Here are five games to watch that could impact the Giants in Week 3:
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REDSKINS VS. RAIDERS, SUNDAY @ 8:30 PM ET
Giants fans should be locked into their primetime games this week. So far, the NFC East is 0-2 against the AFC West. The Eagles lost a hard-fought game to the Chiefs last week, while the Cowboys were dominated by the Broncos. The Redskins, who are coming off a win against the Rams, host the Raiders in the nation's capital. Oakland is 2-0 and considered one of the true Super Bowl contenders in the AFC. It will be a good test for the Redskins, who are trying to get to 2-1. The Redskins might be shorthanded, however, with injuries to running back Rob Kelley, cornerback Josh Norman, tight end Jordan Reed, linebacker Mason Foster, safety Montae Nicholson, safety Deshazor Everett and tackle Morgan Moses. Whoever is able to play on Sunday night from that group on will go a long way in determining the winner of the game.
CARDINALS VS. COWBOYS, MONDAY @ 8:30 PM ET
The Cowboys are trying to rebound from a demoralizing loss last week. They will play their third tough defense against the Cardinals. After seeing top corners Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. in the first two weeks, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will have to contend with Patrick Peterson. It will be interesting to see whether Prescott and Dez Bryant can put together a big game on the road against a good defense. A good start would be getting more than eight rushing yards on nine carries from Ezekiel Elliott. The Cardinals are 1-1 coming off a win against the Colts, but they are still trying to find their way offensively after having to put superstar running back David Johnson on injured reserve with a dislocated wrist.
49ERS VS. RAMS, THURSDAY @ 8:25 PM ET
There may not be a lot of public excitement for the Rams and 49ers on Thursday night, but Giants fans would be wise to take a look. The Giants play the Rams and 49ers in back-to-back games coming off their bye week to start November. The Rams' defense is reinvigorated under Wade Phillips and with Aaron Donald back from his holdout. Jared Goff has shown some progress at quarterback in his second year, and has flashed chemistry with rookie Cooper Kupp. The 49ers are rolling with Brian Hoyer at quarterback, but Kyle Shanahan has the running game in gear early with Carlos Hyde gaining 169 yards on just 24 carries this season. The Rams are 1-1 with their win coming against the Colts, while the 49ers are looking for their first victory.
VIKINGS VS. BUCCANEERS, SUNDAY @ 1:00 PM ET
The Giants play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4, and fans can get a nice preview of what that game may look like when the Bucs play the Vikings this weekend. Like the Giants, the Vikings have a very tough defense. Jameis Winston did not turn the ball over in his first game, against the Bears (204 yards, 1 TD), a big focus for him this year. It will be a bigger challenge in Minnesota. The Bucs have two more weeks to play without their suspended running back Doug Martin. Tampa had to take their bye week in Week 1 due to Hurricane Irma.
PANTHERS VS. SAINTS, SUNDAY @ 1:00 PM ET
There isn't much of a direct connection to the Giants here, but Panthers and Saints on Sunday at 1 p.m. should be very educational for a number of reasons. The Panthers are 2-0 but have had some struggles offensively, scoring just 32 points through two weeks, but the Saints' defense has given up an average of over 500 yards per game. The Saints are 0-2 and desperately need the win to stay in the mix in a very competitive NFC South. We'll get a much better feel for exactly what these teams are this weekend.
