FOXBOROUGH – The Patriots matchup on Sunday probably won’t cure your turkey hangover. If anything, it might have similar effects to eating a Thanksgiving dinner. This time, however, yourdose of tryptophan might come from watching the Patriots play the New York Giants.
This Week 12 matchup between the Patriots and the Giants is a battle between two of the worst offensive units in the NFL. The Patriots are ranked 31st in the NFL, scoring 14.1 points per game. The Giants are 32nd in the league, scoring 13.5 points per contest.
Defensively, it’s not much better. The Giants are 28th in the NFL, allowing 25.9 points per game this season. The Patriots are tied for 25th in the league, allowing 23.8 points per game.
There’s also a chance that the team that loses turns out to be the real winner. The Patriots head into this matchup with the third-worst record and would have the No. 3 overall draft pick. The Giants aren’t too far behind as they would have the fifth overall pick.
Here are five things to watch on Sunday:
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Who starts at quarterback?
The biggest question in Sunday’s game is who the Patriots will start at quarterback. Is it Mac Jones, who said he thinks he’ll start? Is it Bailey Zappe, who’s splitting reps with Jones at practice? What about Will Grier? How about Malik Cunningham? Bill Belichick won’t say. Bill O’Brien won’t say. Players won’t say. It’s the big mystery surrounding the Patriots this week.
Last time out, Jones was benched for the third time this season. Unlike the previous two, which were blowout losses, the Patriots were down by four to the Colts and Zappe took over for the 2-minute drive. That looked like a sign that the Patriots lost faith in Jones. However, Jones is still taking some of the top reps in practice. We’ll see how it all plays out on Sunday.
Patriots run game
The Patriots path going forward is clear – they should run the ball, a lot. Statistically, the Patriots are at the bottom of the NFL. They ranked 27th in the league, averaging 94.9 rushing yards per game. However, Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott are both running the ball well. That was seen in Frankfurt. The Patriots ran for 168 yards against the Colts. Stevenson led the way with 88 yards and Elliott chipped in 54 yards. That needs to continue.
The Giants have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. They’re ranked 28th in run defense, allowing 135.1 rushing yards per contest. Stevenson and Elliott should be the primary focus for the Patriots on Sunday.
Can they stop Tommy DeVito?
You might think that question sounds like a joke. However, the Giants are coming off a 31-19 win over the Washington Commanders. Undrafted rookie free agent Tommy DeVito led the Giants with 246 passing yards to go with three passing touchdowns. The third-string quarterback will start on Sunday after the Giants lost starter Daniel Jones and backup Tyrod Taylor to season-ending injuries.
Over the last two games, DeVito has five passing touchdowns. Mac Jones has five passing touchdowns in the last seven combined games. The Patriots will also have to deal with versatile running back Saquon Barkley, who averaged 5.9 yards per carry and caught two receiving touchdowns last week.
What’s the state of the offensive line?
In 10 games this season, the Patriots have started seven different combinations on their offensive line. That’s a recipe for disaster and this group’s lack of continuity is one reason why they’ve been struggling. The Patriots have yet to start the same offensive line in three-straight games. To make it worse, offensive line coach Adrian Klemm isn’t with the team due to health reasons.
This weekend, the Patriots have to deal with Giants pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (10.5 sacks) and Dexter Lawrence (four sacks). Last time out, Jones was sacked five times in the first half of the Patriots loss to the Colts. That can’t happen again.
Can it get worse?
Every time we think we’ve seen it all, it gets worse. The Patriots were blown out by the Dallas Cowboys only to get blown out at home by the New Orleans Saints. The next week, they lose to the struggling Raiders, who eventually fire their head coach. Three weeks later, they lost to Washington, who just fired their defensive coordinator, and then went to Germany where they scored just six points.
Can it get worse? If they lose to the 3-7 Giants, yes. New York has one of the worst teams in the NFL. They rank among the bottom in both offensive and defensive statistics. They’re starting a third-string quarterback. We’ll find out if the Patriots have truly hit rock bottom on Sunday.
Prediction: Patriots 17, Giants 12
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