Is Drew Lock Playing Today? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Giants vs. Falcons)

The latest injury update for New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons.

Peter Dewey | 5 Hours Ago

New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After missing Week 15 with an injury that landed him in a walking boot, New York Giants quarterback Drew Lock is expected to return to action and start in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons.

On Friday, Giants head coach Brian Daboll confirmed that Lock would be the starter and that Tommy DeVito had cleared the league’s concussion protocol and would be his backup.

#Giants coach Brian Daboll told reporters that QB Tommy DeVito was cleared from the NFL’s concussion protocol and will backup Drew Lock.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 20, 2024

Lock has appeared in five games this season, making two starts. The Giants have failed to win either of his starts and are set as major underdogs on the road in Week 16 against an Atlanta team that is starting rookie Michael Penix Jr. for the first time in 2024.

Through his five games, Lock has completed 51.1 percent of his passes for 414 yards, zero touchdown passes and two interceptions. As a runner, he’s added 10 carries for 129 yards and a score.

No matter who the Giants start at quarterback, their offense is going to struggle.

If you’re looking to bet on the Giants-Falcons matchup, I suggest looking at the total. Here’s a snippet from my best bet of the week for Sports Illustrated:

New York Giants vs. Atlanta Falcons UNDER 42 (-112)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Michael Penix Jr. era will get underway in Atlanta, as Kirk Cousins has been benched after throwing nine picks and just one score in the last five games.

Atlanta has scored just 72 points over its last five games, losing four of them and scoring more than 20 points just once over that stretch. Maybe Penix changes this offense, but this is a tough spot for a rookie quarterback with Atlanta likely needing to win out to secure a playoff spot in the NFC – and even that may not be enough.

Not only that, but the Falcons are 2-4 against the spread as home favorites, and now they’re being asked to cover more than a touchdown on Sunday.

While that’s certainly possible against this terrible New York squad, it’s not my favorite bet in this game.

Instead, I’m looking to the UNDER.

New York has scored seven, 20, 11 and 14 points in the four games it has played since releasing Daniel Jones, losing three of them by a touchdown or more.

No matter who gets the start at quarterback, New York is far and away the inferior team in this matchup, ranking dead last in the NFL in points scored and 31st in yards per play.

While the Falcons haven’t inspired a ton of confidence offensively, they did hold another bad offense – the Las Vegas Raiders – to just nine points in Week 15. Both of these teams are hitting the UNDER at a high rate (nine of their 14 games this season), so I expect another low-scoring affair on Sunday.

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