The Seattle Seahawks (2-1) will travel to New Jersey to take on the New York Giants (1-2) on Monday Night Football.
This will be the 21st meeting between these two franchises with each team having won 10 games. The Seahawks won the last matchup 27-13 in Week 8 of last season in Seattle.
This is a pivotal game for both teams as New York is looking to avoid falling to 1-3 with two tough road games on the horizon against the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. Seattle is looking for their third consecutive win and are trying to keep pace with the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers.
The defenses for both the Giants and Seahawks have underperformed to this point of the season. So we could be in store for a high-scoring affair on Monday night.
Here are four bold predictions for the game.
New York Giants will score two TDs in the first half
Normally an offense scoring two first-half touchdowns wouldn’t seem bold. But through the first three games of the season, New York has failed to score a touchdown in the first half, as they’ve been outscored 63-6.
Giants coach Brian Daboll knows his team can ill-afford another slow start against the 4th highest-scoring team in the league (29 points per game).
Fortunately for the Giants, they’ve had a week and a half to prepare for this game, which should help them get off to a fast start. Look for Daniel Jones to make plays with his arms and legs as he will guide the team to two touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of the game.
DK Metcalf will have over 125 receiving yards
After two modest games to start the season, Metcalf had his first 100-yard game of the season last week in Seattle’s 37-27 victory over the Carolina Panthers, catching six passes for 112 yards.
This week, he’ll go up against a Giants defense that starts two rookies Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins III in the nickel and dime packages. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Metcalf will have a significant size and speed advantage over the young corners. Expect quarterback Geno Smith to target his star receiver often on Monday night, which will result in Metcalf having over 125 receiving yards.
Jalin Hyatt will score his first NFL touchdown
With Saquon Barkley’s status for the game up in the air due to his sprained ankle, the Giants are going to have to rely heavily on the passing game in order to win. This means that Daniel Jones will look to Darren Waller and Jalin Hyatt when the offense needs a big play.
Hyatt helped spearhead New York’s 31-28 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals by catching two passes for 89 yards. However, the rookie receiver has failed to catch a pass in the team’s two losses. Hyatt has track-star speed and has the ability to make a big play at any moment.
Seattle has the 31st-ranked pass defense allowing 328 yards per game and are banged up in the secondary. Look for the 2022 Biletnikoff winner to score his first NFL touchdown on Monday night.
Kenneth Walker III will rush for over 100 yards
Kenneth Walker is off to a solid start in his second season in the NFL. So far he’s rushed for 204 yards on 47 carries and has four rushing touchdowns. In two of the team’s three games, he’s averaged over five yards a carry and has been difficult for defenders to bring down.
Now he’ll face a Giants run defense that’s giving up an average of 138 yards per game, which is 28th in the NFL. Based on how New York’s defense has performed, it’s hard to envision a scenario where they’re able to slow down Walker. In last year’s matchup, Walker was held to 51 yards on 18 carries. This time the 22-year-old running back will have an easier time with Big Blue’s defense as he will finish the game with over 100 rushing yards.
Prediction: It feels like the season could be on the brink for New York if they lose on Monday night. Although they might be without Barkley and Andrew Thomas, the offense will put up enough points to come away with a narrow victory. Giants 30, Seahawks 27.