With three total wins between them, the Jets and Giants will battle for New York bragging rights in their Week 10 matchup on Sunday. Both teams are coming off losses by at least 10 points and need desperately to bounce back this week.
Can’t Put It Together
The Giants are 2-7 this season after dropping their last five straight. Everything seemed to be going in the right direction in Week 3 when the Giants named rookie Daniel Jones as their new starter. Jones won his first two games over the Buccaneers and Redskins, but they have not been able to put a team away since.
Since stepping in as the starter, Daniel Jones has thrown for 1,676 yards, 11 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The first-round pick from Duke has shown some signs of potential this season, but he will have to string some wins together to get this Giants team going in the right direction.
Jones’ safety net and primary target this season has been tight end Evan Engram. The Giants’ young star has 44 receptions, 467 yards, and three touchdowns over the first nine games this season.
Another bright spot for the Giants is last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, Saquon Barkley. Despite missing some time with an ankle injury, Barkley still leads the team in rushing with 401 yards and two touchdowns off 88 carries. The Giants will continue to build around these three players on their offense, and their first step should be improving their offensive line.
New York is currently averaging 19.6 points per game while allowing 28.3. They are also putting up 350 yards a game but giving up 408 on defense. The Giants’ defense has been dreadful this year, and while they have talent on offense, their offensive line keeps them from getting in rhythm and keeping up with most teams.
A New Low
The Jets’ only win of the season came against the Cowboys at home, where they won by a score of 24-22. With the return of their starting quarterback Sam Darnold, they looked to be heading in the right direction. Since then, everything has gone downhill; they topped it off by losing this past week to the previously winless Miami Dolphins.
Since stepping back into the starting position, Darnold has thrown for 1,077 yards, six touchdowns, and nine interceptions. The Jets were looking for Darnold to be their quarterback of the future, and while their team has plenty of other problems, Darnold has now looked incompetent in their last few games.
Over the offseason, the Jets acquired running back Le’Veon Bell to help bolster their offense. Over their first eight games, Bell has 125 carries for 415 yards and just one touchdown.
Jamison Crowder has been the Jets’ primary weapon through the air this season, with 43 receptions, 405 yards, and one touchdown. The Jets will need other receivers to step up if they want to threaten anyone with their offense.
The Jets are only averaging 12 points a game right now while allowing 26.4. They are also giving up over 100 yards more per game than they are gaining. Head coach Adam Gase may be on the hottest seat in the league right now; while other teams have lacked success this season, the Jets do have some talent on both sides of the ball and expected a lot more this year.
What To Expect
After losing to the winless Miami Dolphins, it is almost impossible to put money on the Jets. While it may be listed as a close contest, I believe the Giants will take this game with ease.
