NFL
NFL Week 5 preview: New York Giants looking short?
We head to London for the second international game this season, which will see the Green Bay Packers welcome the New York Giants to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England. We also preview an exciting game in the San Francisco 49ers against the Carolina Panthers.
We preview the best of the action below.
New York Giants v Green Bay Packers: Quarter-gate for NY Giants
The New York Giants are coming into this game off the back of a win against the Chicago Bears last weekend. But tragedy struck the club to leave a bittersweet taste in the mouth despite the win, with their starting quarterback Daniel Jones sustaining an ankle injury during the game. To add salt to the wound, their backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor also left the game following a brutal collision which left him with a concussion.
There is still uncertainty over whether Jones will be match fit before the weekend, however it seems doubtful and will certainly be at the top of the list of concerns for head coach Brian Daboll. The Giants will head into this game the 3/1 underdogs and will have to pull off something special this weekend against their opponents to return home victorious.
The Green Bay Packers are also coming off a home game win, having clutched a victory against the New England Patriots last weekend in the dying moments of overtime to win 27-24. They will hope to take this momentum with them across the pond and are the 5/18 favourites ahead of the action.
The packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers has led the sides’ offensive game for some time, and to a high degree of success. Rodgers even boasts some impressive statistics such as a career interception rate of just 1.3%. However, there have been some questions raised about Green Bay’s offence since the start of the season, with some questioning Rodgers consistency after he threw three intercepted passes in the first four games – he hasn’t had over five interceptions in a season since 2017.
So, questions remain about both sides’ quarterbacks, even if the Giants are in a slightly stickier situation with both of theirs being out. This game promises to be entertaining, and either way it plays out, the London fans will be out in full force ahead of the weekend’s action.
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Carolina Panthers v San Francisco 49ers: Pressure piles on for the Panthers
The San Francisco 49ers are the 10/27 favourites ahead of this weekend and look to build on their impressive win over the Los Angles Rams last weekend. In that fixture, Jimmy Garoppolo looked the most comfortable we’ve seen him since coming in to replace Trey Lance in week 2. This in combination with a newly healthy George Kittle has led to the 49ers looking as efficient and dangerous as ever.
As well as the freshly rejuvenated offence, the 49ers have had no problems in holding up their defence either. They currently rank first in the league for yards per game allowed and also points per game allowed.
The Carolina Panthers’ offence has been lacklustre, with quarterback Baker Mayfield being inconsistent and throwing numerous interceptions. Their last fixture saw them beat the Saints 22-14, but their offensive game will need to step up in class this weekend if they want to better one of the best defensive sides in the league.
The Panthers are currently 23/10 to clinch a victory and are +6 on the handicap. Victory here will be important for the fans, who have had to endure their team going 1-3 from the first four games. The game will be critical not just for the fans, but primarily for head coach Matt Rhule, who has come under fire since the Panthers poor start to the season and now faces calls for him to be removed from his role.
On balance, this seems an easy victory for the 49ers, however with the fire lit underneath the Panthers, it will be interesting to see if they have the heart to steal an all-important win from their San Francisco based opponents.
