The (2-1) Seattle Seahawks will face the (1-2) New York Giants on Monday night in one of the most crucial matchups of Week 4.
Both teams made the playoffs last season, and both are expected to be in the playoff mix this season as well.
The Giants need a win in order to get back to 500 before they travel on the road for two tough games against the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. The Seahawks are looking to remain in striking distance of the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers.
There are several intriguing storylines heading into Monday’s game. We’ll dive in and take a look at the top five.
Which quarterback will shine the brightest?
When two evenly matched teams play one another, the outcome is often determined by which quarterback performs better. Geno Smith is off to a hot start to the season, completing 71-of-103 passes for 736 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.
Daniel Jones, on the other hand, has struggled in large part to play behind an ineffective offensive line. He’s completed 63-of-97 passes for 562 yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions, although three of those interceptions bounced off the hands of his intended receiver.
Both quarterbacks are poised to have big nights. They’ll face defenses that are ranked near the bottom of the league, as the Seahawks are 29th in defense, and the Giants have the 24th-ranked defense.
There have been debates on which quarterback is better, Jones or Smith. On Monday, we may get our answer, as the quarterback who performs the best will likely win.
Related: 4 bold Predictions for New York Giants vs. Seattle Seahawks Week 4 matchup
Will Saquon Barkley, Andrew Thomas, and Azeez Ojulari return?
It’s tough to win when you’re without your best playmaker, best offensive lineman, and best pass rusher. That was the hand the Giants were dealt last week against the 49ers when they were without Saquon Barkley, Andrew Thomas, and Azeez Ojulari.
All three practiced on Thursday on a limited basis, but Thomas didn’t practice on Friday and has since been ruled out. Whereas Barkley and Ojulari both practiced on a limited basis. The availability of these players could come down to a game-time decision.
While Thomas is out, the team desperately needs the other two to return. Barkley’s presence especially was missing the last week as the team managed just 29 yards rushing on 12 carries against the 49ers. The Giants have been losing the battle of the line of scrimmage on both ends, but things could start to tilt in their favor if their best pass rusher can return.
If even two of the three are able to suit up on Monday, it will give their odds of winning the game a huge boost.
Related: NFL injury report Week 4: Derek Carr, Saquon Barkley and more
Can the Giants fix their first-half woes?
The first half has been a nightmare for the Giants this season, as they’ve been outscored 63-6. They can ill-afford another slow start against a Seahawks team that’s scored 37 points in consecutive weeks.
Brian Daboll must have his team prepared to get off to a fast start. A good way to do this would be to get Darren Waller and Jalin Hyatt involved early against a Seahawks defense that’s 31st against the pass and is dealing with injuries in their secondary.
Related: See where Daniel Jones ranks among NFL QBs
Can the Giants defense step up?
Perhaps what’s most disappointing to New York’s slow start has been their underperforming defense. The team has yet to register a turnover and only has two sacks on the season. Worst of all, they’ve lacked aggressiveness and routinely miss tackles.
On Thursday, linebacker Bobby Okereke was asked if the defense will do a better job of tackling.
“100 percent. We put an emphasis on it today at practice. I had a coach always tell me that tackling is all about technique and desire. We all have a great desire to tackle, now it’s just cleaning up the technique and we’ll get it right.” Okereke responded.
Okereke and the rest of the defense must improve on their tackling and effort, or they’ll fall to 1-3.
Related: 2023 NFL defense rankings: Week 4 previews, Lions move up after TNF performance
The return of Julian Love
Monday night will be a reunion of sorts as Julian Love will make his return to MetLife Stadium as a member of the Seahawks. Love spent his first four seasons with New York and led the team in tackles last year before signing with Seattle in the offseason.
Love has certainly informed his new team of his old team’s tendencies as well as their strengths and weaknesses. The Giants have made obvious changes to both their personnel and plays since Love left, but their former insight will have some insight into what they’re trying to accomplish.
But the same holds true for New York as they know where Love excels and where he struggles in certain situations. Love is dealing with a hamstring injury and was limited at practice on Thursday and Friday. If he plays, it will be interesting to see if he gets the better of his former team or vice versa.