The New York Giants (6-1) will take on the Seattle Seahawks (4-3) this Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field in their final game before the team’s bye week.
Experts are leaning heavily toward Seattle — 8:2 — with most of them expecting a one-score game.
How does the Giants Wire staff see this Week 8 battle shaking out? Here’s a look at our picks and score predictions:
Dan Benton: Seahawks 25, Giants 23
I know many believe the Giants are going to storm into Seattle and come out victorious, but that’s an incredibly difficult place to play. Couple that with New York’s overwhelming amount of injuries, their sudden inability to stop the run and the law of odds, and it doesn’t look so great. While I do believe the Giants keep the game competitive, I think they ultimately fall short in this one.
John Fennelly: Giants 27, Seahawks 20
Big Blue hasn’t allowed more than 23 points in any of their first seven games and even though the Seahawks are the hottest offense in the NFL the past month, I don’t see that streak ending this week. Seattle could be without DK Metcalf this week and if they are, it will cut out Geno Smith’s biggest target in the passing game. The Seahawks’ defense has allowed over 140 yards rushing in five of their seven games this year and face a Giants’ rushing game that features MVP candidate Saquon Barkley. The Giants are excellent at situation football and will navigate another close win this week.
Tyler Henry: Seahawks 24, Giants 22
In a matchup with two of the most surprising teams in the NFL this year, the Giants are hoping to extend their winning streak by coming back from the West Coast with a win.
Geno smith has been playing surprisingly well for the Seahawks after winning the starting job in the offseason.
I don’t expect the Giants to go undefeated the rest of the season and this might be the game where the inability to stop the opponent rushing catches up with Big Blue. The key to the game may very well be stopping Kenneth Walker III who has been breaking out the last few weeks.
I expect Saquon Barkley to have one of his best games of the season. I also expect a close game like the Giants have played all season long, but something tells me they fall just a few points short and drop to 6-2.
Kevin Hickey: Giants 23, Seahawks 20
The other shoe will eventually drop for the Giants, but this team is too fun to watch right now. The Seahawks also have been playing above expectation with a resurgent Geno Smith and rookie Kenneth Walker III providing a big spark from the backfield. The Giants have lacked weapons in the passing game, but Wan’Dale Robinson has emerged as a solid target. It will come down to the wire, but the Giants will continue their incredible streak in one-score games.
Jeevan Kirkland: Giants 31, Seahawks 27
For the first time this season the Giants may be in a shootout. Both teams have an inexperienced defense with an offense that is exceeding preseason expectations. And while Geno Smith and Kenneth Walker were too much to handle for other defenses, Wink Martindale’s group should be able to slow them down just enough for Daniel Jones and the offense to come out on top. This is a great opportunity for the Giants to assert themselves as one of the premier teams in the NFC. They can not let it pass them up.
Serena Burks: Giants 24, Seahawks 21
I know everyone is going to say I’m crazy. The Seahawks are better on paper, they average more points and more yards per game than the Giants. But this team — I just have a feeling about them this year. Even with the injuries and the drama round Kadarius Toney, they have rallied to win games. Hostile environment or not, the Seahawks have only faced one team with a winning record (Chargers). I’m giving the Giants the nod again this week; I think they find a way to overcome the odds yet again and head into the bye week at 7-1 and hang onto their second place ranking in the NFC.