GET ON THE BOARD EARLY
The Giants’ league-worst 14.9 points per game average includes a 12.6 average since releasing Daniel Jones and an inability to score early in games. They have failed to score a first-half touchdown in eight of their 13 games, and they’ve failed to score a TD in the first three quarters of six games. They scored only seven points against the Buccaneers in Tommy DeVito’s lone start a few weeks ago. And they didn’t get their TD until 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of that 30-7 loss. Brian Daboll has to find a way to generate points in the first half. It’s not much to ask.
STOP THE RUN
Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens offense average a league-high 5.7 yards per carry. The Giants’ defense allows 4.9 yards per rush on the ground, ranked 30th out of 32 NFL teams. And Jackson is determined to run more coming out of his bye week after not using his legs enough in a recent loss to the Eagles. Jackson’s season-high for rushing yards so far is 122. Henry’s is 199. One of them, if not both, could threaten those numbers if the Giants defense doesn’t button up.
STOP COMMITTING PENALTIES
Daboll’s Giants have committed 25 accepted penalties in their last two games. When they actually make a potentially game-shifting play, which doesn’t happen frequently, it’s typically negated by a yellow flag. There is no chance for them to keep this game close, let alone win it, if they don’t get the details correct.
