FRIDAY INJURY REPORT
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
–OUT: LB Manti Te’o (knee)
–QUESTIONABLE: DE Marcus Davenport (hip)
NEW YORK GIANTS
–OUT: CB Eli Apple (groin), TE Evan Engram (knee), WR Cody Latimer (knee), RB Jonathan Stewart (foot), DE Olivier Vernon (ankle)
–QUESTIONABLE: WR Stacy Coley (hamstring), CB Antonio Hamilton (groin)
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: CB Ken Crawley. The Saints first three opponents have decided to target whoever is playing cornerback on the opposite side from Marshon Lattimore and they have had great success doing so. Crawley was beaten repeatedly in the first two games. The Saints benched him in favor of P.J. Williams, who was beaten so badly by Falcons rookie Calvin Ridley that the Saints put Crawley back in late in the second quarter of last week’s game. Then nickelback Patrick Robinson was lost for the season due to a broken ankle and Crawley and Williams had to both play in the nickel. In other words, the Giants would be wise to target any cornerbacks other than Lattimore and Crawley figures to be the one who plays the most.
GAME PLAN: The Saints running game is still among the least productive in the NFL (28th), but it improved last week. They would like to continue that improvement and create even better balance on offense. They’re content to continue to throw to Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara as much as necessary to win, but ideally, they would like to be able to run the ball more effectively and lessen the burden on Brees, Kamara and Thomas. Leading rusher Mark Ingram II returns next week after his four-game suspension expires and there will be a greater opportunity for balance then, but they’d like to continue that evolution this week.
Payton would like to see his defense create more turnovers because they have just one through three games. Their chances of doing so will increase if they can contain Saquon Barkley, put the Giants in obvious passing situations and pressure Eli Manning. The problem with that is their pass defense has been so vulnerable that opponents have been able to throw and throw and throw and have success without having to run the ball extensively. So New Orleans needs to show it can slow down the New York passing game and pressure Manning from the start.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Saints WR CB Marshon Lattimore vs. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. The Saints pass defense has been a weakness through three games and Beckham is capable of further exploiting that. Though Lattimore hasn’t been as consistent as he was in being named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, he has been by far the Saints’ most dependable cornerback thus far. They’ll count on him to contain Beckham, New York’s most explosive receiver.
–Saints DE Cameron Jordan vs. Giants RT Chad Wheeler. Wheeler was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Ereck Flowers last Sunday against Houston and struggled against DE J.J. Watt. This week, Wheeler gets another significant challenge against Jordan, another of the better ends in the NFL. If the Saints are going to improve their poor pass defense they’re going to need a strong pass rush and Jordan is the player most capable of providing that.
