Can the Giants start October with a win?
The New York Giants (1-3) will travel across the country to take on the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) in Week 5.
On paper, this game heavily favors the Seahawks, so much so that they’re currently a 6.5-point favorite per FanDuel Sportsbook. After all, the Seahawks have a high-powered offense, a stout defense, and Seattle is one of the hardest places to play in the NFL.
Both teams are beat up, and while the Seahawks are coming off of a short week (and looking ahead to a shorter week), the Giants are coming off of a Thursday Night “mini-bye”.
Can the Giants pull off the upset on the road?
Tony DelGenio
I really want to pick the Giants this week. Expectations are low after a 1-3 start and inability to beat a Dallas team that was ripe for the taking. Even in their bad years, the Giants have had some unexpected wins on the road (see Tampa Bay, 2019; Seattle, 2020; New Orleans, 2021). Seattle’s offensive and defensive lines are banged up. They’ve just been sliced and diced by Detroit and are playing on short rest, while the Giants have had a mini-vacation. If Daniel Jones keeps receipts, undressing a Seattle defense whose pass rush hounded him mercilessly last season and whose rookie cornerback pick-6ed him and then dissed him in an interview after the game should be the time and place for him to get refunds.
But I can’t. The Giants should be able to run the ball against that defensive line…except that their offensive line hasn’t shown they can run block effectively, and Devin Singletary has a groin injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday. They might be able to pass successfully, as Detroit did…except that Malik Nabers may not be out of the concussion protocol. They should be able to generate a good pass rush against that offensive line without blitzing…except that they haven’t shown they can do that against anyone so far. Most of all, the Giants’ secondary hasn’t shut down any group of receivers this year. With Dru Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson possibly missing another game, Deonte Banks being picked on by elite receivers, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett looming, and Geno Smith playing the best ball of his career…
Pick: Seahawks
Chris Pflum
My rule against picking the Giants when they can’t show that they can consistently put opponents away is still in effect. And I might regret this, but I’m picking the Giants anyway.
Frankly, this looks like it could be lining up to be a trap game for the Seahawks.
To start, the Seahawks are coming off of a short week and looking ahead to a divisional matchup with a very short turnaround. It could be easy for them to overlook the 1-3 Giants with the San Francisco 49ers looming following a drubbing by the Detroit Lions.
The Seahawks are a much better team than the Giants when healthy, with edges just about everywhere but along the line of scrimmage. However, they’re not healthy.
Five of the Seahawks starting front seven, along with two primary rotational linemen, are listed as questionable. Likewise, receiver Tyler Lockett and tight end Noah Fant are questionable, while starting offensive tackle Abraham Lucas remains out.
Of course, the Giants aren’t healthy, either. They could be without Malik Nabers (concussion) and Devin Singletary (groin) for the game, and Wan’Dale Robinson (heel) could be limited, too. The Giants have 190 touches on offense through Week 4 (91 receptions, 99 carries). Those three players account for 131 of them, 887 of the Giants 1,222 total yards, and all of the Giants’ touchdowns.
If those guys, plus Dru Phillips and Adoree’ Jackson, are missing or limited, then it’s very hard to see the Giants going into Seattle and winning. However, this pick is banking on the Giants catching the Seahawks at the right time and exploiting their mistakes.
Realistically, the Seahawks should take care of business at home, and this could even be a “get right” game before they face the 49ers. But just enough is kinda-sorta shuffling toward the Giants’ side of the equation that I decided to be the staff’s huckleberry and make sure we don’t all pick the same team.
Pick: Giants
Nick Falato
The New York Giants are facing a difficult situation against the Seattle Seahawks. Geno Smith has thrived in Ryan Grubb’s offense; the Seahawks currently lead the league in passing yards per game with a 281 PYPG average. Still, the Giants are more rested, and Seattle plays on a short week. It would not be crazy for New York to pull a 2020 Giants and upset Seattle at Lumen Field (shout out Colt McCoy).
Unfortunately for the Giants, Malik Nabers may miss the game. He has constituted much of the team’s offense, which has relied on an efficient quick passing attack. The Giants offense will have to play mistake-free football in a hostile environment against a quality defense, especially if they are healthier than Week 4. I have Seattle winning this game.
Pick: Seattle
David Hartman
It’s a short week for the Seahawks, but I think that mostly gets negated by the Giants having to travel cross-country. Both teams are coming off of tough losses in prime-time. The Giants didn’t get into the end zone against Dallas last week, while Seattle got into the end zone several times but couldn’t keep up with the Lions. They also didn’t force a single incompletion from Jared Goff. Their defense is definitely gettable and especially with standout rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy potentially out for another week.
It’s looking like Malik Nabers is a long-shot to play this week, and I think that really hurts the Giants’ chances as he’s been the main bright spot on their offense and leads the NFL with 52 targets. The offense is running through him. If the Giants couldn’t score TDs with him, how will they do without him? I’m also worried about their ability to defend this offense, which has very good playmakers in RB Ken Walker and a trio of talented WRs. I think Seattle just has a little too much offense for a Nabers-less Giants team to match.
Pick: Seahawks
James Hickey
And your smile is a thin disguise/I thought by now you’d realize/There ain’t no way to hide your lyin’ eyes—The Eagles
There are no ways to hide the lyin’ eyes of the Giants nowadays—starting with Brian Daboll and working on through the roster. They can’t believe they are here again, a team that is unable to make the play needed to get them over to the winning side. Their eyes are a mixture of frustration, wonderment and tiredness.
Winning is a talent and this current roster does not have that characteristic. The play hard, they are there to make the play on offense or just about there to make the play on defense—but they don’t. And they may be the most frustrating thing of all—the team has played good enough to win the last three weeks. They just do not have enough playmakers.
This week brings them to one of their own personal house of horrors—Lumen Field in Seattle. This was always an “L” before the season started and nothing that has happened this year has changed that assumption.
Pick: Seahawks
Valentine’s View
I find myself in a familiar place. This is a game I think the Giants can win, but under current circumstances there is no way I can pick them to do so.
We don’t know if rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers, who has been most of the team’s offense in the first four games, will be available. Signs from the first two practices of the week have been discouraging.
On top of that, running back Devin Singletary has not practiced this week due to a groin injury.
Even at full strength, this would be a difficult task for the Giants. The Seahawks have been much better on offense than the Giants, who are averaging just 15.0 points per game.
Pick: Seahawks
