The New Orleans Saints (6-7) host the New York Giants (5-8) on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
The Saints are fresh off a division win, and the Giants’ locker room is on a high after Tommy DeVito led a game-winning drive to defeat the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.
The victory over the Packers is a bigger win than the Saints’ win over the Carolina Panthers, but momentum is momentum. Both teams need to win as much as the other, so it’s going to be a battle of wills when the Giants arrive in Louisiana on Sunday.
The Giants are looking for their fourth straight win this week and there are six things they can do to earn that victory.
DeVito must be accurate
Tommy DeVito’s accuracy has improved over the last few weeks, and it must continue that this Sunday. Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo has four interceptions this season, good enough for fourth in the NFL. DeVito has to know where Adebo is on the field.
The Saints also have one of the better passing defenses in the league, so accuracy will be essential to help combat that.
Get Saquon Involved
This one always feels repetitive, but Saquon Barkley is a key factor in every game. His athleticism, ability to line up almost anywhere on the field, and football smarts make him the most dynamic running back in the league. Opposing teams know this, though, so it will be important for the Giants to get Barkley going early.
Get creative
Last week against the Packers, the Giants looked like they were having a good time on the field. That’s really what this game is about, right? But really, when a team looks like they’re having fun, it’s usually because things are clicking.
One way to take advantage of the team being on the same page is to run different plays. Line up Barkley in the wildcat. Let Parris Campbell throw the ball. Fake a punt. Do something that, if done right, will propel the momentum of the game in the Giants’ direction.
Contain Alvin Kamara
The Saints ground game rests on the shoulders of Alvin Kamara.
Kamara didn’t play until October 1 after serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. His season hasn’t been what we’re used to seeing from him, most likely due to the suspension, but he’s still a threat on the ground. If the Giants can contain him, the Saints’ ground game will be nearly nonexistent.
Glue someone to Chris Olave
By far the biggest threat on the offensive side of the ball, Chris Olave leads the Saints in receiving yards. He’s young, but he’s fast and he’s a solid route runner, capable of making adjustments and escaping tackles. The best way to defend him is to glue someone to his side and slide over a safety for extra coverage.
Avoid the pressure/protect the QB
This is another basic key that’s required every week but the Giants must keep defenders off of Tommy DeVito. They didn’t allow a single sack last week but that was largely due to solid game-planning and DeVito escaping the collapsing pocket.
Both defensive end Carl Granderson and linebacker Demario Davis are capable of creating havoc and have a combined 12 sacks on the season. The Giants must contain those two (and Cam Jordan) and allow DeVito time to operate within the pocket.
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