Ed Mulholland USA TODAY Sports Images
TV Schedule: Sunday Dec. 6, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Stadium: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Line: NYG (+2.5)
This version of the MetLife Bowl puts way more on the line than New York City bragging rights. Both the New York Giants and New York Jets are in the middle of playoff races and a loss here could severely damage their hopes. It’s going to be one heck of an emotional game in the Meadowlands.
For the “visiting” Jets (6-5), they are coming off of a nice win over the Miami Dolphins. Meanwhile, the Giants (5-6) are trying to rebound from an embarrassing effort against the Washington Redskins in a battle for first place. The entertainment value and high stakes in this one should make it a must watch.
The Jets have actually put together the ingredients for an offense that could be extremely dangerous to the Giants. Although not elite, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick does a nice job at the helm for them. His targets of Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker have been a terrific combo all season long. For the banged up combo of Prince Amukamara and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, it could be quite the challenge to cover those guys on Sunday. Marshall is the first true top wideout the Jets have had in seemingly forever. His 71 catches for 931 yards and nine scores have him well on his way to a Pro Bowl appearance.
The key matchup is going to be the Jets’ defensive front against the Giants’ offensive line. The Giants have lost Geoff Schwartz for the season with a fractured leg. They also were without Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg last week, and their statuses are still up in the air as this week’s injury reports aren’t out yet. A line without three starters could really struggle against a Jets D-line of Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams.
Another key matchup may actually be off this week. An appealing battle between Darrelle Revis and Odell Beckham Jr. would be worth the price of admission, but Revis is reportedly still not making much progress in the concussion protocol. But would this actually be a fun matchup after all? New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta pointed out this week, with the help of several unnamed scouts, that Revis against Beckham would turn ugly fast for Revis. Mehta stated that he got burned by DeAndre Hopkins and that his age and lack of athleticism would be no match for the younger and superior athletic Beckham. It would still be very fun to watch, though.
They key for Jets in this one is the ability to run the ball well with Chris Ivory. If they can do so it will open up a lot in the passing game for Marshall and Decker. If they are able to get both phases working well, it could be another tough day for the Giants’ defense. They better hope Amukamara and DRC are healthy enough to make a difference against those two guys.
For the Giants, they must protect the passer. They must find a way to get Pugh and Richburg active for this game. If they can’t go, they need to gameplan ways to help the backups. Perhaps they can call more quick passes and roll Eli Manning out of the pocket some to create easier plays to block. If Manning is running for his life again, he will force some throws and try to make something happen instead of taking sacks all day, and that will lead to potential turnovers. They must protect him so he can take advantage of having Beckham and make big plays against the Jets. They also need someone other than Beckham to step up, unlike last week.
In the end, it should be a close game throughout and come down to the fourth quarter. The MetLife Bowl will not disappoint. Whoever can handle their key matchups the best and take advantage of big plays will come out on top and own New York for the rest of the season.
Prediction: Giants 23, Jets 21
Andrew Frosceno covers the New York Giants, college football, college basketball and MLB for www.Rantsports.com. You can follow him on Twitter, Google or Facebook.
