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🏈 (Updated 7:15 pm) Monday Night Football: Seahawks vs Giants

PLUS: Week 5 Advance Injury Report

Author

Kevin Draft
October 02, 2023

Game Day Insights
Read Time: 4.6 mins

NFL Week 4 Monday Night Football

MONDAY, OCT. 2

After 14 straight hours of watching football yesterday, which included non-stop ‘Swifties’ references I thought I had enough for the week. But apparently not.

On the other hand, I can totally understand if Bears fans are already burnt out on the entire season after what happened yesterday.

It's not easy to blow a 21-point lead in the second half, but the Bears managed to do it against Denver, going from a 28-7 lead in the third quarter to a 31-28 loss.

It’s easy to pile onto the Bears - so very, very easy but I’ll save that for later.


For now, it’s almost game time. Let’s get it!


  1. Monday Night Football

  2. Injury Report

  3. Inactive List (updated as of 7:15 pm)

  4. Week 4 Winners & Losers

  5. Big Questions from Week 4

  6. Week 5 Early Injury Report

Seahawks (2-1) vs. Giants (1-2)

Our Take

Geno Smith, after a standout 2022 season, faced doubts following a poor performance in Seattle's Week 1 loss to the Rams. However, he has since rebounded, leading his team to two wins where they scored 37 points each game.

As the Seahawks prepare for a match against the Giants, it's noteworthy that while the Giants' DC Wink Martindale is known for his aggressive blitzing, Smith has excelled against the blitz in 2023, boasting impressive stats.

The upcoming game poses the question: Will Martindale adjust his strategy against the revitalized Smith?

Why the Seahawks can win:

The Giants' young secondary, featuring rookies Deonte Banks and Tre Hawkins, may be vulnerable against the Seahawks' strong receiver trio of DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. With Geno Smith's recent improved performance, the Seahawks have the potential to dominate offensively. If the game becomes high-scoring, the Giants might struggle to match the pace.

Why the Giants can win:

Daniel Jones' performance in prime-time games will be crucial for the Giants. In two such games this season, he's had poor statistics with zero touchdowns, four interceptions, and an average of 120.5 passing yards. If he doesn't improve, the Giants will likely struggle. However, there's hope since the Seahawks' defense isn't as formidable as the Cowboys' and 49ers' defenses he faced earlier. The Giants need the better version of Jones from 2022 for a chance to win.

SEAHAWKS

GIANTS

Updated 7:15 pm ET

Giants

  • LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring)

  • RB Saquon Barkley (ankle)

  • S Bobby McCain

  • S Gervarrius Owens

  • DL Jordon Riley

Seahawks

  • CB Tre Brown (concussion)

  • CB Artie Burns (hamstring)

  • OL Charles Cross (toe)

  • CB Coby Bryant (toe)

  • LB Nick Bellore

  • OL McClendon Curtis

  • OL Ben Brown

Week 4

Winners

  • Josh Allen. The Bills quarterback rebounded in 2023 by outperforming the Dolphins' leading MVP contender, Tua Tagovailoa, in a decisive 48-20 victory at home.

  • A.J. Brown. Since his sideline disagreement with Jalen Hurts, the Eagles star has accumulated 18 catches, 306 yards, and two touchdowns in two games.

  • Lamar Jackson. Despite missing Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman and with limited support from his backfield, the Ravens QB carried the team against the Browns, scoring four times and missing only four passes, dominating their opponents without Deshaun Watson.

Losers

  • The Bears. Leading by three scores against the winless Broncos, Chicago lost their momentum by allowing 24 unanswered points. Justin Fields, despite his four-touchdown performance, had two costly fourth-quarter turnovers, and the coaches chose not to attempt a potentially game-winning field goal.

  • The Steelers. Many had predicted Pittsburgh to be the surprise team from the AFC North in the preseason. However, their struggles continued as QB Kenny Pickett left Sunday's significant loss to the Texans due to injury, highlighting the team's ongoing issues.

  • Desmond Ridder. Ridder struggled in the game against the Jaguars in London, throwing consecutive interceptions. Eight games into the season, he hasn't significantly improved the offense, leading to increasing frustration among his teammates.

Who's the best team in the AFC East?

Last week, everyone thought it was the Dolphins after they put up 70, but now, the Bills made their case by absolutely destroying Miami 48-20 on Sunday.

The Bills have looked dominant: They've won three straight games with all three wins coming by at least 28 points.

If we had to pick? Bills.

Are the Bengals broken?

The Bengals suffered a significant 27-3 defeat to the Titans, largely due to their struggling offense and Joe Burrow not being fully fit. Benching Burrow might not be feasible if they aim for the playoffs.

The team's hope now rests on winning their upcoming games against Arizona and Seattle, allowing Burrow some recovery time during their Week 7 bye.

Do the Falcons need to bench Desmond Ridder?

The Falcons posted under 10 points again due to Ridder's difficulties in passing. Despite having numerous offensive assets, they remain underutilized. If Ridder's performance doesn't improve in Week 5 against the Texans, there's consensus that Arthur Smith should consider playing Taylor Heinicke instead.

Week 5

  1. RB Javonte Williams Denver Broncos | Hip Flexor Strain | Projecting Week 7 Return

  2. WR Tee Higgins Cincinnati Bengals | Rib Fracture | Projecting Week 8 Return

  3. QB Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers | Left Hand Injury (Non-Throwing Hand) | Projecting Week 6 Return

  4. WR Mike Evans Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Hamstring Injury | Projecting Week 6 Return

  5. WR Davante Adams Las Vegas Raiders | Shoulder Injury | Projecting Week 5 Return

  6. QB Kenny Pickett Pittsburgh Steelers | Knee Injury | Projecting Week 7 Return

  7. TE Pat Freiermuth Pittsburgh Steelers | Hamstring Injury | Projecting Week 7 Return

  8. QB Matthew Stafford Los Angeles Rams | Knee Injury | Projecting Week 5 Return