New York Giants Week 12 Storylines: A Game of Intrigue
Much has been made about this Sunday's game between the New York Giants and New England Patriots: teacher vs. student.
The "teacher" is, of course, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, the Future Hall of Fame head coach/executive who built and ran a dynasty in NEw England for years. As part of his dynasty, there have been many head coaches to develop from that tree, including Brian Daboll, the "student" in this weekend's matchup.
But while this will be Daboll's first time going against his former boss as a head coach, this weekend's matchup isn't Daboll's first rodeo against Belichick and the Patriots.
"I’ve got a tremendous amount of respect, for one, that organization. (Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert) Mr. Kraft, (President) Jonathan (Kraft), Dan, Josh, all those guys – obviously, Bill, who gave me my first opportunity in the NFL," he said Monday.
"I think – I don’t know, this might be 17 or 18, somewhere around there, of times that games that we’ve played, that I’ve coached, obviously not as a head coach, but as an offensive coordinator or a position coach. Got a ton of respect for that team, for that organization."
Daboll, remember, regularly faced Belichick when he was an offensive coordinator for the Browns, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Bills. That familiarity, along with what he learned as an assistant on Belichick's staff, should serve him well, much like the familiarity with the Bills organization that likely helped the Giants keep things close a few weeks ago.
That said, anything can happen, but if Giants fans are looking for a reason to hang their hat on a Giants win, consider that New York is getting a struggling Patriots team that's coming off its bye and that since 1990, New York is 16-11 against teams returning from a bye and they (the Giants) are not.
Let's dive into this week's storylines.
How Will Tommy DeDevito Handle the Patriots' Defense?
Rookie Tommy DeVito, prematurely forced into a starting role at quarterback, has managed to keep his head above water, gradually showing improvement in each of his last two starts.
But this weekend, he's going against a Bill Belichick defense that, while admittedly depleted due to injuries, is one that is no picnic to play against, especially for a young, inexperienced quarterback. Belichick is known for disguising looks and creating confusion that can baffle a signal caller.
How DeVito fares against the Patriots could go a long way toward determining if he hangs onto the starting job after the Giants return from their Week 13 bye. At that point, Tyrod Taylor (rib cage) will be eligible to return from injured reserve.
Injury Update
Head coach Brian Daboll wasn't willing to give any updates on the injured players, but the Giants, who have had a lengthy list in recent weeks, are expected to have another one again this week consisting of guys whose workloads are managed.
But there are a few injuries of interest. Is, for example, left tackle Andrew Thomas still good to go after being listed as questionable last week and pushing through the game? What is the status of receiver Darius Slayton's arm? Has cornerback Adoree' Jackson cleared the protocol?
Stay tuned to find out.
Who's Playing QB for the Patriots?
Belichick has yet to decide (supposedly) who will be the starting quarterback against the Giants this weekend. The plan is to let Bailey Zappe, Will Grier, and Mac Jones battle it this week before making a decision.
Belichick, known for keeping personnel decisions close to the vest, has to know which way he's learning. With only so much time to practice and get those guys ready for this weekend, the sooner a decision is made, the better for New England.
As for how the Giants will handle the "uncertainty," expect Daboll to say that they'll be preparing for all three, which they can certainly do given there is film on all of them.
Draft Position
Ahead of this weekend's game, the Patriots hold the third overall pick in next year's draft and the Giants the fifth. A PAtriots win would give them the same record as the Giants and would presumably move the Giants up the ladder and the Patriots down.
Of course, there are still five games for the Giants to be played after this one, and anything can happen. Still, with there being some uncertainty as to whether Daniel Jones will be ready to go at the start of next season and with Tyrod Taylor set to be an unrestricted free agent, there's no question that the team will be in the market for a quarterback, perhaps even eyeing someone in what is widely regarded as a quarterback-rich draft class this year.
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