Giants Country

New York Giants Open as Underdogs at Home vs. Seattle

The oddsmakers don't have faith in the New York Giants winning at home.

Stephen Lebitsch

New York Giants Open as Underdogs at Home vs. Seattle
New York Giants Open as Underdogs at Home vs. Seattle /
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The New York Giants finally got a chance to catch their breath after playing three games in 12 days, emerging 1-2 in those games and being outscored, managed to survive their second big test of the season against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.

With the Seattle Seahawks riding into East Rutherford for a Monday Night matchup, the Giants find themselves in what's been a familiar position most of the season: as underdogs.

According to FanDuel, the Giants are a 1.5-point underdog against a Seahawks team fresh off a second-half rally that saw them defeat the Carolina Panthers 37-27 on Sunday.

For the Giants, Monday's game is as big of a must-win as there is, what with games at Miami and Buffalo to follow. Yet the opening line is tied for the smallest margin in the NFL in Week 4, making it somewhat of a surprise.

There have been some glaring differences between the two teams that could play into the outcome at MetLife Stadium. In their first three games, the Seahawks have had one of the most potent offenses in the league, posting 30 or more points in two of those contests. On the other hand, the Giants have struggled to get going early on the offensive end, leading to just 43 total points in the same span.

The Seahawks are also efficient at moving the football in the passing game. Seattle ranks among the top 15 in passing attempts, yards, touchdowns, and average yards per attempt (6.3). They were among the best units over the past two weeks. That has all come from the success of quarterback Geno Smith, who completed a steller 71 percent of his throws for 736 total yards, with 624 yards since Weeks 2 and 3.

The Giants haven’t been able to say the same on both sides of the ball in that area. Along with ranking 28th in total yards, New York's woeful offense stands 21st or below in the same categories, with an average passing play of just 4.4 yards. They’ve also turned the ball over five times to poll 21st in the NFL through three games.

On the defensive front, the Giants have struggled to slow down an opposing aerial attack. They’ve given up a combined 538 yards to opposing quarterbacks in the last two contests, a feat that has knocked them down to 18th overall in passing yards allowed and 27th in average yards per throw. Add in the team’s issues on third down, and it’s a bad mix facing an opponent in Seattle with an arsenal of receiving threats at their disposal.

You can’t count the Seahawks out on the ground either, as they’ve boasted a respectable group behind the success of Kenneth Walker III, who notched two rushing touchdowns in consecutive weeks and two stints of 5.3 yards per carry. New York has barely topped his rushing total through three games this season and has missed that aspect of their offense with Saquon Barkley fighting an ankle injury.

The fact that the Giants and Seahawks have played each other quite competitively in recent meetings might keep things close on Monday night. The two franchises are 10-10 in their series history dating back to 1976. Five of the last six matchups have gone in Seattle’s direction, including three on the road, but it remains to be seen which injured players return for the Giants offense to even the playing field this time.

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Stephen Lebitsch
STEPHEN LEBITSCH

“Stephen Lebitsch is a graduate of Fordham University, Class of 2021, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications (with a minor in Sports Journalism) and spent three years as a staff writer for The Fordham Ram. With his education and immense passion for the space, he is looking to transfer his knowledge and talents into a career in the sports media industry. Along with his work for the FanNation network and Giants Country, Stephen’s stops include Minute Media and Talking Points Sports.

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