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Needless to say, this past offseason was anything but peaceful for the New England Patriots. That said, thus far, with Deflategate now situated nicely in the past, the Patriots have done nothing but waltz through the season in a calm and collected manner.
Seriously, in all but one game this season, the Patriots managed to nab a score early on in the fourth quarter and maintained an insurmountable lead throughout the final 15 minutes. Fairly efficient, right?
However, all that could potentially change this Sunday when the Patriots travel to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey to take on the New York Giants. It’s not that the Giants are flawless out on the field or anything, it’s just that the team has made it a point in the past to make things hard for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
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In fact, the Giants have beaten the Patriots in their past three meetings. Should the G-Men make it a fourth straight victory, it would be the first time Belichick would have lost four consecutive times to a single team since taking over in 2000. For the Patriots to keep to their winning ways, the team’s top priority will be to control New York’s most viable offensive weapon: Odell Beckham Jr.
Speaking more of the difficulties of the job, says Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com, “Beckham presents an especially difficult challenge because he not only can win downfield, but he's tough over the middle. Beckham's quickness at the line makes him hard to press and cover in short areas.”
Statistically speaking, if the Giants are to have a shot at taking down the Patriots, Eli Manning and the offense will need to put up at least 30 points. For such an accomplishment to be made, Beckham will need to have nothing short of a jaw-dropping performance.
While the specifics of the Beckham matchup can’t be known (remember, Belichick isn’t saying anything), it’s widely assumed that Malcolm Butler will have the honor of eliminating the star receiver from the contest—with plenty of safety help over the top, of course.
As far as fantasy owners are concerned, seeing as how the Giants have one of the most dreadful rushing attacks in the league, expect Beckham to see plenty of passes thrown his way. Whatever the end result, regardless of team preference or fantasy involvement, this game will be one worth watching.
