**
Keep an eye on these five players as the Giants face the Seahawks
DE Robert Ayers Jr. On Monday night against Indianapolis, Ayers accounted for seven of the Giants' 11 quarterback hits and their lone sack of Andrew Luck. Following the game, Ayers said he'd let those on the outside debate where it ranks on the list of his best performances, but he did acknowledge that his defensive line coach Robert Nunn has built confidence in him. "Coach Nunn put me in some situations to do good and I studied those guys and I watched them, and I was able to do some good things," Ayers said. "I feel that way every week. I feel like I can do that every week. That is not always the case. Now I just want to keep building on what I am doing, keep learning, and keep improving."
RB Peyton Hillis Starting running back Rashad Jennings is listed as doubtful for Sunday and could potentially miss his fourth straight game after suffering a knee injury in Week 5. Over that span, the Giants' ground game has struggled with consistency for a variety of reasons. Rookie Andre Williams has assumed the starting duties, but Hillis has also seen his touches increase, possibly warranting more after notching 70 yards from scrimmage last week.
5 PLAYERS TO WATCH MOVING FORWARD
DT Johnathan Hankins After giving up 203 and 156 rushing yards in back-to-back games, the Giants buckled down against Indianapolis and allowed 98 yards with a long of 17. Hankins and the defensive line (which missed tackle Cullen Jenkins last week with a calf injury; Jenkins is questionable for Sunday) will have a tough test against a physical running back in Marshawn Lynch.
![S Antrel Rolle
Primarily because of injuries, the Giants' secondary looks vastly different in Week 10 than it did in Week 1. And with so much in-season turnover, the players will look to their leader on the field, Antrel Rolle, to steady the ship.
"You have to go out there and play ball," Rolle said this week. "We can't hang our heads or dwell on the fact that we have a lot of injuries, especially in the secondary. You have to go out there and play ball. It is the next guy up and, unfortunately, we are going to miss those guys that are not with us. [In] this game, there are injuries all over the NFL. Teams find a way to win. That is what the good ones do."](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/t_lazy/f_auto/giants/ikk8czxdm52zwonfgta7.jpg)
S Antrel Rolle Primarily because of injuries, the Giants' secondary looks vastly different in Week 10 than it did in Week 1. And with so much in-season turnover, the players will look to their leader on the field, Antrel Rolle, to steady the ship. "You have to go out there and play ball," Rolle said this week. "We can't hang our heads or dwell on the fact that we have a lot of injuries, especially in the secondary. You have to go out there and play ball. It is the next guy up and, unfortunately, we are going to miss those guys that are not with us. [In] this game, there are injuries all over the NFL. Teams find a way to win. That is what the good ones do."
![WR Odell Beckham Jr.
The rookie first-rounder recorded 156 receiving yards last week, which were the most by a Giant so far this season. And the 22-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, isn't shying away from Seattle's vaunted defense, including cornerback Richard Sherman.
"These are the games you live to play for, the moments you live to play for, to go against the best of the best, to go against Richard Sherman, the Seattle Seahawks and the L.O.B. [Legion of Boom]," Beckham said. "To go against all those guys, why not? Why not embrace that opportunity? Why not take the challenge, accept it and face it?"
WATCH WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/t_lazy/f_auto/giants/wz9nmw4ta3taookrhgej.jpg)
WR Odell Beckham Jr. The rookie first-rounder recorded 156 receiving yards last week, which were the most by a Giant so far this season. And the 22-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday, isn't shying away from Seattle's vaunted defense, including cornerback Richard Sherman. "These are the games you live to play for, the moments you live to play for, to go against the best of the best, to go against Richard Sherman, the Seattle Seahawks and the L.O.B. [Legion of Boom]," Beckham said. "To go against all those guys, why not? Why not embrace that opportunity? Why not take the challenge, accept it and face it?"
WATCH WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. PLAYER SPOTLIGHT
- A fast start. **
It's an emphasis for every team each week, but the Giants are the only offensive unit that hasn't scored a single point on the first possession of a game this season. "I'm disappointed," coach Tom Coughlin said on Friday. "That is not the intent, believe me."
