Thanksgiving week in the NFL wraps up in Foxborough on Monday night. The New England Patriots are hosting the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, for the second primetime game of the year at Gillette Stadium. This is the first time the Patriots have hosted multiple primetime games in a season since 2022.
For the Patriots, this game is the last one before their very late Week 14 bye. It’s the latest in the NFL, along with the Giants, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers.
This isn’t a game the Patriots can afford to overlook though. They have two huge games coming out of the bye at the Baltimore Ravens and then hosting the Buffalo Bills, but have a lot to figure out heading into those games.
A lot of that relates to injuries. This will be the first time the Patriots take the field since dealing with a run of injuries against the Cincinnati Bengals. Multiple starters will be out on Monday night. How will the Patriots adjust? Let’s start there on this week’s ‘5 Things’…
Re-worked offensive line
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After all of last year’s juggling up front, the Patriots were able to start the same offensive line for 11 of their first 12 games, including each of their last eight. That changes this week.
The Patriots will be working with a re-worked left side of their line. With Will Campbell on IR and Jared Wilson ruled out they’ll be turning to two of last year’s starters – Vederian Lowe at left tackle and Ben Brown (who started most of last season at center) at left guard.
Does that mean the Patriots’ offensive line will regress to where it was last year? It shouldn’t. While Lowe had his issues last season the Patriots are in a better position to help him out now with the rest of the unit being stronger. They can send more help his way, and look for them to use more six or seven man protections and/or an extra offensive lineman at time.
As for Brown, he was solid when he filled in for Wilson in a game earlier this year, and didn’t look out of place last week. That change should be less of an adjustment schematic-wise.
The big thing to watch with the two changes though will be the chemistry. This group had come a long way in that regard this season, and now will need to get on the same page as two new starters. That can show up both in pass protection and combo blocks in the run game.
Still, Campbell and Wilson’s absences will make a difference. One more important thing the team can do to manage the situation lies with Drake Maye himself. He’ll need to do more to be his own best pass protector, moving in the pocket and getting the ball out of his hands as quick as possible. For the time being, the Patriots’ offense could have more of a quick-strike feel to help manage the injuries.
The first test for this new-look Patriots offensive line will be a Giants’ pass rush that has talent in a group led by Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and third-overall pick Abdul Carter, but hasn’t always lived up to expectations this year. New York ranks 23rd in the NFL in pressure rate at 32.6%, and 17th in sacks with 26. They’ll also be without Thibodeaux for this game.
Establishing the run
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The Giants’ run defense is another story. They’re allowing a whopping 5.9 yards per carry to opponents, including a significant 2.3 yards per carry before contact per run. Both of those numbers are the worst in the league. Their 3.68 yards after contact per carry ranks 30th in the NFL.
That’s the challenge for a Patriots’ run game that has been inconsistent at best this season. The Patriots have had their moments rushing the football, but have struggled to string together consistency in that area. When they’ve had success, it’s mostly been isolated long runs.
New York has struggled in that regard as well. No team in the NFL has allowed more 10-plus yard runs (56) or 20-plus yard runs (15) than the Giants.
While the offensive line is banged up, the Patriots’ running backs look to be as healthy as they’ve been in a few weeks. Both Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson were off the injury report his week. They should have an opportunity for a breakout-like game, can they make the most of it even with the injuries up front?
First look at Jaxson Dart
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After missing the last two weeks due to a concussion, Jaxson Dart will return to play quarterback for the Giants in this game. He was cleared from the protocol at the start of the week.
This will be the third time the Patriots face a rookie quarterback this season. The previous two were back-to-back, with Cam Ward in Week 7 and Dillon Gabriel in Week 8. Ward had the better game completing 73.5% of his 34 pass attempts for 255 yards with a touchdown and a pick, while Gabriel completed 60% of his passes throwing for two touchdowns but two picks.
Dart, a first-round pick and the second quarterback taken after Ward, presents some different challenges. He’s more mobile and a threat in the run game, with his seven rushing touchdowns ranking third among all NFL QBs this season despite the fact he’s only started seven games. His 5.6 yards per carry are third among all quarterbacks with at least 50 rush attempts (behind Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes).
Containing Dart will be important. What will make things easier on the Patriots is the fact that the Giants’ talent at the skill positions in the passing game has been relatively depleted due to injuries, affording them the flexibility to have a spy. The top receiver is speed slot Wan’Dale Robinson, who profiles as the kind of receiver that has given the Patriots issues this season. Marcus Jones projects as an ideal matchup for him.
Kick returner job filled?
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Last week rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams got his first shot at being the Patriots’ kick returner. The experiment seemed to go well, as he returned three kicks for 86 yards including a 36-yarder. Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer seemingly confirmed this week he was happy with the effort.
“I love the way he played,” Springer said on Friday. “He’s a speed guy, and on top of that, in this new dynamic with kickoffs, you can’t really have any fear back there. You’ve got to go. And I felt like he did that, especially on the last kickoff return where he almost had a touchdown.”
Given Springer’s comments, it seems like Williams will get another shot in that role this week. He’ll have a tougher test against a Giants unit that is allowing an even 24 yards per kick return, which is tied with the Patriots for the sixth-best in the NFL.
Looking around the league
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With the Patriots playing on Monday night, fans have a chance to consume the Sunday slate in full. Which games will be the most relevant in New England?
In what feels like a surprise, despite having a chance to get to 11 wins by beating the Giants on Monday the Patriots can’t clinch a playoff spot this week, even with potential help in other games. However, that clinching scenario can be set up.
That can happen in Pittsburgh in the 4 o’clock window, as the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Buffalo Bills. If the Bills lose that game or lose next week to the Bengals when the Patriots are on bye, the Week 15 game between the Patriots and Bills in Foxborough would be an opportunity for the Patriots to clinch the division. (That would also be true if the Patriots beat the Giants on Monday night, but this game is happening first chronologically).
As for the top of the AFC, the race between the Pats, Colts, and Broncos continues. The Colts play at 1:00, hosting a tough Houston Texans defense as Daniel Jones tries to play through a fractured fibula. Meanwhile the Broncos play on Sunday night in an easier matchup, visiting a Washington Commanders team that will be without Jayden Daniels.