On Monday night the New England Patriots at 10-2 will host the New York Giants at 2-10 at Gillette Stadium. New England is currently on a nine game winning streak while the Giants have dropped six straight. These are two teams moving in completely opposite directions. The Patriots hold the top seed in the AFC while the Giants have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
As we approach Monday night the Giants are looking to end their losing streak while the Patriots hope to enter their bye week with a tenth straight win. This matchup will not be easy for New England because they will be without their starting left tackle and left guard Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. Both players suffered injuries during last week’s 26 to 20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Campbell suffered an MCL sprain and was placed on Injured Reserve earlier this week which means he will miss a minimum of four games.
Next men up for New England
The Patriots will turn to Vederian Lowe and Ben Brown at left tackle and left guard. Both players have game experience in New England but it remains to be seen how effective they can be while filling in for Campbell and Wilson. Drake Maye’s blind side will be a major storyline going into this matchup since both replacements will line up to his left. The offensive line has been significantly improved this season under veteran coach Doug Marrone, especially in comparison to the previous two years.
What to expect on Monday night
The Giants should not be judged solely by their record. In recent weeks they have played competitive games against the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions but came up short both times. Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart who missed the last two games due to a concussion will return to the starting lineup. New England will need to find ways to pressure Dart and limit his receivers in the passing game.
For the Patriots to secure their tenth straight win they must continue to play winning and mistake free football. Maye must be aware of New York’s key defensive threats including Brian Burns Abdul Carter and Dexter Lawrence and avoid taking unnecessary sacks. The Giants are desperate for a win while New England looks to stay atop the conference.
Prediction: Giants at Patriots
I believe this game will be closer than many expect. I expect the Patriots to find success both on the ground and through the air. With Dart under center New York has shown improvement and cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis must prevent explosive plays. My prediction is a 27-14 Patriots victory which would give New England its tenth straight win of the season.
My name is Kenneth Matias and I am an aspiring sports journalist that has great sports knowledge and follow the New England Patriots and the NFL landscape very closely.
