Giants at Dolphins Week 13 Preview: Who to watch, odds, best bets

ESNY previews the upcoming Week 13 matchup between the Giants and Dolphins.

It’s Mike Glennon time down in South Beach!

That’s right — Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones (neck) will be a no-go for his team’s Week 13 road matchup with the Dolphins. That means Glennon, the veteran journeyman backup Big Blue signed this past offseason, will take the first snaps.

Jones suffered a neck strain in last week’s win over Philly. He was a limited participant in practice this week, but head coach Joe Judge revealed Friday Jones hasn’t been cleared for contact and will thus need to miss a game for the first time all season.

Despite the Giants’ 4-7 record, they sit just one game out of the final NFC Wild Card spot (Washington is 5-6). Will they notch a crucial win over a red-hot Dolphins team that’s won four straight?

Game Info

New York Giants (4-7) @ Miami Dolphins (5-7)
Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 — 1:00 PM EDT
TV: FOX
Radio: WFAN660

Odds

Notable Game Props
(Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

• Giants Total Points: Over-16.5 (-115), Under-16.5 (-115)
• Dolphins Total Points: Over-23.5 (-105), Under-23.5 (-125)
• First Team to Score: Giants (+135), Dolphins (-165)
• Last Team to Score: Giants (+130), Dolphins (-160)
• Giants Total TDs: Over-1.5 (-145), Under-1.5 (+105)
• Dolphins Total TDs: Over-2.5 (-110), Under-2.5 (-130)

Player Prop Picks (Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

Mike Glennon Over-211.5 Passing Yards (-115)

Due to Miami’s recent success and the Giants’ failure to conjure up consistent offensive production (along with the fact their starting quarterback won’t be playing), I expect New York to be trailing late in this game.

Thus, the Giants should be throwing the ball for much of the second half, which would lead to Mike Glennon potentially surpassing 211.5 yards through the air.

For context: After Glennon entered the Week 5 loss to Dallas due to Jones’ then-apparent concussion (late in the second half, mind you), he threw for 196 yards.

Tua Tagovailoa Over-0.5 Interceptions (+100)

Second-year Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, while improving, has thrown an interception in five of eight games this year.

The Giants defense has also been one of the better units in the league when it comes to forcing turnovers — New York is tied for seventh in the NFL with 19 total takeaways and has recorded one in 13 straight matchups (dating back to 2020).

Big Blue picked Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts off three times last week. Expect the 11-man group to come through again, especially with safety Logan Ryan back in the lineup following a two-game absence (COVID-19).

Darius Slayton Over-35.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

Sterling Shepard and Kadarius Toney are doubtful for this matchup.

The Dolphins secondary, led by cornerback Xavien Howard, will mostly be locked in on wideout Kenny Golladay.

Therefore, expect third-year receiver Darius Slayton to have opportunities for production on various occasions.

Slayton has surpassed this total in each of the last two games.

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

Mike Glennon

This is self-explanatory.

How could we not put the new (and temporary) starting quarterback in the infamous “Players to Watch” section?

Mike Glennon will notch the start in the injury-related absence of Daniel Jones. How he performs remains to be seen, but the Giants will need a solid game out of the veteran in order to record an important late-season victory.

Xavier McKinney

Could second-year safety Xavier McKinney make the Pro Bowl this season?

The young defensive back has been fantastic for the Giants and is proving to be much more reliable in the deep part of the field than Jabrill Peppers, who’s a liability in coverage.

McKinney has five interceptions on the year and recorded one last week against the Eagles. Will he put together a notable performance against Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense?

Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley needs to get going.

The struggling (and injury-prone) running back has yet to construct strong performances on a consistent basis this year but must come up big on Sunday.

An effective running game paired with the utilization of Barkley on passing downs should lead to this Giants offense overpowering Miami’s defensive unit.

While new Giants play-caller Freddie Kitchens must use Barkley correctly, the fourth-year running back will need to step up more than he has.

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY

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