Giants & Jets Look to Create Winning Streaks: Week 13 Preview & Predictions
In recent years it has been hard to find a week where both the New York Jets and Giants have won games on the same weekend. Last week was one of those times as the Jets took care of the Houston Texans 21-14, while Big Blue held off the Eagles 13-7.
This week in the words of the infamous manager Lou Brown from the classic Major League, both the Jets and Giants are looking for a “winning streak” in week 13.
The Jets (3-8) will host those aforementioned Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) from MetLife Stadium. Not only is Gang Green looking for its first two game winning streak of the season, it looking to do something never done by previous Jets teams in the past: beat the Eagles in the regular season.
In 11 meetings, the Jets are 0-11 all time against the Eagles when the game has counted in the regular season. Of course these two face each other every summer in preseason, where the Jets have won their fair share against their fellow Green & White brethren from I-95 south, but those games don’t count.
This one does. And it will mean a lot to the Eagles who are still very much in the playoff mix in the NFC.
As for the Jets, the biggest question coming in is whether Zach Wilson can bounce back from a subpar performance last week in Houston. In his first start back after a PCL strain in his right knee sidelined him for a month, Wilson had an uneven return. He missed a number of open receivers, struggled in the short passing game, and tossed a pick. And the Jets still won the game!
Wilson has to play better for Gang Green to turn last week’s victory into a winning streak.
On the flip side, it will be harder for the Giants to extend their winning streak since quarterback Daniel Jones has been ruled out of Sunday’s game in Miami against a red-hot Dolphins team. Jones suffered a neck strain last week against the Eagles. He played through it in the Giants victory.
“At this point he has not been cleared for contact, so we’re going to go ahead and hold him out of this game,” Head Coach Joe Judge told reporters on Friday. “At this point, we don’t feel 100% comfortable with him until the medical team clears him fully, so as of right now we will rule him out.”
The Giants will roll with Mike Glennon at quarterback. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears quarterback appeared in only one game this year, when he came in for a concussed Jones in a loss to Dallas. Glennon threw two interceptions in that defeat.
Like Jets-Eagles, Giants vs. Dolphins is a rare match-up. The Giants have won four straight against Miami in the head-to-head series. The last time they met was two years ago, in the game better remembered as Eli Manning’s last game as Giants quarterback.
Can both local teams keep their brief glimmer of prosperity going? We shall see.
Mike Cohen’s Fox Sports New Jersey Pick Six
Last Week: 2-4
Season: 26-16
NY Giants (4-7) @ Miami Dolphins (5-7) – 1 p.m. FOX. As described above, the Giants are in for a stiff challenge with quarterback Daniel Jones on the sideline. Even when he was healthy, it wasn’t like the Giants were clicking offensively. New York managed only 264 yards of offense last week vs. Philly; the first game of the post Jason Garrett era. It will be hard to picture the G-Men having much success with Mike Glennon under center.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 10: Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants warms up prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 10, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
The Dolphins, meanwhile, went from looking like a contender for a top-10 draft pick to a playoff contender. Miami has won four in a row, including beating playoff-bound Baltimore. Tua Tagovailoa is playing good football, and Miami’s defense has picked it up nicely. PICK: DOLPHINS 23 – GIANTS 16
Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) @ NY Jets (3-8) – 1 p.m. CBS. The battle of two struggling young signal callers. On one side Eagles’ QB Jalen Hurts is looking to rebound from a four-pick performance against the Giants last week, if he is healthy. There is a chance former Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew could start; and if he does, he is guy with a high motor. On the other hand, Zach Wilson needs to settle down and make better reads for the Jets. The Jets are in the underbelly of their schedule, and can really build some momentum toward next season with some wins in December. The Eagles need to have this game — losing a second straight at MetLife Stadium would almost certainly decimate their playoff hopes. Can Robert Saleh’s defense put together an encore from last week in Houston? Can Gang Green end their 11-game losing skid to Philly? PICK: EAGLES 24 – JETS 13.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) @ Atlanta Falcons (5-6) – 1 p.m. Dangerous spot for the Bucs. They have had some distractions with the whole Antonio Brown-fake COVID-vaccine-card fiasco, and they have endured their share of injuries. But, they do have Tom Brady under center. Rob Gronkowski is back from injury. And the Bucs have a top ranked defense going up against an aging Matt Ryan and an offensive line for Atlanta that can be hit or miss. If the Bucs are for real about repeating as Champs, this is the kind of opponent they need to put away early — even if it is a divisional game. PICK: BUCS 27 – FALCONS 24
LA Chargers (6-5) @ Cincinnati Bengals (7-4) – 1 p.m. Should easily be a shootout between two high powered offenses. For LA, quarterback Justin Herbert is fourth in the league in passing, while his counterpart, Joe Burrow, is 11th in the NFL in passing yards. Both young QBs have rallied their teams to become serious playoff contenders. Bengals are coming off a 41-10 smackdown of division rival Pittsburgh, so a let down here wouldn’t be totally surprising. Expect this to come down to a last second field goal. PICK: BENGALS 30 – CHARGERS 29.
Denver Broncos (6-5) @ Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) – 8:20 p.m. NBC. Somehow a Broncos team that is in the bottom half of the NFL in total offense and passing yards, and, at one point was blowing up the team for draft picks (i.e. trading Von Miller to the Rams) is still in the hunt. This will be a difficult situation for Denver on Sunday night. The Chiefs are red hot right now having won four in a row. Patrick Mahomes has started to figure things out, and the last time KC was in primetime a few weeks ago out in Las Vegas, they dropped 41-points on the Raiders. This could get ugly. PICK: CHIEFS 34 – BRONCOS 17.
New England Patriots (8-4) @ Buffalo Bills (7-4) – 8:15 p.m. ESPN MNF. Easily the biggest game of the week! The Patriots have been the hottest team in the NFL having won six straight games, including dismantling the Titans last week. Defensively the Patriots are always sound, but it is the work head coach Bill Belichick and Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels have done with rookie quarterback Mac Jones that has been remarkable. Jones is playing like an experienced vet, and is not putting this team in bad situations. He’s winning and learning on the fly. As for Buffalo, this is a statement game for them. They want to show the nation why Buffalo is the top team in the AFC East. What better way than to beat the Pats. Expect a big night out of Josh Allen and this offense, and Buffalo’s D to force a couple of turnovers, in what could be one of three meetings this year between these two. PICK: BILLS 26 – PATRIOTS 16.
