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The New England Patriots battle the New York Giants in Week 3 of the NFL preseason. We preview a Patriots vs Giants contest featuring Mac Jones, Daniel Jones and Cam Newton all in one exciting game.
Find out where the Giants and Patriots land in our NFL power rankings
New England Patriots vs New York Giants: What you need to know
- The Giants host the Patriots at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, August 29 at 6:00 p.m. EST on
- Sportsnaut forecasts the New England Patriots beat the New York Giants, 27-17.
- Odds: The Patriots are three-point favorites with the over/under set at 35.5.
Let’s dive into our Patriots vs Giants matchup previews.
Cam Newton vs Mac Jones
Newton entered training camp as the unquestioned starter, with Jones given only the slimmest odds to win a quarterback battle. Fast forward to the final preseason game and there’s a legitimate discussion about each player and who gives this team a better opportunity to win.
Click here for our New England Patriots preview and 2021 predictions
This won’t be an easy matchup for Jones nor Newton. New York’s defense is outstanding and head coach Joe Judge plans to use this game as a dress rehearsal for the regular season. While it seems Bill Belichick has made a decision, this game could change that.
- Superman Returns?: Just as Jones started receiving buzz, Newton responded with a phenomenal performance. He lit up the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, completing 8-of-9 attempts fr 103 yards, one touchdown and posting a 151.4 passer rating. Keep in mind, he hasn’t unleashed his skills on the run.
- Mac Attack: Through his first two preseason games, Jones is operating with surgeon-like precision. The rookie has completed 68.4% of his passes and holds an impressive 84.6 passer rating on a second-string offense.
Advantage: Cam Newton
Daniel Jones vs Patriots’ defense
The Giants are treating Jones like a veteran, holding him out of preseason action. It’s a bold move, considering some of the issues we saw last season, but this coaching staff is clearly confident in the third-year quarterback. Fortunately, we’ll get to see Jones take the field in Sunday’s Patriots vs Giants clash.
Discover where the Patriots and Giants land in our NFL defense rankings
- Find Consistency: If fans were hoping Jones would dominate training camp, that hasn’t been the case. There have been phenomenal days and stretches where he just misses throws. This is his lone opportunity to display some of his growth and it will be a challenge against a loaded Patriots’ defense.
- Patriots’ Pressure: New England won’t need to show off its unique defensive looks or show its hand on unique blitz packages. The Patriots added a lot of depth to the front seven this offseason, which will make it a lot easier to pressure the quarterback. Keep that in mind against the passer who ranked 17th in quarterback rating (55.7) and completion rate (47.7%) last season.
Advantage: New England Patriots
Patriots’ wide receivers vs Giants’ cornerbacks
The Patriots were flush with cap space this spring, giving them the flexibility to build this passing attack to Josh McDaniels’ preferences. Instead of spending heavily on Kenny Golladay, who now plays for the Giants, New England signed Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor.
Click here for Sportsnaut’s New York Giants preview and 2021 predictions
It’s that approach that makes this Patriots vs Giants matchup so interesting. New York’s secondary is loaded with shutdown cornerback James Bradberry, playmaking No. 2 corner Adoree Jackson and Darnay Holmes in the slot.
- Bradberry Island: New York frequently let Bradberry shadow No. 1 wide receivers this past season and the results say everything. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradberry surrendered just 44 receptions in 633 coverage snaps and quarterbacks only had a 70.1 passer rating when throwing in his direction.
- Unheralded No. 1: If Newton is the Patriots’ starting quarterback this season, buy all the stock possible in Jakobi Myers. The chemistry between this duo is outstanding and they put that on display every other drive. Myers is the guy Bradberry will keep a close eye on in this matchup.
Advantage: New York Giants
The bottom line: Credit to the NFL for putting the Patriots vs Giants game in the perfect window. While this rivalry doesn’t have quite the same feel in the preseason, both teams are treating this like a dress rehearsal. As a result, we’ll get to see some of the best players competing before the regular season even begins.