NFL Football Betting: New York Giants at New England Patriots

It’s the match up we’ve all had circled since the schedule was released, right? In all seriousness, if there’s one team in the NFL the New England Patriots could claim as an arch rival, it’s the New York Giants. And while Eli Manning won’t be starting tonight’s game, there’ll be plenty of highlights shown of some terrific Manning moments against the Pats that will define his career. Tom Brady, he’s all set as far as canton goes, but before he hands up his spurs for good, you know he’d like to put a beating on the team that cost him two rings and one perfect season.

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREVIEW AND PICK WEEK 6
BY ADAM GREENE

NEW YORK GIANTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
LINE: PATRIOTS -17
TOTAL: 42.5

THE HISTORY

The all-time series is tied between the Pats and the Giants at 6-6, but here’s the interesting thing to think about. In their last four meetings, the Giants won three of them and, as you’ll be made well aware throughout tonight’s broadcast, two of those G-men victories were in the Super Bowl.

You’re going to get plenty of sideline shots of Eli so if you’ve got an over-under prop on that, look at the over.

It’s not just the Super Bowls that link the two teams. Bill Belichick was the Giants’ defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells for two Super Bowl championships in SBs XXI and XXV.

NEW YORK GIANTS (+17)

This is Daniel Jones’ third start in the NFL and he’s been pretty good, especially as a rookie. Any criticism the Giants got for drafting him at No. 6 in April is long gone after a solid preseason and beginning of his NFL career. The benching of Manning was almost an afterthought when it happened. That’s a bummer, but it’s good that the Giants could have their future quarterback situation figured out.

But it’s not the future, it’s the present and there’s just not a realistic scenario where the Giants can seriously compete in this game. They’re overmatched at pretty much every position on the field, especially with running back Saquon Barkley sidelined. They say there’s no moral victories, but keeping the Pats from covering 17 points sure would feel like one to me.

Here’s a couple of fun facts; since 1980 the Giants have never been this big an underdog, and that news broke when the spread was +16.5, It’s half a point higher now. They’re also the biggest underdog in TNF history, the previous record holders being the 2016 Jeff Fisher Rams at +15 against the Seahawks and the Giants themselves at +15 against the Troy Aikman, Emmett Smith and Michael Irvin Dallas Cowboys in 1992.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-17)

The Patriots’ path to their 10th Super Bowl in the Brady-Belichick era is paved with games like these. Their schedule would be criticized in college football, claiming too many cupcake opponents. But New England isn’t doing it on purpose. The AFC East has been trash for nearly two decades and they got the NFC East when two teams, the Giants and Redskins, barely have seven legitimate NFL players between them.

The offense is humming and the defense, statistically so far, is the best it’s ever been. Of course, that could have a lot more to do with playing the Dolphins, Jets and Redskins than it does actual performance. Either way, the test won’t come tonight.

THE PICK

Back to the history here; in the five Thursday games since 1980 with spreads of 15 or more points, the underdog covered three out of five times. It has a lot to do with the short week and that most of these were played on
Thanksgiving before TNF became a thing in 2006. I see this one evening up that record and wouldn’t be shocked if New England shut out the Giants altogether. PATRIOTS 27, GIANTS 6

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