The battle of the haves vs. the have-nots continues on Monday Night Football for this week’s version of the Gotta Get Unstuck Game of the Week. The New York Giants, the second-worst scoring team in the NFL, will host the Tampa Bays Bucs (5-2) and one of the more potent offenses in the NFL.
The Bucs, under offensive mastermind Bruce Arians, are averaging 31.7 points per game, making them the second-highest scoring team in the NFL.
There was a time not long ago when both sharp bettors and the public would back a home dog on Monday Night Football. In this instance, the Giants are +12 and they probably should be underdogs by two touchdowns.
| MNF: Tampa Bay Bucs (5-2) at New York Giants (1-6) |
- Kickoff: 5:15 pm PT
- Point Spread: TB -12
- Total: 45
- Money Line: TB -665 / NYG +460
The Giants are in trouble because the Bucs’ worst-offensive output of the season (19 points in a 21-19 loss to the Chicago Bears) is still 1.6 points higher than the Giants scoring average (17.4 ppg). Only the lifeless and inept New York Jets score fewer points per game than the sad-sack Giants.
The Giants have been held to 16 or fewer points four times this season, including two games in which they scored a mere nine points. They only scored more than 22 points just once this season.
Tommy Boy in Prime Time
This matchup between the Bucs and Giants looked good on paper when the NFL suits and Disney suits drew up the broadcasting schedule. The Giants were one of the only teams that thwarted Brady and the New England Patriots during their dynasty. Thanks to Eli Manning, the Giants won two Super Bowls by upsetting Brady and the Pats.
Alas, Manning retired and the current Giants are a joke compared to the stellar teams that ran the table in 2008 and 2012. Instead, Brady will face a team that’s battling the Jets for the worst team in the NFL, along with the dubious distinction as the worst pro team in the NYC tri-state area.
Just when all the pundits were saying Brady was washed up, he’s putting up decent numbers in Tampa. Brady averages 266.1 passing yards per game, which is ranked #8 overall in the NFL. He tossed 18 touchdowns through seven games, and ranks #4 among quarterbacks. Only a red-hot Russell Wilson, a re-energized Aaron Rodgers, and Patrick Mahomes tossed more touchdowns than Brady this season.
Brady and Drew Brees have also been battling back-and-forth for most career touchdowns in NFL history. Brees has 560 and Brady has 559, but Brady should regain the edge on Monday Night Football.
G-Men in NFC Least Basement
As bad as the Giants are, they still have a shot to win the division and advance to the postseason. A banged-up, 1-6 team without its star running back should be more concerned about draft position, but the NFC East is so bad this season that the division winner will end up with an overall losing record.
The Philadelphia Eagles sit in first place with a 3-4-1 record, while Washington and Dallas have two wins each.
With the exception of three more NFC East divisional games, the Giants have a tough remaining schedule with games at Cincinnati, at Seattle, and at Baltimore. They also have two home games against the Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.
The Giants could easily finish the season 1-15.