Big Blue View
The New York Giants and New England Patriots will provide the caboose for NFL Week 13 when they meet on Monday Night Football. Can the 2-10 Giants pull off an upset of the 10-2 Patriots? Let’s see what the Big Blue View staff thinks in this week’s NFL staff picks and predictions.
Season record: 104-60-1 (63.0%)
The Giants are 2-10 and are dealing with injuries to some of their best players on offense and defense. And yet, they’ve also proven over the last 12 weeks that they can play with the best in the NFL. Last week I said that the Giants had a real chance to win against the Lions, and was promptly told I was out of my mind. Well, the Giants never trailed in regulation and led by 10 for stretches against a team favored by 13.5 on the road.
I won’t predict a win this week either, but this game has the potential to be a sneaky upset. The Patriots will be without LT Will Campbell, LG Jared Wilson, and DT Milton Williams — and possibly NT Khyirsis Tonga. The Giants, meanwhile could be in for a bump with the return of Jaxson Dart. We’ve never seen him playing for a coach who’s trying to win, as opposed to not get fired. Also, I do like the sound of reports that the defense has been practicing as a unit, going back to the basics, and working on fundamentals.
I’ll pick the Pats for this game l, but I can’t say I’d be surprised if the Giants come away with an upset. The Giants never make anything easy, and a 5-0 run to end the season would certainly make the coaching search interesting.
Pick: Patriots
Season record: 112-68-1 (62.0%)
A 2-10 team on the road against a 10-2 team. The road team making history with a series of fourth quarter collapses, a defense that can’t stop the run, a secondary with its best corner still out with a knee injury, a linebacking corps with no one playing well, and an interior defensive line whose best player has aggravated his elbow injury. This could get ugly.
Drake Maye has shown everything you want in a franchise QB. He might be the MVP. The Pats’ passing offense under Maye has been potent (5th in points, 8th in yards per game), and their defense solid, especially in pass coverage. Still…the left side of the Pats’ OL is out, including star first round pick Will Campbell. Their run defense is nothing special. Their DL is banged up too. New England has built its 10-2 record against the easiest schedule in the NFL (.346 opponent win %). Yes, there have been two signature road wins, in Buffalo and Tampa Bay. The other wins were over LV, MIA, CAR, NO, TEN, CLE, ATL, NYJ, and CIN.
The Giants are probably the scariest 2-10 team in the history of the NFL…and not just to their own fans. If...
