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Fact or Fiction: Tyrone Tracy's role; pace of pass rush

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The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.

Rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. will have at least 100 yards from scrimmage for the third consecutive game.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – Devin Singletary did not have a game status distinction on the final injury report, so he is on track to make his return. I still think the Giants' backfield will look like more of a timeshare despite Tracy's success the last two weeks. Singletary played well before he got hurt and is still sixth in the NFL in missed tackles forced per rushing attempt, according to Pro Football Focus. As a group, I do believe the running backs will combine for more than 100 yards from scrimmage against a struggling Eagles defense.

Dan Salomone: Fact – While Singletary was out, the fifth-round draft pick became the second Giants rookie – and first running back - with 237+ scrimmage yards in his first two career starts in the Super Bowl era. Wide receiver Mike Friede had 245 in 1980. Touches will likely be split, but the Giants found something with Tracy as a receiver. I don't think that will go away.

Matt Citak: Fiction – With Devin Singletary returning to the field this Sunday, it may be hard for Tracy to reach 100 yards from scrimmage. The rookie likely would receive a smaller workload than the last two weeks, when he averaged 21 touches per game. I still believe Tracy will have a sizeable role in the offense and will get his touches, but when healthy, Singletary is going to be on the field. I think the two backs will combine for over 100 yards from scrimmage.

The Giants need to force multiple turnovers in order to win on Sunday.

John Schmeelk: Fact – The Eagles have turned the ball over a lot this season. Only two teams, the Titans and Raiders, have a worse turnover ratio than the Eagles (-6). Last week, the Eagles broke a nine-game streak where they had at least one giveaway. Jalen Hurts leads the NFL with 27 giveaways since the start of the 2023 season.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – Philadelphia is still 3-2 despite never having a positive turnover differential in its five games. This game will come down to whichever team can limit the one or two big plays that decide the outcome.

Matt Citak: Fiction – While forcing multiple turnovers would certainly boost the Giants' chances of winning on Sunday, I wouldn't quite say it is a necessity. The strength of the Giants' defense this season has been coming up with stops in key situations. Through six games, they have the NFL's 11th-best third down and fourth down defense, while their red zone defense comes in at sixth. If the defense can continue doing what it's been doing, while the offense plays more like it did in Seattle than it did on Sunday Night Football last week, then that should be enough for the Giants to come away with the victory on Sunday. I will note, though, that the Eagles do have multiple turnovers on offense in three of their five games thus far.

View photos of the Giants on the practice field at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center.

Dexter Lawrence is having the Giants' best defensive season since Jason Pierre-Paul in 2011.

John Schmeelk: Fact – From an overall play perspective, I think Lawrence's season is very similar to what he put on tape in 2022 and pre-hamstring injury in 2023. He is impossible to block solo and is one of the most unique weapons in the NFL. Since his sack numbers are more reflective of that dominance, I will cede this has been his best individual season. I don't think any other player can boast a higher level of play since Jason Pierre Paul in 2011.

Dan Salomone: Fact – After taking a few seasons to get his footing in the NFL, it has been fun to watch his career explode before our eyes these past three seasons. He's a fun-loving guy in one sense, but we've seen his killer instinct come out, especially this season. And you can see the effect he has on the entire defense.

Matt Citak: Fact – Dexter Lawrence is in his sixth NFL season, and yet he is somehow still getting better every time he steps onto the field. His seven sacks through six games are just a half-sack shy of the league-lead, an impressive feat for an interior defensive lineman given the fact that everyone else near the top of the leaderboard plays on the edge, while his 11 quarterback hits are tied for the third-most. The 26-year-old is firmly in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion, and rightfully so. While JPP's 16.5 might be difficult to match, Lawrence is well on his way to double-digit sacks.

The 2024 Giants will break the franchise single-season sacks record of 68, set in 1985.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – The Giants are currently on pace for about 73 sacks, which gives them a chance to match their previous sack record, but I'm not sure they will get there. The Giants are now second in the league in sacks with 26 after the Broncos had six sacks against the Saints last night, giving them 28 on the season. But they only sit at ninth in pressure rate, according to Pro Football Focus, which is a more predictive stat of what's to come. They are only four percent away from Seattle, which leads the league (and two percent short of Denver), so those numbers might change but right now I find it unlikely. The other side of the coin is that the Giants do lead the league in sacks per pass attempt, so their sack rate is nearly two percent higher than any other team in football. I think they'll finish in the high 50s or low 60s, which should put them in the top 5 in the NFL.

Dan Salomone: Fact – With one more game on the schedule than the 1985 Giants, it is definitely in play. Keep in mind the NFL single-season record is 72, set by the 1984 Chicago Bears. The Giants are on pace for 73.

Matt Citak: Fact – Of course, the Giants' 26 sacks are the most in the NFL and four more than any other team. It's also their highest sack total through six games since 1985. But their success while rushing the passer goes beyond just their sack totals. According to EPSN analytics, the Giants also have a 48 percent pass rush win rate, the fifth-highest mark in the league. Even with Kayvon Thibodeaux sidelined last week, the Giants still got to Joe Burrow four times, with Azeez Ojulari leading the way with two sacks. The Giants' defense, and more specifically the pass rush, was supposed to be the strength of the team heading into the season, and so far, they have lived up to the billing.

View photos of the New York Giants' Top 100 Players in franchise history, ranked by an independent committee, in celebration of the Giants' 100th season.

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