The New York Giants are 6-1 as they travel to face the Seattle Seahawks in one of the league’s most hostile environments.
The Seahawks no longer have Russell Wilson at the helm, but that hasn’t stopped them from winning games. Geno Smith has played well above expectations.
It won’t be an easy feat, but there are six things the Giants must do on Sunday if they want to head into the bye week at 7-1.
Run the ball
This one isn’t just for Saquon Barkley, but also applies to Daniel Jones.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll alluded to the ability of Jones on the ground during his press conference this week. Seattle is tied with the Chicago Bears with the worst run defense in the NFL. Jones will scramble but using some designed QB runs will help open the field for Barkley.
OL must create gaps
The Seahawks’ run defense is ready for exploitation, and in order to keep the ball on the ground and gain coveted yards, the offensive line must create gaps.
It’s not just that the Giants need to run the ball, the line has to create that space for big yardage plays. Barkley averages over 5.0 yards per carry this season and the Seahawks allow 4.9, so giving him room to run is going to make it a long day for the Seahawks defense.
Stop with the drops
Last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Giants’ receivers dropped at least six passes thrown their direction. The offensive focus might be the ground game this week, but Jones will have to throw the ball, too. When he does, his receivers must hang on to the ball.
The Seahawks will prepare for the Giants’ ground threat, but the air threat is less ominous which gives the receivers the opportunity to remind the league that they can play, too.
Limit big plays
According to Giants.com:
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith leads the NFL with a career-high 73.5 comp pct in 2022 and is one of five quarterbacks with a 100+ passer rating. Smith has also thrown a league-high eight deep pass touchdowns (20+ air yards) this season. The wide receiver frequently on the other end of them is Tyler Lockett, who leads the NFL with 830 deep receiving yards since 2021.
The Giants’ defense ranks sixth in scoring this season, though, and those passes are ripe for picking off. Lockett seems to be a go this weekend, while DK Metcalf is still an unknown. Regardless of who plays, the Giants need to get pressure on Smith and limit those bombs down the field.
Contain Walker III
Kenneth Walker III is a rookie out of Michigan State who has already made a name for himself in the NFL. He leads the Seahawks with 410 rushing yards, including 167 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Giants are right behind the Seahawks and Bears with the third-worst run defense in the NFL. Geno Smith and Tyler Lockett aren’t the only offensive threats the Seahawks have, and it will be vital to contain Walker III to come away with a win.
Set the edge. Tackle soundly.
Get off the field
The defense has one major goal this weekend: Get off the field.
Seattle is a tough place to play and it’s common for defenses to jump offsides because of the noise. The Giants have to avoid those mistakes and get the Seattle offense off the field.
The less time the Seahawks offense has on the field, the quieter the stadium will be, which means that the Giants offense can flourish and play their best.
Limit the big plays, contain the run, and get off the field to let Jones and Barkley lead the team to victory.
