This week in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints (4-8) will go head-to-head against the New York Giants (2-10) on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST, with the game being broadcasted on Fox. The Saints are favored by five points according to the latest odds from BetMGM. In terms of performance against the spread, the Saints hold a record of 5-7 while the Giants sit at 3-9. Historically, the Giants have the upper hand in their series, leading the Saints 17-15. Their last encounter saw the Saints emerge victorious with a score of 24-6 on December 17, 2023, in New Orleans.
Both teams faced setbacks last week; the Saints were edged out by the Rams, losing 21-14, while the Giants fell to the Cowboys in a close contest, ending 27-20. In terms of team stats, the Saints are reflected as the 12th overall team in the league, ranking 10th in rushing, 19th in passing, and 14th in scoring. Conversely, the Saints’ defense is struggling, sitting at 30th overall, with rankings of 26th against the run, 29th against the pass, and 19th in scoring. The Giants offense ranks 26th overall, 15th in rushing, and a low 31st in passing and 32nd in scoring. Their defense fares a bit better overall in 19th place, with the 6th ranked pass defense but the 29th ranked rush defense.
An important statistic to watch is the turnover differential, where the Saints hold an advantage at plus-2, while the Giants are at minus-8. A standout player for the Saints this week will be quarterback Derek Carr, who had an impressive performance in the teams’ last meeting. Carr completed 23 of 28 passes for 218 yards, three touchdowns, and had a perfect game without any interceptions, achieving a quarterback rating of 134.8.
The Giants will be looking to Drew Lock, who is stepping in for the injured Tommy DeVito (forearm) for his second consecutive start. Lock displayed his versatility against the Cowboys by throwing for 178 yards and recording a career-high 57 yards on the ground. However, he also faced challenges, including a pick-six and a lost fumble.
A key area to watch is the matchup between the Saints’ offense and the Giants’ beleaguered defense. The Giants are dealing with multiple injuries; defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has been placed on injured reserve and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Fellow defensive starter Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck) missed practice recently, and their leading tackler, Bobby Okereke (back), is also questionable.
Injury concerns abound for both teams. For the Saints, tight end Taysom Hill is out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. There is hope for running back Kendre Miller, who is eligible to return from injured reserve this week. Additionally, guards Cesar Ruiz (concussion) and Nick Saldiveri (knee) have missed practice. Center Erik McCoy (groin), who missed last week’s game, was back in limited practice, while Lucas Patrick (calf) also practiced on a limited basis. On the other hand, safety Tyrann Mathieu (forearm) has returned fully to practice.
The Giants are also grappling with injuries; they placed Lawrence and rookie tight end Theo Johnson (foot) on injured reserve, likely sidelining them for the season. DeVito and left tackle Jermaine Eluemunor were out against the Cowboys but are showing improvement this week. Their availability remains uncertain, as is the case for other key players like cornerback Deonte Banks (ribs) and Okereke (back).
In terms of recent performance, the Saints have won two of their last three meetings with the Giants, who unfortunately have struggled at MetLife Stadium, failing to secure a win in any of their six games there this season. Under interim coach Darren Rizzi, the Saints post a 2-1 record, and Carr stands 6th among qualified quarterbacks for his impressive 103.3 rating in the current season. Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling has found the end zone during each of his last three games, and tight end Juwan Johnson recorded five receptions in the last game.
Noteworthy statistics to consider include defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, who has achieved a career-high of 6.5 sacks. Meanwhile, linebacker Demario Davis had a standout performance in the last meeting, recording 10 tackles and a sack. For the Giants, running back Tyrone Tracy is second among rookies with 619 rushing yards, while rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers leads all rookies with 75 catches in his first 10 games.
For fantasy football players, running back Alvin Kamara is a strong candidate for a big performance, boasting 894 rushing yards and 450 receiving yards this season. With seven total touchdowns and eight games boasting over 100 scrimmage yards, Kamara is ranked third in the league with 1,344 yards from scrimmage this year.
