Giants vs. Eagles Week 12 Preview: Who to watch, odds, best bets

ESNY previews the upcoming Week 12 matchup between the Giants and Eagles.

The Giants are back to square one — which is essentially a bi-weekly occurrence it seems.

New York most recently suffered a blowout loss to the Buccaneers this past Monday night after winning two of three prior to the matchup. The Giants put just 10 points on the board and, due to the continued struggles on the offensive side of the ball, fired coordinator Jason Garrett the following day.

Moving forward, the Giants have a new play-caller in Freddie Kitchens…we think?

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported it would be Kitchens, plus the veteran coach called the plays for the Giants last year in the one matchup in which Garrett was out due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Freddie Kitchens now will take over the Giants’ play-calling responsibilities.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 23, 2021

However, Joe Judge declined to publicly reveal to the media who would be calling the plays for competitive advantage reasons.

I guess that makes sense — the struggling Giants will need all the advantages they can get against the division-rival Eagles, who have won two straight.

Game Info

Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) @ New York Giants (3-7)
Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021 — 1:00 PM EDT
TV: FOX
Radio: WFAN660

Odds

Notable Game Props
(Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

• Giants Total Points: Over-20.5 (-105), Under-20.5 (-125)
• Eagles Total Points: Over-24.5 (-110), Under-24.5 (-120)
• First Team to Score: Giants (+105), Eagles (-135)
• Last Team to Score: Giants (+105), Eagles (-135)
• Giants Total TDs: Over-2.5 (+135), Under-2.5 (-175)
• Eagls Total TDs: Over-2.5 (-160), Under-2.5 (+120)

Player Prop Picks (Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

Dallas Goedert Over-50.5 Receiving Yards (-120)

Due to recent positive COVID-19 tests, Giants safety Logan Ryan will be missing his second consecutive game.

The Giants defense realized the effects of Ryan’s absence when facing Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowski last Monday — the veteran racked up 71 receiving yards on six catches.

Ryan would likely be operating in the middle of the field and would be responsible for Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert on various occasions. Due to the fact Julian Love is an inferior option for that role, expect Goedert to surpass the above total through the air.

Daniel Jones Over-226.5 Passing Yards (-115)

If Freddie Kitchens is indeed the play-caller, he’ll likely be aggressive in the passing game.

I probably would’ve taken the under on this passing-yard total if Jason Garrett were still employed. But since Kitchens might be heavily involved in how the offense operates, I like Daniel Jones‘ chances of constructing a notable performance through the air.

Philly is also allowing 231.5 passing yards per game.

Saquon Barkley Under-54.5 Rushing Yards (-115)

Like we just said, expect the Giants to be aggressive on the offensive side of the ball, which means the team may shy away from the run game in certain circumstances.

Taking that possibility into consideration along with the fact the Giants offensive line has struggled for parts of this season, Saquon Barkley should sit under 54.5 rushing yards for the day.

The fourth-year running back has exceeded this total just once in 2021.

Odds and prop bets courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Get $1,050 with a deposit bonus and free bet when you click here.

Players to Watch

Tae Crowder

I can see the Giants utilizing inside linebacker Tae Crowder in a quarterback spy role this Sunday due to the dual-threat abilities of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.

The second-year signal-caller can do damage with his legs and has rushed for at least 50 yards in each of the last five games.

The Giants defense must stay on high alert when it comes to that specific strength of Hurts, and Crowder should be a large part of the overall assignment.

Julian Love

With Logan Ryan missing another game due to positive COVID-19 tests, Julian Love should see an enhanced role just like he did in the Week 11 loss.

He’ll have a significant task on his hands defending Dallas Goedert — the Eagles tight end is averaging just under 50 receiving yards per game.

Could Love ultimately slow him down in the NFC East matchup?

Giants Offense

All eyes will be on the entire Giants offense to see if the unit will improve under a new play-caller.

After 10 games this year in which Jason Garrett called the plays, the Giants enter Week 12 averaging 322.8 total yards per game (23rd in the NFL) and 18.9 points per game (25th).

The offensive woes are a big reason why the Giants are 3-7 and reside in the basement of the NFC East — Big Blue must find a spark on that side of the ball.

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY

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