2. The big plays.
Including touchdowns from 40, 32, and 31 yards last week, the Giants have given up 43 plays of 20 yards or longer this season, which is second-most in the NFL behind Jacksonville. Conversely, the Giants' offense has just 24 big plays, tied for 28th in the league.
3. Giants vs. 12th Man.
The Giants travel this weekend to CenturyLink Field, where the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks have won 20 of their previous 22 games, including the postseason. Since 2002, the Seahawks are 76-32 at home in one of the loudest stadiums in sports.
"We're not talking too loud in practice, so they get used to not hearing what I'm saying and just understand the timing of the offense and the timing of things, sticking to our rules and reading off the center and stuff like that," said quarterback Eli Manning, who was 21 of 32 for 290 yards and three touchdowns in the Giants' last trip to Seattle in 2010 (the Giants won 41-7). "We have to have great communication and everybody's got to be on the same page."
4. O.B.J. vs. L.O.B.
In four games, rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has 18 catches for 262 yards and three touchdowns, including eight receptions for 156 yards last week. That's more than enough production to catch the attention of cornerback Richard Sherman and Seattle's secondary, known as the Legion of Boom.
5. Run, Giants, run.
Rookie running back Andre Williams could make his fourth straight start this Sunday with starter Rashad Jennings (knee) officially listed as doubtful for the game. Since Jennings was injured in Week 5 against Atlanta, which was the Giants last victory, the ground game has been inconsistent. But the rookie is working with Jennings to fix it.
"We've just been talking," Williams said Friday before a film session with Jennings. "He's been trying to get me to understand patience and different defensive fronts, how I'm supposed to check for tendencies when I watch film. Everything like that."
6. More Robert Ayers Jr.?
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| **CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW INFOGRAPHIC** |
The veteran defensive end registered seven quarterback hits and a sack last week against the Colts and continues to build confidence in his first year with the Giants. "Yeah, we saw enough to put him on the edge, no doubt about it," defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said. "We still like matching up because the game a lot of times is about can you match up and take advantage of a guard or a tackle, or what have you. We would definitely put Robert Ayers on the edge."
7. Another Manning milestone.
With his 160th start on Sunday, Manning will surpass Giants great Phil Simms for most starts by a quarterback in franchise history.
8. No gift giving.
The Giants' three-game winning streak seems like a distant memory as the team looks to end its current losing streak of the same length. In order to do so, they have to first not hurt themselves in games.
"I think sometimes people don't understand, the players don't understand that missed opportunities will definitely come back to haunt you and they do," Coughlin said in his weekly exclusive interview with Giants.com’s Michael Eisen. "They have done that. You can take any number you want, I can give you 21 points that were gifts to them last weekend. Gifts, flat out gifts. Again, you go back to maybe the first lecture in training camp about not beating yourself.
"Well, we're still doing it and until that's corrected…I think everyone agrees that there's a lot of football left to be played. And I'm constantly dealing with a group of young men that have, from all different walks, that have been together for long enough to be a team and they've got to come together as a team and they've got to pay the price and sacrifice with each other.
[**>> EXPERTS MAKE PICKS FOR GIANTS VS. SEAHAWKS
Get to know the Giants' opponent for their Week 10 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks
QB Russell Wilson
WR Doug Baldwin
WR Jermaine Kearse
RB Marshawn Lynch
TE Zach Miller
FB Will Tukuafu
LT Russell Okung
LG James Carpenter
Center Max Unger
RG J.R. Sweezy
RT Justin Britt
DE Michael Bennett
DT Tony McDaniel
DT Brandon Mebane
DE Cliff Avril
OLB Bruce Irvin
MLB Bobby Wagner
OLB K.J. Wright
CB Richard Sherman
CB Byron Maxwell
SS Kam Chancellor
FS Earl Thomas
Kicker Steven Hauschka
Punter Jon Ryan
KR/PR Bryan Walters
Head Coach Pete Carroll
Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell
Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn
**](http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Experts-make-picks-for-Giants-vs-Seahawks/27d93af5-7f50-4ecc-995a-b471ec4b9ece)
