Monday Night brings us a matchup of struggling teams in NFL week seven as the Giants head south to face the Falcons in Atlanta. The Giants' woes have been well documented since the start of the season, with QB Eli Manning receiving a ton of criticism for his subpar play. However, not so much has been made about the fact that the Falcons are 2-4 and last place in the NFC South. For a team that is just two years removed from a Super Bowl appearance that record sticks out like a sore thumb. Will the Monday spotlight motivate one of these teams to turn their ship around? Will Giants' rookie phenom Saquon Barkley set Atlanta on fire? Head over to our NFL sportsbook and make your wager, because whatever happens, it is bound to be wild!
It is tough to say which one of these teams has had a rougher go this year, but one statistic that stands out is that New York has given up 100 points in their last three games (which were all losses) and only scored 62. Last week against the Eagles, Eli Manning posted a season-low 66.1 passer rating with no touchdowns in 43 attempts. He has now lost 17 of his 21 starts since the start of last season and has thrown an equal number of interceptions and touchdowns (seven) over his past eight games.
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One bright spot for the Giants has been Saquon Barkley, who as a rookie is sixth in the NFL in rushing yards with 438. He is averaging an impressive 73 yards per game on a team which does not give him much help, either offensively or defensively. If Barkley brings his A-game to Atlanta, he should have another good showing because the Falcons' defense is 24th in the league in stopping the rush. Overall, Barkley is on pace to rush for 1,168 yards and rack up 992 receiving yards this season.
Barkley says that even with his current success, the ceiling for him is still much higher.
"I think I could be more efficient in the run game, continue to grow as a leader, pass pro, everything," Barkley said. "That's just kind of how I am. I'm very critical of all the little things, and I think I can grow in every part of my game."
Also giving the offense a boost is TE Evan Engram, is expected to play after missing the last three games.
On the other end of the ball, the Giants defense is tied with Oakland and New England for the fewest sacks in the league at seven.
Atlanta, on the other hand, is coming off a win last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but they lost two receivers in that game -- Calvin Ridley (ankle) and Mohamed Sanu (hip). Neither practiced on Thursday, and it is unclear whether either will play on Monday night. Those injuries compound what has been a rough year health wise for Atlanta, as RB Devonta Freeman is on the injured reserve with a groin injury, and offensive lineman Andy Levitre is out for the rest of the season with a torn bicep.
Regardless, Atlanta has been particularly good at home; the Falcons are gaining an average of 440 yards per game at home and have not committed a turnover in any of the previous three games they have played in Atlanta.
Defensively, however, the Falcons are giving up 292 yards in the air which is 29th in the NFL.
This will be the 25th time these teams have met, with the overall record at a stalemate 12-12.
Manning has been terrible all season, but if the Offensive line can do its job, the Falcons won't put much pressure on him, which should free him up to make plays with greater confidence. The Falcons defense has recorded only ten sacks this season
New York has given up 100 points in their last three games, all losses. Meanwhile, Atlanta has been able to score at least 30 points in each of their home games so far
