New York Giants - New Orleans Saints Matchups to Watch

The Giants need a strong showing across the board to increase their win streak to four, but in particular, they could use wins in these two matchups.

Author:
Hunter De Siver
Publish date:
Dec 16, 2023 10:30 AM EST

In this story:

New York Giants

New Orleans Saints

The New York Giants will face the New Orleans Saints in Week 15, hoping to win their fourth straight game and stay in the hunt for an NFC playoff spot.

This battle has several talented players matched against one another, making for some great entertainment. Still, these two particular matchups are among the key ones that could influence Monday night's outcome.

When the Giants Have the Ball

Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito has the whole football world in his hands, as the nicknames and fame for him, his family, and even his agent continue to spark with each win. The two-time Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week winner has helped lead the Giants from the bottom tier of the league at 2-8 to a somewhat in-the-playoff-hunt 5-8 record.

He's had a test each week throughout the streak on the other side of the ball but has passed each with flying colors. However, Sunday's exam against the Saints differs slightly from the others.

Both teams are fighting for playoff spots, but New Orleans is still in the running for a division title. The Saints were heavy preseason favorites to win the NFC South, but New Orleans, Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are all 6-7. Every game counts for them, and it could create more momentum against New York.

With this in mind, the New Orleans defense would like nothing more than to tarnish the reputation of the most popular NFL player of the past three weeks. One Saints player who's been a master in disrupting quarterbacks his whole career is defensive Cameron Jordan. However, the eight-time Pro Bowler has finally shown his age this season, as his numbers aren't near what they used to be.

That said, the Hall of Fame 2010s Team member is clearly influencing 27-year-old fellow defensive end Carl Granderson, who is having quite the breakout season. Granderson has already achieved career highs in every stat category this year and leads the Saints in quarterback hits (17), tackles for loss (11), and sacks (6.5), and he's also recorded a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

This matchup is between two breakout players who were originally undrafted free agents. DeVito, a rookie, is on the track to prove that the Giants made the right decision to sign him, and Granderson has far exceeded expectations on the Saints.

If DeVito can release the ball well before Granderson applies his many expected pressures, the Giants will inch closer to a fourth-straight victory. But if Granderson continues to shine, the Saints can significantly lower DeVito's hype and potentially take the lead in the NFC South.

Nov 26, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) runs the ball past Atlanta Falcons linebacker Nate Landman (53) in the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

When the Saints Have the Ball

The Saints won their last game against the 1-12 Carolina Panthers but lost three consecutive matches before that. Quarterback Derek Carr struggled in each of those losses, including one that resulted in him leaving the game early with an injury. The air attack has been subpar throughout the season, and with clear-cut No. 1 target Chris Olave not participating in Wednesday nor Thursday's practices, New Orleans may need to rely on running back Alvin Kamara to lead the offense against New York.

The five-time Pro Bowler hasn't had his best year, as he's scored just six total touchdowns in 10 games. However, he's shown flashes of past seasons in games this year with his unique running and receiving back abilities.

The 28-year-old is just nine receptions away from the team lead, which is incredibly impressive for a running back. If Olave doesn't play, Kamara could close the margin if New Orleans decides to utilize him more than Carr inefficiently throwing downfield.

The Giants defense has been relatively average against the run and pass throughout the season, especially during the win streak. But Kamara has shown that he can tear up an opposing defense on any given Sunday if his team plays through him.

However, Giants edge Kayvon Thibodeaux does a very solid job of preventing opposing running backs from moving as a rusher/receiver, as he leads New York in tackles for loss with 12. The former first-round pick is having quite the sophomore campaign, as he's in the top 10 (with several ties in between) in the NFL in sacks (11.5) and the aforementioned tackles for loss.

Kamara won't always line up near Thibodeaux, but the edge rusher will be hungry when he does. Thibodeaux has been a crucial part of the Giants' success throughout the season and during the streak, as he's tallied a combined 19 tackles, including four for loss, four quarterback hits and two sacks, forced fumbles, and pass breakups. Another big game for him against Kamara would eliminate many of the Saints' expected game plans with Olave not 100 percent and Carr struggling.