The New York Giants have to beat someone eventually. Don't they? The Giants try to break their seven-game losing streak Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Can they do that? Here are your Big Blue View staff picks for this week.
Valentine's View
I said last week that I won't pick the Giants to win a game again until they actually do it. I am going to stick to that, so you know what that means for this week's pick.
I am still stunned that the Giants couldn't function like an NFL team long enough to beat a Jacksonville team that was ready to lay down last week. They should be better than the Titans. They have to be better than the Titans. Can they actually beat the Titans? There's no way anyone can guarantee that?
Pick: Titans
Jesse Bartolis
(From Jesse's Week 14 picks against the spread)
A pick 'em game against a 2-10 team. My how the Giants have fallen. The Giants haven't won in MONTHS! That's ridiculous to say. The Giants have better individual players than the Titans too and I think that matters when two teams are both poor. The Giants would be better served long run by losing this game, but I expect them to win and Eli crosses off another team off his list (he's beaten almost every team in the league, except the Colts, Titans, Giants, and I think the other is the Broncos).
Pick: Giants win outright
'Invictus'
This game is very much like the one the Giants played last week. A supposedly inferior opponent with a talented but inconsistent rookie quarterback, some young play-makers, and a defense that thrives in pressuring the QB (Tennessee is ranked ninth in the league in sacks). It should have been a Giants win last week, and if we were going based off of match-ups, it probably should be a Giants win this week.
However, we know that's not true. This game is a virtual "pick 'em of stink" and I don't think I trust this team to stink less than anybody else. The offensive line will once again be in duress and the Giants won't have anybody to target aside from their superstar rookie. With Rashad Jennings hurting, it might just be back to Andre Williams. That means that the running game is not going to be on par with what it was last week. It's time to tank again.
Pick: Titans 28, Giants 21
'Raptor22'
After watching the Giants implode in the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars, can we really feel safe picking them to win against anybody? It doesn't help that the Giants were forced to place five (5!) players on the injured reserve after that game, including Geoff Schwartz -- who was providing a boost to the Giants anemic offensive line -- and their best pass rusher Robert Ayers. Not to mention Rashad Jennings could miss this week's game with an ankle injury.
But on the positive side, starting right tackle Justin Pugh is expected to return this week,which should help give Eli time to find Odell Beckham. The Titans are weak on both sides of the line of scrimmage, so there are match-ups to be won there.
By this point, I'm more interested to see how DaMontre Moore performs now that he has become the starter across from JPP, how Justin Pugh does coming back from injury.
I'm picking the Giants to win and break their 7 game losing streak. I just hope it happens without the anybody else going on the IR.
Pick: Giants