New York Giants - Miami Dolphins Matchups to Watch
The New York Giants will face the Miami Dolphins in their fifth game of the 2023 season, hoping to rebound from their disappointing 24-3 loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.
The two adversaries have 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 Sunday's outcome.
When the Giants Have the Ball
Giants right tackle Evan Neal has been critiqued by the NFL community every snap since the preseason, hoping he'd made a massive improvement heading into his second season.
Neal has struggled through the first four weeks, albeit against some of the best edge rushers in the league, like Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and San Francisco 49ers' Nick Bosa. His viral message to Giants fans after Monday night's loss puts significantly more pressure on him ahead of Sunday despite a handwritten and verbal apology.
Neal could be face-to-face with an all-time great or a Day 3 rookie playing his first game, and he'd still be among the most-watched Giants on every snap. For this week, assuming he fully recovers in time, though, Dolphins outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips could be the one who lines up opposite Neal most of the time.
Phillips missed all of practice last week and the game itself after suffering an oblique injury against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. However, he was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday and hopes to be ready for Sunday.
If Phillips ends up playing, Neal has quite the assignment. Phillips led Miami in sacks last season with eight, and his 25 quarterback hits were twice as many as any other Dolphin. The 24-year-old is known for his speed off the edge, which is an attribute that Neal has struggled to keep up with.
Another bad game by Neal may cause even more outrage among Giants fans, as he's been treated as public enemy No. 1 since Monday night. A talented player like Phillips has all the power needed to do that (if he plays). Nevertheless, if Neal shuts down Phillips and stays with him throughout the game, fans may be more forgiving.
When the Dolphins Have the Ball
Giants cornerbacks Deonte Banks and Adoree Jackson have shown flashes of good things to come, but the Dolphins receivers bring a completely different dynamic that these rookies may not be ready for, which is all-out speed.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel has built his offense around the ability to outrun any defense in the league through the air with receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and on the ground with running backs Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane.
The Giants are double-digit underdogs ahead of Sunday's battle, and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's top-tier accuracy at finding each of these players at the deep level of the field is a major reason.
It may already be a forgone conclusion that the Dolphins playmakers will zoom by whoever the Giants put at cornerback. Still, if Giants safety Xavier McKinney can stay with them as the last line of defense, he may take the deep area of the field away from Tagovailoa and force Miami to change their game plan.
As New York aims to return to normalcy, McKinney is also chasing his personal numbers from his 2021 season, as he's in the final year of his rookie contract.
In 2021, McKinney emerged as one of the best safeties in the league. In just his second season (first as a primary starter), he recorded 93 tackles, ten pass breakups, and five interceptions but was widely considered a snub from the Pro Bowl.
McKinney got off to a solid start in 2022 and led the defense as a green dot holder to an astonishing 6-2 record. However, an ATV accident during New York's bye week sidelined him until Week 18, and the Giants barely squeaked into the playoffs.
As McKinney continues to show signs this season that he can return to his 2021 self, a great game against Tagovailoa and the Dolphins playmakers as the last line of defense could give him even more confidence for the rest of the season. Nevertheless, it will be a long day for New York if the 24-year-old can't stay with Miami in deep coverage.
The same goes for fellow safety Jason Pinnock, who will have similar tasks to McKinney, but the Alabama product's experience and leadership give him more pressure ahead of Sunday.
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