Week 2 has been a struggle for the Giants in the last few years, as the G-Men have lost every second-week game since 2013.
Big Blue hopes to buck that trend this year as the team hosts the Saints on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, coming off a season-opening victory against the Dallas Cowboys.
The Saints and Giants exploded on offense in their matchup last season, a 52-49 loss for Big Blue.
Here are three keys for the Giants to put themselves in a good position to defeat the Saints, who finished 3rd in the NFC South last season.
1. Force them to run
The Saints were ranked first in passing yards last season, gaining 4,970 yards through the air. The Giants defense must be ready to cover the field Sunday, as Drew Brees is coming off a great passing game against the Raiders, where he threw for four touchdowns, completing 28 of 42 passes. The revamped Giants defense needs to keep their eyes glued to the ball, anticipating any blocks or interception opportunities coming their way. Experienced linemen like Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon need to be ready to put the heat on Brees.
2. Air it out
Eli Manning threw a career-best 35 touchdowns last season, tying him for second in the league with three other quarterbacks. Victor Cruz, who caught a game-winning touchdown in his Giants return, and star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., need to be threats. Manning, who connected for three touchdowns against Dallas, needs to find the end zone through the air a few more times in Week 2.
3. Red-zone efficiency
The Giants were perfect in the red zone last week, scoring on each trip into the zone, which included rookie WR Sterling Shepard’s first career touchdown. The Saints scored on three of five drives in the red zone against Oakland last week. The Giants offense must carry over their efficiency inside the 20 yard line.
