front, but can Buffalo's own pass rush wreak any sort of havoc?

The answer: probably not. The Bills have all of four sacks this season and rank 30th in total defense. They've thus far relied far too heavily on turnovers and, well, sheer luck to keep their opponents out of the end zone at inopportune times. Granted, Manning isn't exactly known for his ball security, especially after tossing three picks against the Seahawks last week.

That being said, the Bills won't have the home crowd behind them in this one to rile up their secondary into pulling off spectacular interceptions. With plenty of time in the pocket, Manning will have no trouble picking apart Buffalo's defensive backfield with deep balls to Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham.

On the ground, the Giants should finally be able to get their physical ground game going again. Big bruiser Brandon Jacobs has missed some time in practice this week with a knee injury, but if he's healthy enough to play on Sunday, he and Ahmad Bradshaw will have their way with Buffalo's defense.

It may seem strange to bet against the Bills in a shootout, given how well they've performed in high-scoring games and how Jekyll-and-Hyde the Giants have been, but Tom Coughlin will have his team ready to bounce back from last week's disappointment to edge his team's western New York counterparts in a 35-31 scoring frenzy.