Why They Win: New England Patriots Get Revenge on New York Giants in ‘Stupor Bowl’?

The New England Patriots and New York Giants will do battle on Sunday afternoon, but it will carry absolutely none of the prestige of their prior meetings.

The New England Patriots and New York Giants twice fought for who got to stand as the NFL's No. 1 team. Now they'll fight over a new No. 1 ... a top placement of the worst variable. 

New England and New York are currently at the forefront of the NFL Draft conversation, as each is engaged in disappointing affairs that could lead to wholesale changes and franchise-altering choices on draft day. They'll do battle on Sunday afternoon at the Giants' MetLife Stadium home (1 p.m. ET, Fox), where the winner will hardly do itself any favors considering the cramped race to the bottom.

Curiously enough, Sunday will perhaps mark one of the final opportunities for New England (2-8) to pick up a win this season: five of their six opponents to close out this woebegone campaign are in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt. The Giants (3-8) picked up a rare victory against the Washington Commanders last weekend, a triumph that served as the first career victory under center for substitute quarterback Tommy DeVito. New England is not looking to duplicate the strategy of winning with a backup, as the team reportedly plans to stick with the embattled Mac Jones upon arriving in East Rutherford.

If the Patriots have anything to play for on Sunday, it'll be the avoidance of ending another one of their dominant marks built throughout the new century: New England is 0-4 against NFC competition this year and hasn't gone fully winless in interconference play since 2000.

What gives the Patriots the advantage in this matchup of the damned?

Rhadmondre Stevenson carries vs. the Giants in a 2021 preseason game / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

New York Marathon

The controversy under center has marred and disfigured the success behind it: two weeks ago, the Patriots nearly avoided a "katastrophe" in Germany thanks to a dominant rushing attack that averaged just over 4.6 yards a carry en route to a season-best 167 despite a depleted offensive line missing the services of Trent Brown. While the Giants were able to withstand a similarly paced attack from Washington last weekend, that was primarily thanks to six careless turnovers; the Commanders nearly ate away at the Giants' opportunity with 174 rushing yards in defeat. Ezekiel Elliott will face an old foe in the New York defense on Sunday and has put up 10 rushing scores in 10 appearances against Big Blue. As he continues to put an audition tape together for next season, expect both he and Rhamondre Stevenson to get an even larger burden as the Patriots try to figure out who the quarterback of the (immediate) future will be. 

Super Demario

Ten games into the season, the Patriots' leading receiver is still Kendrick Bourne ... who hasn't suited up since Oct. 29. That could well change today, as Demario Douglas is 45 yards away from taking over that supposed honor. Unlike the Giants, who have struggled to establish any consistent in-house weapons, the Patriots at least seemed to have found a rare offensive staple that can help guide them into the future. While time will tell if he's a lasting top target, his prescience will no doubt be a source of comfort for New England's quarterback, be it Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Malik Cunningham, or their presumed incoming rookie successor. Facing a Giants defense that's two weeks removed from letting up over 600 yards to the mighty Dallas Cowboys could give Douglas an intriguing breakout opportunity. 

Ja'Whaun Bentley Ready to Step Up Amid Turmoil at Linebacker

Sack Exchange

The Giants have had the most grotesque form of consistency under center: no matter who's been there, he's often been running for his life thanks to a porous offensive line that literally asked previous first-round choice Justin Pugh to jump off of his couch and into the starting lineup. DeVito's unexpected excursion has been no exception, which provides the Patriots' reeling pass rush with a golden opportunity: even as the Matthew Judon-less weeks pile up, Ja'Whaun Bentley has been the primary pass rusher while Jahlani Tavai is also starting to make a physical name for himself. These final hours mean the most to tenured veterans, those trying to make permanent, residing names for themselves. Taking advantage of affordable opportunities against a team like the Giants can go a long way.