The New York Giants welcome quarterback Jaxson Dart back to the lineup for Monday night’s game in Foxborough, Mass., where the red-hot New England Patriots are facing their biggest injury adversity of the season.
It’s a big game for the 10-2 Patriots to keep distance ahead of the Buffalo Bills (8-4) in the AFC East, while the 2-10 Giants are seeking some positive vibes following another week with a coaching change.
ODDS AND TRENDS
New England is a consensus 7.0-point favorite, although the line was sitting at 7.5 at several major sportsbooks Monday afternoon. BetRivers, where the line has held at 7.0, reported a nearly even split with 51% of the spread-line money backing the Patriots.
The 46.5 total points line has seen 64% of the money back the Under, while 70% of the total bets have supported the Over. The book reported that each of New England’s past four home games against NFC opponents have gone Over the total points line.
INSIDE EDGE
The Patriots have allowed only two rushing touchdowns to running backs this season, tied for the fewest in the NFL, according to Inside Edge’s Remarkable Engine. Meanwhile, New England’s offense leads the league with a 34.2% conversation rate on third downs of 10-plus yards this season.
KEY STAT
The Giants will seek their first road victory since Week 5 of last season, when they beat Seattle 29-20. New York has lost 12 straight road games since then.
PROP PICKS
–Dart Under 26.5 Rushing Yards (-117 at BetRivers): Dart has rushed for 54+ yards in five of his seven starts. He is also coming off a concussion that sidelined him for the past two games, and the Giants want their young star to learn how to avoid the big hits he has absorbed far too often as a rookie.
–Patriots QB Drake Maye 2+ TD Passes (-185 at DraftKings): There are significant concerns about his pass protection this week, but Maye is also facing the league’s 30th-ranked scoring defense. Maye has thrown multiple touchdowns eight times this season, although he has been held to just one in each of his past two games. Through the first 12 weeks of this season, Maye leads the NFL with 3,130 passing yards and a 71.0 completion percentage. His 21 passing touchdowns rank fifth.
INJURY REPORT
New England’s offense will be without starting left tackle Will Campbell and starting left guard Jared Wilson.
Campbell, the fourth pick in the 2025 draft, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday after he reportedly sustained an MCL sprain last Sunday in the 26-20 victory over Cincinnati. He will miss at least the next four games. Wilson (ankle) will not play Sunday, New England coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Wednesday.
New England quarterback Drake Maye has been sacked 37 times this season — third most in the NFL — and Vrabel said New York’s defensive line presents plenty of challenges.
“I think 57 of the 66 quarterback hits come from those guys up front,” he said. “Three edge guys with (Brian) Burns, (Kayvon) Thibodeaux, (Abdul) Carter. Obviously what Big Dex (Dexter Lawrence II) can do inside and (Roy) Robertson-Harris. So, those guys are certainly impactful players that have to be accounted for every play. They rotate them through there pretty good, and so there’s a lot of juice there. There’s a lot of disruption.”
Lawrence (elbow) practiced on a limited basis Saturday and didn’t receive an injury designation. Thibodeaux (shoulder) sat out practice all week and will miss his third straight game.
Four Giants were listed as questionable – linebackers Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (neck/knee), Swayze Bozeman (hip) and Victor Dimukeje (knee) and cornerback Korie Black (bicep).
In addition to Wilson, safety Brenden Schooler (ankle) was ruled out for New England. Linebacker Harold Landry (knee) and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga (chest) are questionable
GIANTS’ D IN NEW HANDS
New York fired defensive coordinator Shane Bowen last Monday, 12 games into his second season in that role. Outside linebackers coach Charlie Bullen was named as the interim replacement.
“The results just weren’t where we wanted them to be and so Charlie’s going to step up for us and rally the group,” interim head coach Mike Kafka said. “The defensive staff will rally around Charlie and put together a great plan. I got a lot of confidence in the room and a lot of confidence in our staff to do that.”
New York enters the game against the Patriots ranked 32nd among NFL teams in rushing defense, 23rd in passing defense and 30th in scoring defense.
PREDICTION
The spread is big considering the significant injury concerns along a Patriots offensive line that has struggled in pass protection even when healthy. With temperatures expected to be in the low-30s by kickoff, offense could be at a bit of a premium and the Giants have been unable to play four solid quarters on the road all season. –Patriots 23, Giants 20
