Giants vs. Dolphins, Week 15: Big Blue View staff picks

How do your Big Blue View contributors see Sunday’s New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins game unfolding? Let’s find out.

Chris Pflum

Last week I chose to lean on sentiment in making my pick, and for about 20 minutes it looked like it might have been the right call. Then the Giants’ offense forgot to come out of the locker room for the second half.

After the game I asked Ed how we could possibly trust this team to win, even against a team like the Miami Dolphins.

This is a game the Giants should win on paper. The Giants have better players on offense and defense ... But the Dolphins have better coaching. They have been playing hard, punching above their weight class and making for tight games against better teams. Meanwhile the Giants look disorganized, confused, and all too often play without urgency. What’s more, they will be without Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, and Kevin Zeitler, as well as the newly-released Janoris Jenkins. That last one looms large as the Dolphins could potentially get DeVante Parker back from injury in time for the game. He participated in contact drills on Friday, and was feeling good enough that evening to sign a four-year, $40 million contract extension.

If Parker returns to the field, the Dolphins will have a legitimate weapon who could be a major headache for the Giants’ new starting duo of Sam Beal and DeAndre Baker.

And I still go back to my question to Ed... How can we trust this team?

Pick: Dolphins 24, Giants 21
Season record: 9-4

Joe DeLeone

Last week appeared the be a great opportunity for the Giants to end their losing streak. This week is a much better shot. The Miami Dolphins are a really bad team on offense and defense at almost every position group. They’ve traded every good young player they’ve had, and have a bare roster. While the Giants are in no better shape, they still have more positive attributes than the Dolphins.

Pick: Giants 28, Dolphins 17
Season record: 9-4

Matt Williamson

I like the Giants at home in this one. It is obvious that New York has far more in the way of skill position talent on offense and I expect that talent to shine against a very questionable Miami defense. On the other side of the ball, the Giants big men should really clog up the run and force Ryan Fitzpatrick into a few mistakes.

Pick: Giants 25, Dolphins 17
Season record: 10-3

Emily Iannaconi

It says something that this weeks marks the first in a long time that I did consider the Giants might snap their ever-growing losing streak. The 3-10 Miami Dolphins are in last place in their division and some of their offensive numbers (points, yards and rushing yards) rank among the worst in the league. But the Dolphins are playing, relatively speaking, harder in recent weeks. They defeated the Philadelphia Eagles by six in week 13 and battled with the New York Jets to a one-point loss last week. Meanwhile, as running back Saquon Barkley put it, the Giants “find ways to lose.” I hope that I’m wrong and Eli Manning gets the send-off he deserves in what could be his final game ever at home. But after the Giants failed to show up in the second half last week, I see this losing streak extending to 10.

Pick: Dolphins 21, Giants 17
Season record: 6-2

Joseph Czikk

How much will the loss of Janoris Jenkins hurt the Giants secondary this week? Is DeAndre Baker ready to take on number 1 receivers? All these questions and more surround the Giants, but I think this weekend they should be able to get that third win.

Last week was frustrating for everyone - the Giants, their fans, even outsiders who just wanted to see Philly lose. The offensive talent is there but that ability that good teams have to rise above it all and get the W - that’s not there. However, Eli and the offense should get it done this weekend against an equally hapless Dolphins squad.

I think Sterling Shepard gets to the end zone again while Saquon tops 80 yards plus a score. Give it to Big Blue in a narrow victory.

Pick: Giants 24, Dolphins 21
Season record: 8-4

Ed Valentine

The Giants should have beaten the Arizona Cardinals at home. They didn’t. They should have beaten the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. They didn’t. They should have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday. They didn’t. They probably should have beaten the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears. They didn’t.

The Giants should beat the Dolphins on Sunday. They probably won’t.

Pick: Dolphins 27, Giants 20
Season record: 10-3