New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints: 6 keys to victory in Week 6

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The New York Giants host the New Orleans Saints in Week 6 action at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, this Sunday.

It’s the second time this season that the Giants have been underdogs at home against a team with a worse record. Last time, they took it personally and beat the Arizona Cardinals by eight points. This week, the outcome is likely to be similar.

Jameis Winston will face one of his former teams where he was supposed to have a shot at the starting quarterback role, but that never really materialized. He’ll look to prove that they were wrong and he’s still got what it takes to play in this league.

The Saints’ season hasn’t gone according to plan this season. They lost their last two games by 10 points or more, and they’ll be without one of their top running backs this week. The Giants have to find a way to capitalize on the Saints’ losses and come away with a win.

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Let’s take a look at six keys to a Giants’ victory over the Saints in Week 6.

Protect Jameis Winston

Through the four games Winston has played, he’s been sacked 11 times. It’s not the most in the NFL, but it’s still an average of almost three sacks per game. At 32 years old, Winston can’t take that many more sacks and hope that his body won’t start to get mad. If Winston gets hurt, J.J. McCarthy is his backup, and that makes the offense one-dimensional.

Protection is particularly important at the tackle position, where Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor are both banged up. Both are questionable to play this week, but even if they play, they’ll be hobbled. If they don’t play, we’ll see Marcus Mbow and rookie J.C. Davis take over their spots, and you can believe the Saints’ defense will attack them both with full force.

Honestly, the Saints are probably going to attack the tackle position on both sides of the ball regardless of who is out there. It will either be banged-up starters who won’t be at 100 percent, or it will be backups with minimal experience playing that role. Regardless of who is out there, though, the tackle position must hold strong.

Establish a productive run game

This isn’t just about giving the running backs more carries; the Giants average just 3.7 yards per carry as a team. Starting running back Cam Skattebo is averaging 3.6 yards per carry on his own. Those numbers simply aren’t good enough to get the job done. John Harbaugh addressed this problem this week during press conferences, saying it’s “just not good enough yet.”

The Giants have to find ways to be more efficient on the ground and create explosive plays. This keeps the offense on the field and also gives Winston manageable situations to work with.

Close the gaps against Kamara and Miller

Travis Etienne landed on injured reserve (IR) with a hamstring injury after Week 3, leaving Alvin Kamara and Kendre Miller holding the bag. Kamara is questionable this week with a back injury, but managed to practice on a limited basis on Friday. When healthy, Kamara is a dangerous back who is capable of gaining plenty of yards, and even with an injury, if he can play, he’s worth watching.

The Giants allow 5.2 yards per carry this season, and while the Saints’ ground game has struggled this season, this is a favorable matchup for New Orleans. Kamara has the potential to be a game-wrecker, especially if the Giants can’t find a way to slow him down. Big Blue has to get this one right if they want to win.

Win the turnover battle

The Giants’ turnover ratio is +1 (three interceptions, four lost fumbles, eight takeaways). The Saints’ turnover ratio is -6 (five interceptions, six lost fumbles, five takeaways). The Giants’ defense must attack the football when the opportunity arises, but they cannot sacrifice yardage if they miss. Reckless gambles that concede easy completions must be limited in their attempt to win the turnover battle.

Offensively, Winston must prioritize ball security over low-probability throws, something he has struggled with over his career. He has been better in recent years, but it’s been something he’s had to overcome. This week, it is vital that he doesn’t give the ball away. Similarly, the skill players must have a solid grip on the ball when it’s in their hands.

Avoid self-inflicted wounds and finish the fourth quarter

The Giants have won and tied games despite uneven offensive production since Jaxson Dart landed on injured reserve in Week 2. They have to eliminate drive-killing penalties, protect leads, and maintain sound situational football. Pre-snap penalties will kill any drive, and silly personal foul penalties will make it even harder. The weather is expected to be sunny and seasonable this Sunday, so neither team should have to alter its approach because of the weather. Execution should determine the outcome, and that means the Giants have to play clean, disciplined football.

Win third down and finish drives with touchdowns

As the NFL continues to evolve and change, it’s become clear that field goals are not going to win games. It can be done, as the Giants proved against the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, but it’s not normal anymore. The Saints’ offense has converted on 45.8% of its third downs, and it’s scored touchdowns on 13 of 16 red zone possessions. Those are dangerous numbers in spite of the team’s losing record.

The Giants have converted on 44.29 percent of their third downs, and of their 14 red zone possessions, they’ve scored points nine times. That doesn’t mean touchdowns, just points, and that’s not nearly good enough. New York must force longer third downs on defense and capitalize on scoring opportunities on offense. If the Saints continue to convert on their red zone appearances, field goals alone aren’t going to cut it. They have to win on third down on both sides of the ball, and find the end zone to win this game.