Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: NYG 20, NO 24 (Line: NO by 3)

The 4-3 Giants are atop the NFC East but are just 1-2 in road games. The 3-4 Saints are on a two game winning streak and are 2-1 at home. The Saints have won three of their last four games and are starting to put the pieces together to salvage the season.

The Giants his a tough patch in the schedule with the only home games coming up being the Patriots, Jets and Panthers. The Odell Beckham Experience has been slowed this year though a hamstring issue was partly to blame. There is still a sense that the backfield is just the product of a “rock, paper, scissors” game on the sidelines and still there has been no receivers able to stand out besides Beckham. Away from home, the Giants need to face a weak defense to have a chance.

QUARTERBACK : Eli Manning comes off his worst game of the year – just 170 yards and no scores in the win over the Cowboys. Manning was on a four game stretch of good results but these last two tilts against the Eagles and Cowboys have brought the passing stats down sharply. Other than the surprise win in Buffalo, Manning has been ineffective away from home and only threw one touchdown total over the other two away venues.

RUNNING BACK : Because a three-man backfield was so ineffective, the Giants elected to throw a fourth back into the mix. Orleans Darkwa had his first playing time of the year and ran for 48 yards and a score on eight carries in the win over the Cowboys. Rashad Jennings only carried the ball five times for 19 yards and Shane Vereen had his standard four runs and one catch. Twice Vereen caught eight passes in past games but both were at home and and the other five games only totaled six receptions.

Throw in Andre Williams for three to 14 carries and this backfield is so convoluted that they probably have to wear nametags on the sideline. Darkwa scored only the third rushing touchdown this year for the Giants. No runner has gained more than 63 yards in any game. All consistency, production and reliability has been stripped from this backfield.

WIDE RECEIVER : Odell Beckham leads the Giants with four receiving touchdowns but only one came in a road game and he has yet to gain over 62 yards away from home. Beckham has been hampered by hamstring issues but has not missed any time. This would be a much needed opportunity to have another big game and he claims that his hamstrings are much better. It’s bothersome that he’s not been effective in an away game though and Manning has not been as effective passing lately.

Rueben Randle gained 68 yards versus the Cowboys last week for his second best game of the year. On the road he’s never had more than 44 yards and scored just once. Victor Cruz is not coming to the rescue soon and maybe not at all.

TIGHT END : Larry Donnell offers only marginal production each week and has yet to score in a road game.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: Manning is going back to his hometown here and the Saints sport the worst defense against quarterbacks. They’ve allowed five passers to throw for around 300 yards or more and only two ended with just one passing score. In the last three weeks, the Saints allowed PHI, ATL and IND to all throw for multiple scores and 300 yards. With a lackluster rushing effort that splits it all up four ways for now, Manning is going to have to pass in this one and has the hometown motivation as well. Beckham is always a start and has a chance for a score and decent yardage so long as his hamstrings don’t get in the way. Vereen is a bit more attractive this week since the Saints have allowed two receiving backs to score though with moderate yardage only. Vereen is always a risk of turning in a dud but this is as good of a situation has he’s had in a while.

Two big wins in a row when the Saints beat the Falcons and then Colts. The defense is playing better – but still below average. But the offense is starting to find a better rhythm thanks to a renewed success with the rushing offense. The season is half over and they are still tinkering with the offense but at least there are finally positive results. Two home games in a row should help to keep the improvements coming.

QUARTERBACK : Drew Brees still has yet to throw for fewer than 255 passing yards and topped 300 four times already. But he’s only thrown eight touchdowns over six games and cannot get the same success he enjoyed with Jimmy Graham as his primary receiver. Brees doesn’t really have a primary receiver any more.

RUNNING BACK : Mark Ingram comes off his first monster game of the year when he rushed for 143 yards and one score on just 14 carries at Indianapolis. He scored twice in the home stand versus the Falcons in Week 6 though only gained 46 yards on 20 rushes. Khiry Robinson rarely has more than 30 yards of production in any game but scored twice last week. He’s far too inconsistent to merit a fantasy start but will show up somewhat randomly with a score or even two. C.J. Spiller hasn’t offered any real fantasy value all year and best speculation is that he just hasn’t learned the offense well enough. He missed almost the entire training camp and as a third down type must know all protections. He just comes across as a colossal bust considering the apparent opportunity he seemed to have.

WIDE RECEIVER : Just when it seemed like the next best Saints wideout had been discovered, Willie Snead only managed to catch four passes for 55 yards in Week 6 and then a season worst 25 yards on three receptions last week in Indy. All combined the wideouts have only three touchdowns and no one caught more than one. Brandin Cooks came up big in two of the last three weeks but he also has two of his last four efforts end up with under 45 yards and he has just the one score. He averages only around five catches per game.

Snead and Cooks dominate the wide out productivity but there’s nothing going on here that makes this unit even average,

TIGHT END : The sudden reliance on Benjamin Watson is still happening. After a freakish ten-catch, 127 yard effort in the win over the Falcons, Watson still gained 59 yards on four catches in Indianapolis. He’s only scored twice all year and offers marginal yardage but he is being used more lately. Just to add to the mix, Michael Hoomanawanui caught five passes for 31 yards and a score last week. Over the last two wins, it appears Brees is cobbling together a replacement for Jimmy Graham. Two wins and both had at least nine completions to a tight end. No other week produced more than four catches for the position.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Giants allow at least one passing score every week and healthy yardage to any average quarterback. They also have allowed a rushing score to five different running backs along with two others that caught a touchdown. The load gets split up between three running backs but one of them should rush in a score if not two. The Giants have also faced just below average quarterbacks every week other than the season opener when Tony Romo threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns. Brees is good for high yardage and at least one score this week with a good chance for two touchdowns. Those could end up anywhere thought tight ends and running backs are more likely to score than wideouts. Brees, Ingram and Cooks are all worthy starts this week. Snead and Watson have upside as well but more risk.

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