Is Baltimore’s defense good enough to win the AFC North?
Why the Baltimore Ravens have a legit shot at the AFC North despite rough Week 13 performance.
The more things change, the more they stay the same, as evidenced by the Week 13 “Monday Night Football” matchup between the New York Giants and New England Patriots.
First, in the micro: The Giants moved on from head coach Brian Daboll following a Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears, but the wins haven’t been coming despite the changing of the guard. Instead, the Giants have maintained their losing ways, blowing another fourth-quarter lead in Week 12 against the Detroit Lions.
That resulted in the ousting of defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, another critical move during Mike Kafka’s interim tenure. They do return quarterback Jaxson Dart from a concussion, so Giants fans can again get another look at their future while the season circles the drain.
Now, in the macro: the Patriots look like the teams of yesteryear. At 10-2 and Drake Maye seemingly the answer under center, it didn’t take Mike Vrabel long to return New England to its winning ways. Now, with their eyes set firmly on their first AFC East crown since 2019.
Will New York pull off a giant upset? Or will the Patriots continue their ascent up the AFC ladder? USA TODAY Sports will provide highlights, analysis and more from the Week 13 “Monday Night Football” matchup below. All times are Eastern.
Watch “Monday Night Football” all season with Fubo (free trial)
Teams spend all week trying to find the perfect game plan. The Giants just saw their plan fail miserably before playing 10 minutes. After an uneventful series on offense from Dart and co., Jones returned the punt 94 yards for a Patriots touchdown. New York will now try to answer and stop the bleeding.
Patriots 10, Giants 0
Charlie Bullen was named the Giants’ interim defensive coordinator after the team fired Shane Bowen. New York’s defense has been a concern all season after losing various double-digit leads.
Bowen was dismissed following the Giants’ latest meltdown in Week 12 against the Detroit Lions. Bullen joined the Giants as an outside linebackers coach ahead of the 2024 season.
Mike Kafka was named the interim head coach following Daboll’s firing. He has been the Giants’ offensive coordinator since 2022. Before joining the Giants, he was part of the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff as a quarterbacks coach.
Kafka made stops with six teams as a player after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
The Giants fired Daboll on Nov. 10, moving on after the team’s Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears. It was yet another contest in which the team lost a late lead on the scoreboard, squandering a 10-point fourth-quarter advantage with under four minutes to go.
The Patriots had a great kickoff return to get things started, but wasted the opportunity. After starting at around midfield, New England settles for a 22-yard field goal from the rookie. Next up, we’ll see Jaxson Dart and the Giants’ offense.
Patriots 3, Giants 0
What channel is Patriots vs. Giants on Monday Night Football?TV channel: ESPN | ESPN2 (Manningcast)
The Week 13 “Monday Night Football” matchup will air on ESPN. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will be on the call, with Lisa Salters providing sideline updates and reports.
The “Manningcast,” hosted by Peyton and Eli Manning, will air on ESPN2.
What time is Giants at Patriots game tonight?
The Giants and Patriots are set for an 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. The Giants travel to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, for the matchup.
Patriots vs. Giants live stream
Cord-cutters looking to live stream “MNF” in Week 13 have a few options. Fubo carries the ESPN family of networks, as well as CBS, Fox, ABC and the NFL Network, meaning you’ll be able to catch NFL action all season long with the streaming service. Fubo also offers a free trial.
ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited, the World Wide Leader’s streaming service, will also carry the game.
Watch “Monday Night Football” all season with Fubo (free trial)
Patriots vs. Giants predictions
Here’s how the expert NFL panel at USA TODAY Sports feels the “MNF” game between the Giants and Patriots will tilt:
Jarrett Bell: Patriots, 28-24Nick Brinkerhoff: Patriots, 31-23Chris Bumbaca: Patriots, 30-28Nate Davis: Patriots, 33-24Tyler Dragon: Patriots, 30-20Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Patriots, 26-21Patriots vs. Giants odds, moneyline, O/U
National Football League odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds updated Sunday at 7:28 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Spread favorite: Patriots (-7.5)Moneyline: Patriots (-375), Giants (+300)Total: 46.5 pointsQB Tommy DeVito (emergency third QB)LG Jared WilsonS/ST Brenden SchoolerOT Marcus BryantOLB Bradyn SwinsonTE CJ DippreDT Khyiris TongaQB Russell Wilson (emergency third QB)OLB Kayvon ThibodeauxWR Jalin HyattILB Demetrius Flannigan-FowlesCB Jarrick Bernard-ConverseOLB Victor DimukejeOT James Hudson III
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The Patriots lead the AFC East standings, but the Bills are still in the hunt for the top spot. Here’s how the AFC East standings look entering “Monday Night Football” in Week 13:
New England Patriots (10-2)Buffalo Bills (8-4)Miami Dolphins (5-7)New York Jets (3-9)
The Giants are in last place in the NFC East standings.
Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)Washington Commanders (3-9)New York Giants (2-10)Denver Broncos (10-2; AFC West leaders)New England Patriots (10-2; AFC East leaders)Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4, AFC South leaders)Baltimore Ravens (6-6; AFC North leaders)Los Angeles Chargers (8-4, wild card No. 1)Indianapolis Colts (8-4; wild card No. 2)Buffalo Bills (8-4, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Houston Texans (7-5); Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6); Kansas City Chiefs (6-6); Miami Dolphins (5-7); Cincinnati Bengals (4-8); New York Jets (3-9); Cleveland Browns (3-9)
Eliminated: Las Vegas Raiders (2-10); Tennessee Titans (1-11)
Here’s how the NFC playoff bracket looks entering “Monday Night Football” in Week 13:
Chicago Bears (9-3; NFC North leaders)Los Angeles Rams (9-3; NFC West leaders)Philadelphia Eagles (8-4; NFC East leaders)Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5; NFC South leaders)Seattle Seahawks (9-3, wild card No. 1)Green Bay Packers (8-3-1, wild card No. 2)San Francisco 49ers (9-4, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Detroit Lions (7-5); Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1); Carolina Panthers (7-6); Atlanta Falcons (4-8); Minnesota Vikings (4-8); Washington Commanders (3-9)
Eliminated: Arizona Cardinals (3-9), New Orleans Saints (2-10), New York Giants (2-10)
All odds listed are provided by BetMGM Sportsbook on Dec. 1. Access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a complete list.
1. Los Angeles Rams: (+475)2. Seattle Seahawks: (+850)3. Philadelphia Eagles: (+900)T-4. Buffalo Bills: (+1000)T-4. Green Bay Packers: (+1000)6. Denver Broncos: (+1100)7. New England Patriots: (+1200)8. Indianapolis Colts: (+1400)T-9. Baltimore Ravens: (+1600)T-9. Kansas City Chiefs: (+1600)11. Detroit Lions: (+2000)12. San Francisco 49ers: (+2500)T-13. Chicago Bears: (+3000)T-13. Houston Texans: (+3000)15. Los Angeles Chargers: (+3500)T-16. Jacksonville Jaguars: (+4000)T-16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (+4000)18. Dallas Cowboys: (+6000)19. Pittsburgh Steelers: (+15000)20. Cincinnati Bengals: (+20000)21. Carolina Panthers: (+25000)22. Miami Dolphins: (+75000)T-23. Atlanta Falcons: (+150000)T-23. Cleveland Browns: (+150000)T-23. Minnesota Vikings: (+150000)T-23. New York Jets: (+150000)T-23. Washington Commanders: (+150000)
The Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six.
Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups.
Here’s how next year’s first-round order looks entering “Monday Night Football” in Week 13, according to Tankathon.com, which computes strength of schedule differently from the NFL:
Tennessee Titans: 1-11 record; .571 strength of scheduleNew Orleans Saints: 2-10; .502 SOSNew York Giants: 2-10; .539 SOSLas Vegas Raiders 2-10; .556 SOSCleveland Browns: 3-9; .480 SOSWashington Commanders: 3-9; .517 SOSNew York Jets: 3-9; .534 SOSArizona Cardinals: 3-9; .565 SOSAtlanta Falcons (pick belongs to Los Angeles Rams): 4-8; .498 SOSCincinnati Bengals: 4-8; .517 SOSMinnesota Vikings: 4-8; .532 SOSMiami Dolphins: 5-7; .488 SOSKansas City Chiefs: 6-6; .512 SOSPittsburgh Steelers: 6-6; .517 SOSCarolina Panthers: 7-6; .512 SOSDallas Cowboys: 6-5-1; .456 SOSDetroit Lions: 7-5; .507 SOSHouston Texans: 7-5; .541 SOSBaltimore Ravens: 6-6; .502 SOSTampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-5; .502 SOSBuffalo Bills: 8-4; .468 SOSPhiladelphia Eagles: 8-4; .498 SOSIndianapolis Colts (pick belongs to Jets): 8-4; .502 SOSSan Francisco 49ers: 9-4; .488 SOSLos Angeles Chargers: 8-4; .463 SOSJacksonville Jaguars (pick belongs to Browns): 8-4; .495 SOSGreen Bay Packers (pick belongs to Cowboys): 8-3-1; .480 SOSSeattle Seahawks: 9-3; .478 SOSLos Angeles Rams: 9-3; .517 SOSNew England Patriots: 10-2; .371 SOSChicago Bears: 9-3; .441 SOSDenver Broncos: 10-2; .446 SOS
Yes. Dart will make his first start since Week 10. The Giants’ rookie will make his eighth career start tonight.
Skattebo will not be returning to the field in 2025. He is expected to miss the rest of the season as he recovers from surgery to repair his dislocated ankle, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Skattebo is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 months after his ankle injury and surgery. That will allow the 23-year-old to return for the team’s offseason program and put him on track to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season.
Nabers will miss the remainder of the 2025 season after he tore his ACL and meniscus in Week 4. The second-year receiver’s injury occurred early enough in the season to project a return by the beginning of the 2026 season.
The 2024 first-round pick totaled 127 catches for 1,475 yards and nine touchdowns. His 107 receptions last year led all rookie wide receivers, and his 1,204 yards were second among all first-year wide receivers.
All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook on Dec. 1
QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (+105)QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots (+120)QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (+1100)QB Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (+1500)QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (+1800)QB Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (+4000)7. QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (+5000)8. QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (+6000)T-9. RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (+7500)T-9. QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (+7500)