It doesn’t happen as often as people realize, but when the New York Jets and New York Giants face off against each other on Sunday, there will sure be plenty of fireworks.
Both teams may be on opposite ends of the win-loss spectrum as we head to the midway point of the NFL season, but both have seemingly turned a corner following the results from the previous week. Big Blue is coming off a 14-7 win over the Washington Commanders and has remained afloat in a weak NFC Playoff race. The Jets, meanwhile, are coming off their bye week but sit just a game out of first place in the AFC East.
With plenty to play for at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, both teams are expected to put forth a dynamic showing. Today, we break down the matchup of another Snoopy Bowl here.
New York Jets vs. New York Giants
Where: MetLife Stadium
When: Sunday, October 29th, 2023
Kickoff Time: 1:00 pm – ET
How to watch: CBS
Line: Jets -3.0
Keys to the Game
Overwhelm Big Blue’s O-Line
Even with Andrew Thomas’ return, the Giants’ offensive line has been the worst in football all season. There have been improvements since Tyrod Taylor has taken the reigns, but it’s not enough to instill confidence against the top pass-rushing unit in the sport.
The Jets are third in the NFL this season in pressure percentage, a major difference from their 24th-ranked sack total. Gang Green gets to the quarterback in droves and has forced plenty of key turnovers late in games. If the likes of Jermaine Johnson and Quinnen Williams can overwhelm the Giants’ suspect offensive group, the Jets should win easily.
Contain Saquon Barkley
There’s one simple way the Giants can win this game on Sunday, and it’s if Saquon Barkley dominates through the ground. Barkley is the entire offense for Big Blue and can take over games if teams struggle to tackle well or give him a running head start downfield.
The Jets have given up the ninth most missed tackles this season, and it’s something they need to be careful of heading into a big week in front of a mixed crowd. If Barkley dominates as he did last week against the Commanders (over 100 total yards and 4.6 yards a touch), he could be enough for the Giants to stun a team like their cross-town rivals that need to start stacking up wins.
Don’t turn the ball over
The Jets’ formula on offense has been quite simple as of late – play dominant defense and don’t turn the ball over on offense. Through the last two wins, they have run that formula to perfection. For them to make it their third win in a row, quarterback Zach Wilson and the rest of the offense will need to do the same thing against an opportunistic Giants’ defense.
Outside of their 2-5 record, the G-Men have liked what they’ve seen out of their defensive unit. They’ve held strong offenses like the Seahawks, Bills, and Commanders to early-season struggles. If the Jets don’t turn the ball over on offense, all they need to do is get into field goal range consistently to win.
Most people don’t trust the Giants’ offense and rightfully so. Without a string offensive line or Daniel Jones, there’s little to be excited about on their end. Giving that group more possessions due to turnovers though is a recipe for disaster.
X-Factor: Zach Wilson
Week 8 might be the first time all season that the Jets have an advantage at the quarterback position against their opponent. Wilson’s improvements as a passer have been a stark change from recent years and it’s allowed the rest of the team to have confidence in the offense as a whole.
For that to continue, Wilson and Gang Green need to do something they haven’t had a chance to do in recent years – win when a victory is expected.
If Wilson doesn’t turn the ball over and can take shots downfield confidently, the Jets could win this game going away. They are more talented at almost every major position group. With the Giants’ injuries, it shouldn’t be hard to expect more from the Jets starting quarterback this week.
