The Giants will have at least three players make the Pro Bowl.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - The Giants will probably have three players deserving of Pro Bowl consideration, but often times a team's record will get in the way of those players getting the proper recognition. Will that change if the Giants take first place in the NFC East? Perhaps. Graham Gano should garner Pro Bowl consideration given his consistency kicking field goals. According to Pro Football Focus, Leonard Williams is tied for seventh among interior defensive linemen with 35 pressures while being a strong run defender. Blake Martinez is tied for the second-most tackles in the NFL and has been a good leader and reliable zone defender. James Bradberry is tied for the league lead with 14 passes defended.
Dan Salomone: Fact - With no physical game being played, there won't be chances to make it as an alternate with players opting out or preparing for the Super Bowl. Nevertheless, I think the Giants have enough candidates to hit three. Blake Martinez and James Bradberry appear to be the frontrunners in this discussion, but there's also Graham Gano, who has made 20 consecutive field goal attempts and was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week earlier this month. If the team keeps winning, the personal accolades come. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Lance Medow: Fiction - I think it's possible that two Giants players making the Pro Bowl. James Bradberry is certainly a strong contender given he's tied for the NFL lead with 14 passes defensed to go along with three interceptions. On top of that, Graham Gano is having an outstanding season - he's tied for the league lead in field goal percentage (95.5) and extra-point percentage (100%) and riding a streak of 20 made field goals. A potential third candidate is Blake Martinez, who is tied for the NFL lead in tackles with 96, but that's nothing new for Martinez. He's continuously ranked atop the leaders in tackles over the last few seasons and hasn't made the Pro Bowl. That's why I think two is more likely than three.
The toughest game remaining on the schedule is Week 13 at Seattle.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - Russell Wilson is easily the best player left on the Giants' schedule, but I don't think the Seahawks are the best team due to their poor defense. Seattle ranks last in the NFL in both yards and passing yards allowed per game. The Cardinals are another team in the mix, given their balance on offense and defense and Kyler Murray's playmaking ability. The Ravens are the right answer. They haven't played their best football this season, but they still have a Top 10 defense and Top 5 running attack. If Lamar Jackson can get the passing game going against some less elite teams over the next few weeks, they will once again be one of the top teams in the NFL. Since the game is in Baltimore and Arizona visits Metlife Stadium, Baltimore gets the nod here.
Dan Salomone: Fact – Fans or no fans, Seattle is one of the toughest places for opponents in all of sports. The Seahawks are 4-0 at home this season and averaging 34 points per game there. Meanwhile, MVP candidate Russell Wilson is 3-0 all-time against the Giants, who have been outscored in such contests, 85-24.
Lance Medow: Fiction - The Seahawks have a very strong offense and Russell Wilson can be a headache for just about anyone, but their defense is nowhere near where it's been in previous seasons. Seattle ranks last in the NFL in total yards allowed (448) and 28th in scoring defense (just under 30 points per game). The Seahawks are not nearly as balanced as Baltimore and Arizona. I'd put the Ravens atop the list, given they boast the top defense in the NFL (just over 18 points per game). Baltimore also has 14 takeaways, a plus-3 turnover differential and is averaging 164 rushing yards per game (second in the NFL). You have to account for QB Lamar Jackson as a runner and they have dangerous backs in Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. While the Ravens' offense may not be as electric as it was in 2019, it still poses many challenges; and the defense is one of the most physical units in the NFL, featuring pass rushers Yannick Ngakoue, Calais Campbell and Matt Judon.
Wayne Gallman is the biggest surprise of the season, so far.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - Gallman has been an effective backup and a big part of an effective rushing attack, but he is still only averaging just under four yards per carry. He is a steady, downhill, one-cut runner who makes the most of his blocking and gains some extra yards after contact due to his hard-running style. He has been a good starter, but I honestly thought Gallman had this type of play in him when given the opportunity.
For me, there is no gargantuan surprise. I knew James Bradberry would be good, but wasn't quite sure he would be as dominant as he has been. Allowing him to play off the ball and keep things in front of him has been beneficial. My biggest surprise has been Graham Gano. I knew Gano was a good kicker, but coming off a big injury he has made 20 consecutive field goals, which is the third-longest streak in Giants' history. It is something that would have been difficult to predict.
Dan Salomone: Fact – A new coach like Joe Judge always wants to bring in his type of guys, but there's only so much that can be done in the first year. So, part of the job is to raise the level of the pieces already in the building. Wayne Gallman is the perfect example of this. He had three rushing touchdowns in his first three seasons combined; he has five through 10 weeks of his fourth season. The Giants' rushing attack has more than held up since the loss of Saquon Barkley. Â
Lance Medow: Fiction - Wayne Gallman has shown plenty of flashes in previous seasons and provided a taste of what he's capable of doing, so I'm not stunned with how productive he's been after Saquon Barkley was lost for the season. The problem has been consistent playing time and that's clearly not an issue this year. The more opportunities and chances he's received, the more impressive his numbers have been. I think Nick Gates has been a much bigger surprise than Gallman. Gates has made a rather smooth transition to center, a position he never played prior to this season, and has helped a very young offensive line make strides since the start of the season.
The game to watch over the bye week is Chiefs vs. Raiders.
John Schmeelk: Fiction - This is a great question. I should probably be giving the Raiders a better chance to beat the Chiefs than I am on Sunday night, especially since they won in Kansas City on Oct. 11th. There is a chance the Chiefs run away with this game. The other two prime-time games are also must-watch this week. On Thursday night, we get a battle between Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson. Seattle has lost two straight and is trying to find their way on defense. Tom Brady and the Bucs get the Rams and what might be the best pass defense in the league on Monday night. Brady and the Bucs and offense has been Jeckyl and Hyde this year, so it will be interesting to see them face a top pass defense. The other game to watch is Packers-Colts. The Colts have an excellent pass defense and Aaron Rodgers , much like Brady, has been inconsistent week to week. This is also a good litmus test for the Colts, who want to separate themselves as true contenders in the AFC.
Dan Salomone: Fiction - If you're reading this, you're probably a Giants fan. If you're a Giants fan, you want the NFC East rivals to lose. If you want to see the NFC East rivals lose, tune into the Cowboys at Vikings, Eagles at Browns, or Bengals at Washington. The Giants can make up or lose ground while they are idle.
Lance Medow: Fact - Based on the first matchup in Week 5, when the Raiders beat the Chiefs, 40-32, and both teams combined for nine touchdowns at Arrowhead Stadium – and throw in some recent trash talking - this is the game to watch. Las Vegas is also riding a three-game win streak and a victory over Kansas City wouldn't only move it within one game of its AFC West rival, but also complete the season series sweep and an edge in the potential tiebreaker. On the flip side, the Chiefs have won four in a row and are still chasing the Steelers for the top seed and only bye in the AFC playoffs. Rams-Bucs is a close second.
View the best photos from the first 10 games of the Giants' 2020 campaign as the team enters its Week 11 bye.
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