Two teams that I thought were going to have problems this season meet tonight at MetLife Stadium when the New York Giants host the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks are currently posted as a 2½ point road favorite.
Both teams made the playoffs last year, so why was I down on both these squads? Because they both made the playoffs and positioned themselves in a very dicey spot because of it. The Giants hadn’t been to the postseason since Eli Manning retired and before last season’s breakthrough were more in competition with the Washington Commanders for last place than a serious threat in the NFC East Division against the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.
Then, the Giants came together under first-year head coach Brian Daboll and joined the Eagles and Cowboys in the NFC playoff field last January. When a team has a breakthrough campaign, especially under a first-year head coach, one can expect a dropoff the following year because the expectations rise with success and while the talent was good enough to succeed as an underdog it is commonly ill-prepared to handle the pressures of being a favorite.
The Seahawks had a better than expected season last year when they were saddled with having to play their first campaign since 2012 without Russell Wilson running their offense. Expectations were way down for Pete Carroll’s team entering 2022, and his squad thrived off that motivation and veteran quarterback Geno Smith had a career year.
My expectations for these two teams started out on track, the Giants got pummeled in their opener by the Dallas Cowboys, 40-0, and the Seahawks lost at home to the Los Angeles Rams, 30-13. The Giants needed a furious fourth quarter comeback in second week action to erase a 21 point deficit while beating the Arizona Cardinals, 31-28. New York’s most recent game was a third week Thursday night matchup against the talented San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium, and the result was a lopsided home team victory, 30-12.
The Seahawks expected problems took an about face from their first week double-digit loss when they upset the much improved Detroit Lions at Ford Field and followed that victory with a home triumph over the Carolina Panthers, 37-27. The two victories keep them in the hunt in the NFC West and they have the look of a talented team that could upend my season forecast for problems.
Or not.
The Seattle second week win in Detroit could be more attributable to overconfidence by the home team. Detroit was coming off their opening week win over the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Seahawks home triumph last week may well have been gained against a Carolina team that could have early season problems adjusting to a new coach and quarterback. After four weeks of play, the Panthers are still looking for their first win.
The Giants opening day loss was a sobering one for the hometown crowd that had nothing to cheer about after the National Anthem. Losing 40-0 in front of your home crowd, and then falling behind the Cardinals by three touchdowns while not scoring a point in the first half, sent the Giants to the halftime locker room in Arizona having played six quarters without scoring a point while their opponents racked up 60.
It was here that the Giants picked up a spark and overcame the bloated attitude from last year’s success and rallied for their lone victory this season.
Until the one they punch in tonight.
I still don’t think the Giants or Seahawks are destined for postseason play this season, but I am confident that a well rested Giants squad looking to atone for being outscored 40-0 in their only other home game, will be the squad with the eye of the tiger tonight.
The Seahawks have won two straight games, and my money is on them not winning three in a row anytime this season.
Qoxhi Picks: New York Giants (+2½) over Seattle Seahawks