A rematch of two thrilling Super Bowl upsets, in which the New York Giants, behind Eli Manning, took down the mighty New England Patriots, led by Tom Brady, takes place on Sunday, as the G-men visit the Patriots for their preseason finale. Both of those future Hall of Fame quarterbacks are gone, though, as Manning has retired and Brady is plying his trade in Florida. The Patriots have Cam Newton in place for now to start at quarterback until Alabama product Mac Jones is ready for the job, and the Giants have this season to determine whether Daniel Jones is the next franchise quarterback. With both teams in flux, it will be interesting to see how the reserves square off as the teams look to settle the bottom of their depth charts.
Check out our NFL betting predictions for Sunday’s action.
NFL Preview: New England Patriots at New York Giants (August 29)
When: Sunday, August 29, 2021, 6:00 pm ET
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV: NFL Network
Radio: WBZ 98.5 FM Boston / WFAN 660 AM New York City
Live Stream: FuboTV
NFL Odds: New England -3 / O/U 34.5
Why should you bet on the Giants?
The Giants got decent offensive movement in their last preseason game, but they still fell to the Cleveland Browns, 17-13, as turning drives into touchdowns proved elusive. Brian Lewerke went 11 of 19 for 108 yards, a touchdown and a pick, and Mike Glennon went 10 of 13 for 86 yards. Corey Clement ran the ball nine times for 30 yards, and Devontae Booker ran for 27 yards and a score, but that backfield will belong to Saquon Barkley once the regular season begins.
On defense, Devante Downs and Rodarius Williams led the team with seven total tackles apiece, and the team got to the Cleveland quarterbacks three times for sacks. The defense was stout for the Giants last year, but the lack of time of possession that the offense mustered meant that the defense wore down after halftime. If you like the Giants here, you see them playing more of a complete game on offense and getting after the Patriot quarterbacks.
Why should you put your money on the Patriots?
Curiously, Cam Newton missed practice for three straight days due to a misunderstanding of the COVID-19 policies, and Mac Jones got to have the first-string repetitions during that time. He showed the development that this exposure gave him, guiding the offense for an 80-yard touchdown drive against the Giants’ defense in a joint practice session. Bill Belichick has named Newton the starter, but if Jones keeps pushing, then Newton might head to the bench sooner than later.
Both quarterbacks looked solid as the Patriots obliterated Philadelphia, 35-0, in their second preseason game. Jones was 13 of 19 for 146 yards, and Newton was 8 of 9 for 103 yards and a score. J.J. Taylor led the tailbacks with 93 yards on the ground and a touchdown, and Rhamondre Stevenson had 15 carries to lead the team, gaining 66 yards and scoring twice. The defense saw Chase Winovich lead the team with two sacks, along with five total tackles. If the Patriots’ defense can stay solid, then this is a team that could contend for a wild card, if not push the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East race.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
Bill Belichick has to have a giant chip on his shoulder after seeing Tom Brady leave town and win a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. His defensive plan has been on point so far in this preseason, and the preparation against the Giants should be no different. I predict a final score of Patriots 24, Giants 9.
NFL Betting Odds
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