If last week was a must win situation for the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, this week is an absolutely must win situation for both.
The Falcons (0-2) conclude their two-game road trip at the Giants (0-2), who will retire two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning’s No. 10 and induct him into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on Fox.
For those interested in New York sports betting, the Giants are slight favorites among top sportsbooks.
DraftKings Sportsbook NY has New York as 2.5-point favorites, while FanDuel Sportsbook NY lists the Giants as 3-point favorites. The over/under on both sites is 47.5 points.
On the moneyline, the Giants are -150 and the Falcons +130 at DraftKings and New York is -154 and Atlanta is -130 at FanDuel.
Retail sports betting is legal at four upstate casinos, but New York gambling supporters are looking to have mobile sports betting in place before the Super Bowl.
Jones Coming Off Big Game
In arguably the best game of his career, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones completed 22-of-32 passes for 249 and one touchdown plus was the team’s leading rusher with nine carries for 95 yards and one TD in the Giants’ 30-29 last-second loss to NFC East rival Washington Football Team.
This is the fifth consecutive season, and second straight under head coach Joe Judge, that the Giants have started 0-2.
After Sunday’s game against the Falcons, the Giants embark on a two-game road trip at the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys, then return home to face the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers. Oh yeah, and a visit to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday, Nov. 1 follows.
So the phrase "must win" really is accurate here.
Falcons Defense Struggling
The Falcons come off a valiant 48-25 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where Bucs QB Tom Brady threw five TD passes with no interceptions.
Quarterback Matt Ryan, who completed 35-of-46 passes for 300 yards against the Bucs, has thrown for 464 yards over the first two games with two TDs and three INTs for a 76.4 rating.
Wide receiver Calvin Ridley has 114 yards total and rookie tight end Kyle Pitts has 104 receiving yards over the team’s first two games.
Prediction: If the Giants do not win this game, I have no idea when they will. Everything is aligned for them. Manning ceremony, home game, must win. Running back Saquon Barkley must increase his workload this week and finally showcase his talent coming back from injury. Jones must show consistency in getting the ball to his talented wide receivers, and use his legs again if he must. The Giants will gain some needed confidence, before hitting the road for a brutal two-game stretch. Giants 31-21.
