The New York Giants (1-3) and New Orleans Saints (0-4) will square off on Sunday afternoon in a Week 5 matchup at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Giants opened the week as 1.5-point road favorites, but the spread has worsened significantly with New York now at +2 as of this writing.
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With this matchup on tap, Giants Wire took the opportunity to hold a Q&A with Saints Wire managing editor John Sigler.
With the Saints sitting at 0-4, how would you describe the current mood in the locker room, and what message has head coach Kellen Moore been emphasizing to keep the team focused ahead of this pivotal matchup?
Sigler: They’re in a good place given the circumstances. This team has shown a lot of fight after getting blown out by the Seahawks, and their performance against the Bills was very encouraging, even if it was another loss. Moore is asking guys to buy in and trust their process, and so far it’s working. Penalties are way down, and energy is high after they battled with a Super Bowl contender late into the fourth quarter.
What specific improvements have you seen in Spencer Rattler’s preparation or mechanics this year, and how should the Giants plan to attack him?
Rattler has done a much better job managing pressure and avoiding sacks this year. While he’s only thrown a single interception, he has put the ball in harm’s way at times, and a couple of lucky breaks for the New York secondary could derail him. He’s shown a greater willingness to run with the ball and pick up first downs. The Giants need to contain him and dare him to throw downfield. He’s had a lot of trouble connecting on shot plays past the first-down markers.
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Alvin Kamara remains the Saints’ offensive centerpiece despite the slow start — how has the run game evolved under Moore’s scheme, and what matchup advantages do you see against New York’s front seven led by Dexter Lawrence?
It’s not quite as zone-heavy as we saw with Klint Kubiak on the headset, but the Saints have had some success running the ball with Erik McCoy healthy. Even with injuries impacting the unit, I like this matchup for New Orleans. The Giants have given up more than six yards per carry this season, and we could see a lot of Kamara and Kendre Miller as they try to attack that vulnerability.
Injuries at multiple positions have taken a toll on the Saints. How do they adapt to so much loss, and how will it impact the offensive and defensive game plans on Sunday?
Next man up, and often a rookie. It’s Quiny Riley starting at corner instead of Isaac Yiadom. Torricelli Simpkins III at guard instead of Cesar Ruiz. While these young guys are better schematic fits on each side of the ball, their inexperience could be a problem, and the Saints must plan for supporting them. That might mean sliding a safety over the top or chipping a rusher with a tight end.
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The Saints have a historical edge over the Giants. Do you see that continuing in Week 5? Who wins and what’s the final score?
The Saints have only won once in their last 11 games, and the last time was against the Giants. It sucks to see Malik Nabers go down, but that’s a big break for New Orleans. I like the Saints in this one, but it’ll be close, and I’m not convinced they have the pass rush to get after Jaxson Dart with Chase Young still on the mend. Give me Saints 23, Giants 20 with a last-minute Blake Grupe field goal preventing overtime.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints: Behind Enemy Lines