Garden State Gridiron – Week 10

GIANTS PREVIEW

This week, the Giants will host the Philadelphia Eagles this week in an opportunity to make up major ground in the division. New York opens the week as 3.5-point underdogs with an Over/Under in the low-mid 40s. Both offenses have been inconsistent throughout the year and the Giants are only 1.5 games behind the Eagles in the division standings.

This weekend’s game is likely to be won in the trenches. Both teams boast some of the best defensive tackle groups in the league, and both have struggled to handle interior pass rush. Dexter Lawrence, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Leonard Williams all have a significant size advantage over Eagles center Jason Kelce and the Birds have had a revolving door at the two guard positions due to injuries. On the other side, Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Malik Jackson are the highest paid trip of DTs on any roster, and they are made extra dangerous by the way Jim Schwartz moves them around the defensive line. Watch these battles throughout the game to get a feel for which way this game will go.

JETS PREVIEW

The Jets are entering their bye week with a pivotal decision on their hands. Joe Flacco, who has never been and will never be “elite,” led New York to the closest point they have been all year to a win. Sam Darnold is also dealing with a shoulder injury that has flared up after believing it was healed. Darnold has also been the subject of multiple trade rumors and the Jets will be in position to pick one of the top quarterbacks in the upcoming draft. This leaves the biggest question of the week to be whether Sam Darnold will resume his place as the starting quarterback for the rest of the season or not.

Darnold, when healthy, gives the Jets the best chance to win every week, despite the lack of success they’ve had so far. Winning, however, might not be the best thing for the Jets’ long-term future. A Flacco start following the bye week would indicate two major decisions by the Jets’ front office. 1) They are officially tanking the season and hoping for as high of a draft pick as they can get in the upcoming draft. 2) Sam Darnold will likely be moved this offseason. Shutting him down to preserve his shoulder and trade value ensures that he will hold the most value on the trade market for his new team. We will be keeping a close eye on the Jets’ tea leaves to manage expectations for the rest of this season and beyond.

EAGLES PREVIEW

The Eagles will take on the Giants this week in East Rutherford, NJ and open as 3.5-point road favorites. The Eagles have won 9 of the last 12 matchups including the past seven consecutive games.

Philadelphia matches up well with New York. The biggest strength of the Eagles’ team is their defensive line, who will have the opportunity to feast on the Giant’s dreadful offensive line. Daniel Jones could be in line for a long day and with multiple turnover opportunities.

Carson Wentz and Daniel Jones are the top two quarterbacks in the league in terms of total turnovers. Both have had issues with pressure and have put the ball on the ground far too many times this year. An Over/Under in the low-mind 40s reflects the difficulty both teams have had finishing drives into the endzone.