Giants' Top 5 Players To Watch in Week 8
The New York Giants have won four straight games since their sole loss of the season against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, showing resilience and success that fans haven’t seen in years.
With one more road game left before their bye, the Giants are looking to maintain their winning ways against the Seattle Seahawks, who are coming off two straight wins (the Cardinals and the Chargers).
Whether it’s their explosive offensive play or defensive grit, the Seahawks won’t make things easy at home, and the Giants could be in store for yet another close finish. And with the Giants needing to keep pace with the undefeated Eagles in the NFC East, we look at the five players/position groups that will need to deliver impactful performances.
Giants Run Defense
The Giants run defense hasn't been as sharp as in years past. Ranked 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game (144.4) and last in rush yards conceded per play (5.74), the Giants’ run defense is up against yet another imposing challenge as they face a Seahawks running game ranked 10th in the league in rushing yards per game (137.1) and is in first in rush yards per play (5.24)
Red-hot rookie Kenneth Walker III leads the Seattle rushing attack. Last week against the Chargers, Walker ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. But Walker isn't alone in his ability to gash a run defense. Quarterback Geno Smith can certainly move around as needed, and while he hasn't rushed for as many yards as Daniel Jones has, Smith has still posed issues on the ground this year, racking up 132 yards and a touchdown on 30 attempts this season.
For a Seahawks team that’s predicated the brunt of their offensive success on their rushing attack, the Giants run defense will need to produce a much better performance than they had last week. Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had 114 yards rushing and a touchdown on 14 attempts, something the Giants can’t afford to concede once more on Sunday.
Look for the Giants to load the box against the Seahawks to ensure that the running game doesn't gash them.
Giants Tight Ends
Last Sunday, Giants rookie starting tight end Daniel Bellinger was inadvertently poked in the eye while being tackled. He suffered a fractured orbital bone and septum that requires surgery and will keep him sidelined indefinitely.
This leaves the Giants with backups Chris Myarick and Tanner Hudson on the 53-man roster and Lawrence Cager and Andre Miller on the practice squad. With Bellinger out, the Giants could look to deploy a committee approach with who handles the receiving role and who steps in as the primary run-blocking tight end.
Though Myarick has reeled in all five of his targets this season for 32 yards and a touchdown, his strengths lean more towards run blocking, illustrated firsthand by the run snaps he’s already received this year (120). On the other hand, Hudson will likely take on the receiving responsibilities and comes with a bit more agility and athleticism as a pass catcher. On six targets, Hudson has three receptions for 40 yards.
One of Cager or Miller, the latter who was with the Giants in the off-season, is expected to be elevated for this week's game.
The good news for this group is that the Seahawks defense has been by no means great this season. Their run defense is 29th in the league in yards per game (149.7), and their pass defense is 23rd (249.4). While not having Bellinger doesn’t do the Giants offense any favors, their backup tight ends should be able to step up to the challenge.
QB Daniel Jones
The Week 7 NFC Offensive Player of the Week, quarterback Daniel Jones illustrated how incorporating a healthy balance of passing and running the ball while not turning it over works wonders for an offense. On 30 pass attempts, Jones completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 202 yards and a touchdown. He also ran with the ball 11 times for an additional 107 yards and a touchdown.
What makes this matchup so enticing for Jones comes down to the fragility of this Seahawks defense against the pass and the rush. The Seahawks are currently 18th in the NFL in interception rate (2.09) and just have five interceptions to their name. They also have allowed the 10th-highest passer rating to quarterbacks in seven games played (95.9) and conceded an average of 26.6 points per game.
That said, the Seahawks defense should by no means be taken lightly and is one that can make the Giants pay if they concede costly mistakes. The Seahawks also have a solid pass rush that is 14th in the NFL in sacks per pass attempt (7.11) and is tied for seventh for most sacks on the season (17).
Jones has a golden opportunity to produce another good performance for this Giants offense. But another clean delivery is vital for that to come to fruition.
WR Wan’Dale Robinson
The Giants have needed a spark on the receiving end, and Wan’Dale Robinson has provided just that over the last two games. In his return to the field for the Giants against the Ravens in Week 6, Robinson had three receptions on four targets for 37 yards and a key touchdown. Last Sunday, Robinson played an even greater role against the Jaguars, catching six receptions on seven targets for 50 yards.
Whether he’s utilized in the slot, in the flat, or even out of the backfield, Robinson’s crafty versatility and shifty quickness with his receiving have benefited this offense significantly over these last two weeks.
Despite his ability to play anywhere, Robinson will predominantly lineup in the slot, as was illustrated last week with his 28 pass snaps from that area. As a result, Robinson will likely face off against rookie slot cornerback Coby Bryant, who’s proven to be a solid defender in coverage this season.
On 29 targets, Bryant has allowed 65.5 percent of them to be caught. In addition, he has only allowed one touchdown and no more than 47 receiving yards since a shaky outing in Denver over Week 1.
Robinson has been settling into a groove and is coming off his best game of the season. That said, another sharp performance will be required if he aims to match his output, if not surpass it, this Sunday.
Giants OL Joshua Ezeudu and Tyre Phillips
Last Sunday, starting left guard Ben Bredeson suffered a knee injury in the first quarter before rookie right tackle Evan Neal suffered a knee injury in the second quarter. These are two significant losses that the team hopes to overcome with backups.
Filling in for Bredeson will be rookie Joshua Ezeudu, who has played a mixed bag so far. In 119 snaps on the season, Ezeudu has already given up six pressures and two sacks, holding one of the lowest pass-blocking efficiency percentiles amongst Giants offensive linemen (92.6).
With Neal out, Tyre Phillips is expected to take on the starting right tackle role. In replacement of Neal last Sunday, Phillips allowed four pressures in 57 snaps, a concerning output considering he’s likely to face either Uchenna Nwosu or Darrell Taylor off the edge. Nwosu already has 25 pressures on the season and three sacks, while Taylor has 12 pressures and three sacks as well.
There is also the matter of the Seattle crowd. Famously known for its loud cheering when the opponents are on offense, the Giants will need to make sure that they can operate on a silent count and avoid a rash of false start penalties that sometimes arise in noisy conditions and among offensive lines that haven't had a chance to fully jell.
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